APGA chieftain seeks common date for new yam festival across Igboland

FACTIONAL governorship candidate the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2013 election in Anambra State, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has suggested a unified date for the Iwa Ji (new yam festival) in Igboland, as it has become a veritable unifying factor in the preservation of Igbo language and culture.

Obidigbo, speaking at the Iwa Ji ceremony hosted by Samson Ume-Ejike at Ezinifite, noted that the event has become a major annual occasion celebrated all over Igbo land and even in the diaspora.

He further stressed the need to collaborate with the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Dr. Anthony Obinna, to organise it alongside the annual Ahiajioku Lecture Series.

Meanwhile, he stated that when properly harnessed and utilised, the energy of women and youth help to develop the economy of any modern society. Therefore, “it is very unfortunate that this legendary energy of our youth and determination of our women are being wasted through unemployment and official indifference towards their welfare and wellbeing.”

He enjoined the people to emulate their counterparts in other places through constructive criticism of their political office holders instead of sitting back to watch things go from bad to worse, as no government would do well without constructive criticisms.