Uche Chukwu
The traditional ruler of Amawbia Town, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Uchenna Okonkwo has announced financial reward to the best three villages that cultivate biggest yams this year.
This was made known during the opening of the three-day Eziokpaligwe Cultural Festival which ends Saturday at the town's civic centre, Amawbia. The six villages of Umueze, Umukabia, Enuoji,, Ezimezi, Ngene and Adabebe are participating in the three-day event.
Igwe Okonkwo announced that the overall best will be rewarded with the sum of N100,000, second best N50,000 while the best third placed will go home with N25,000 as a token of motivation for them to embrace farming and contribute to sufficiency and economic development . The monarch emphasized the importance of the event, hinting that there's need for the subjects to be more committed to farming so that the adverse effects of hunger can be reduced drastically.
Igwe Okonkwo offered heartfelt prayers for the continued prosperity, security and well-being of the people, stressing that the Eziokpaligwe Festival serves as a vital cultural forum to unite the villagers, strengthen for cultural bonds, preserve cherished traditions and deepen the shared identity of the Amawbia people.
He said: "Such gatherings go beyond celebrating the land, they reinforce the values and heritage that define the community."
Welcoming participants, the President-general of Amawbia Town Union, Nze Chukwudi Odumodu noted that the festival is held to thank God for life and solicitor for protection, guidance and bountiful yields as the community enters the planting season, to ask God for protection during farming and bountiful harvest.
Odumodu observed that the event underscores the community's appreciation of gifts of life and farm crops by God for livelihood, and empowerment.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Umueze, the eldest Village,Chief Ikechukwu Okeke observed that the Eziokkaligwe Festival is held in March every year as a reminder that people should prepare well for farming to survive and prayed God to bless the land of the community for surplus to over one the famine.
Okeke observed that his Umueze village won two trophies in financial performance and cultural displays last year, expressing hope to sustain the winning spirit , healthy competition and unity among the villages.