Why I Single-Handedly Sponsored Maiden Ashiolu Festival, Says Anambra Philanthropist

By Chuks Eke

Diaspora-based Anambra State-born philanthropist, High Chief Emeka Hamilton Ezeonu, has disclosed that he single-handedly sponsored this year’s maiden Ashiolu annual cultural festival for his Ifite-Ogboadiji Nnobi community in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state to strengthen the existing peaceful coexistence in the area.

He said he felt highly excited that the festival has eventually become a reconciliatory and unifying factor for all sons and daughters of the community and, by extension, in the state, irrespective of their political and religious differences.

High Chief Ezeonu, who has a chieftaincy title of Ikemba Nnobi, disclosed this on Thursday while receiving an award of generosity from the leaders of the Nnobi community during the maiden Ashiolu cultural festival, emphasising that his main target was to unite all factors and bring every son and daughter of Nnobi into one umbrella.

He implored Southeast Governors to liaise with Ohanaeze Ndigbo in fashioning out a means whereby the New Yam festival would be celebrated together at a regional level in the Southeast zone on an annual basis, possibly starting from this year or next year to harass the potentialities of Ndigbo at home and in the Diaspora, even as he gave an assurance that himself and other Igbo citizens in the Diaspora would play a complementary role in making such regional celebration a huge success.

According to the philanthropist, “The New Yam Festival is a time of celebrating the beginning of yam harvest, considered king of all crops among Ndigbo. It is currently being celebrated by communities at different dates.

He suggested that a definite date by the entire Ndigbo would enhance the quality and profile of the festival, adding that the centralised celebration of the New Yam Festival at a particular date by Ndigbo would attract international attention for the event and make the celebration a tourist event, which would attract tourists from different parts of the globe to help expand tourism in Igbo land.

Chief Ezeonu said if modernised in a way that prices and awards would be created for farmers to assist in attracting more participation in agriculture, the youths would now pick interest in participating in agriculture, and in that way, we would have an increase in food production to tackle hunger in most communities and households.

The traditional ruler of the Nnobi community, Engr  Nick Obi (FNSE), debunked the claim that the celebration of the new yam festival amounts to returning to idol worship, saying that it is the celebration of the people’s rich cultural heritage.

The monarch therefore commended High Chief Ezeonu for the sponsorship of the event and other developmental activities in the entire Nnobi community and prayed for God’s continuous guidance and blessing over him, even as he urged other successful sons and daughters of Nnobi to emulate Ikemba.

Chairman of Ifite Ogbeadiji village, Comrade Obioma Stanley Uzuegbunam, said he was elated by the success of the event meant to celebrate the culture and tradition of their people.

He said the event took them only two weeks to plan but expressed gratitude to Chief Ezeonu for electing to fund it.

Some prominent members of the community, including High Chief Obinna Okudo (Ochedo Nnobi), High Chief Ezeonu and his wife, Thelma, and those in the Diaspora, received awards for their various contributions to the development of the village.

Chairman of Idemili South Local Government Area, Iyom Amaka Obi, and the President-General of Nnobi Welfare Union, NWO, Barr. Dominic Okpala, among many others, were among the prominent persons who graced the occasion and called on. Governor Chukwuma Soludo to assist them with security and infrastructure developments.

The high point of the occasion was yam competition among farmers. display by women dance groups from the village and masquerade display, as well as cash awards to three producers of the biggest new yams, which were displayed and weighed with a scale.

A cash of N50,000 was handed over to Engr. Chukwudozie Ogbuefi, whose yam weighed 20.34 kg, while N30,000 was given to Chief Igwebuike Ezeodibendi, whose own yam weighed 19.80 kg, just as N20,000 was given to Mr. Nnamdi Ezekwueche, whose own yam came third with 8.50 kg weight.