Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
The annual Ojiji Izzi New Yam Festival has become a platform for community leaders to deliver a powerful message to the younger generation to embrace cultural heritage and the value of hard work through agriculture.
Speaking to SpringNews during the grand finale of the new yam festival, the Chairman of the Abakaliki Ricemill, Mr.Obeji Linus stressed that the event is more than a harvest celebration; it is a time to give thanks and to unite as a community.
Obeji directly challenged the youth, urging them to look beyond government jobs and recognize the potential within their agrarian society.
He stressed that they have the capacity to feed themselves, their families, and the community. “So long as you are a youth, you must imbibe the culture of hard work by having your farm,” he stated.
Echoing this sentiment was Ogochukwu Iteshi, SSA to the senator representing Ebonyi North senatorial zone , senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi on Youth Mobilization, who noted a growing disconnect between many young people and their roots. Iteshi explained that the festival is a crucial opportunity to reconnect with their identity. “This festival shows us our root, our culture… it shows that we come from somewhere and that our culture is rich,” he said.