Culture, gratitude, and community spirit filled the air in Gombe State as the Igbo community gathered to celebrate its annual New Yam Festival, marking the official start of consuming newly harvested crops.
The vibrant celebration brought together traditional rulers, elders, farmers, and families in a powerful display of heritage.
Speaking on the significance of the gathering, the convener and Special Adviser to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya on Inter-Community Relations, Dr. Chidebew Chimack Ewuze, noted that the event serves as a moment of profound thanksgiving for a successful harvest and a prayerful look ahead to the next farming season.
“Yam is more than just a staple food among the Igbo people; it symbolises wealth, prosperity, hard work, fertility, and our unique cultural identity,” Dr. Ewuze stated.
He further praised Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s administration for transformative developmental projects in the health and agricultural sectors that continue to uplift local livelihoods.
Championing the importance of food security, the Special Adviser urged residents to embrace farming as a sustainable pathway to eradicating hunger and creating employment opportunities.
He also used the platform to rally support for political continuity and leadership, calling on citizens to back President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the Gombe North Senatorial seat, APC governorship candidate Jamilu Isiyaku Gwamna, and other party candidates in the upcoming general elections.
Echoing these sentiments, the President General of the Igbo Community Welfare Association, Barrister Harvard Nweye, emphasized that the festival remains a sacred space for communal bonding, traditional prayers, and thanksgiving for peace and a bountiful yield.
Explaining the time-honored rituals of the day, Barrister Nweye noted that “Traditional rulers and respected elders perform the first ceremonial tasting of the new yam before it is joyfully shared with the wider community.”
He concluded by highlighting how the celebration rightfully honors hardworking farmers while underscoring agriculture’s vital role in the community’s economy, survival, and cultural preservation.