The people of Nawfia community in the Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, have celebrated their age-long annual New Yam festival.
The community used the opportunity that the festivity provided to present the decision to use agricultural revolution – through focus on enhanced food productivity – to build sustainable development and lasting peace.
During the ceremony at the hill-top palace of the traditional ruler of Nawfia community, Igwe Ogochukwu Obelle over the weekend, there were deliberate efforts by the monarch, chiefs, young men and women to promote food sustainability through agricultural revival.
The festival, otherwise known as “Iwa ji Nawfia” began with prayers, breaking of kolanuts, cutting of yams and sharing them across all the villages that made up the community, while prayers were offered for development, progress, and lasting peace and unity in Nawfia Kingdom and other neighbouring towns.
Our South-East PUNCH correspondent reports that the New Yam festival is a revered celebration that promotes Igbo cultural heritage and weaves together spiritual and cultural significance, reinforcing the people’s connection to their heritage, community and the divine.
In the South-East region, only the monarch of a town has the right to celebrate the new yam festival first before other people, after which every other member of the community will begin to celebrate.
The traditional ruler of Nawfia community, HRM Igwe Ogochukwu Obelle, described yam as the “king of crops”, urging the youth to embrace agriculture as it has huge potential to tackle unemployment, reduce hunger and ensure food sufficiency across the land.
Obelle said the community, through the festival, is driving massive agricultural revival among the youths to reawaken their agricultural consciousness to tackle the looming food crisis amidst increasing prices of food commodities.
He added that the focus of the festival, beyond dancing and merrymaking, is basically to appreciate God for his multiple blessings and for bountiful harvest while encouraging the people to maintain peace and harmony with one another.
He called on the youths to embrace the culture and traditions of their community to so as to have something to bequeath to the next generation.
The monarch used the celebration to commend the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for his extensive efforts in transforming the state’s road infrastructure, including that of the Nawfia community.
He added, “Today is a day of joy and thanksgiving to God for bountiful harvest during Nawfia 2026 New Yam Festival, otherwise known as ‘Iwa ji Nawfia.’ We pray for continuous development and lasting peace and unity in Nawfia Kingdom and the neighbouring towns.
“We are also thanking the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for championing collaborative governance and creating an enabling environment for local development.
“The ongoing road network expansions and other projects in the communities are boosting local commerce, improving regional connectivity, and drastically reducing travel times across Anambra State.”
