Anambra monarch, Mbamalu celebrates newyam, urges all to embrace agriculture to sack hunger
By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
Everybody should resort to agriculture, extensive farming to end hunger that is biting hard in every household. People should go into serious farming whether you are a civil servant, trader, and which ever business you may find yourself resort to farming to end hunger.
This assertion was made by HRM, Igwe Gerald Mbamalu of Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government area, Anambra State weekend at Oye market square where he cut the newyam produced in his Ojoto community to mark the 2026 newyam festival, amidst mammoth crowd of indigenes that included, cabinet chiefs, politicians, dance troupes, traditional medicine practitioners, among others.
His words, "People should resort to agriculture, serious farming to end hunger that is biting hard in every household now. Whether you are a civil servant, (white cola job), trading and which ever place you may find yourself, farming is the ultimate to end hunger.
"To encourage farming in Ojoto, there will be competitions where prizes will be given to those that will present biggest yams gotten from their farms in Ojoto next year.
"Newyam celebration is a period of harvesting our farm produce, especially yam that is the king of the crops and also used for cultivation. So the festival is to herald the arrival of newyam so that everybody should harvest and eat. People should resort to farming as means of whipping out hunger," he stated.
In his own contribution, a son of the soil and Anambra Central zonal vice chairman, All Progressive Congress, APC, high Chief Augustine A. Momaife, (Ichie Omeziriuzo Ojoto), said, "We are here to be with our monarch in his newyam celebration.
"After today the cabinet members and indigenes will tomorrow, (Sunday), celebrate theirs in their various domains. So it is a thing of joy, Igwe Mbamalu is the first to eat the newyam and others follow suit," he disclosed.
Earlier, a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC and candidate for Idemili North and South Federal House of Representatives, Dr, Barr. Kingsley K. Ezekwelu, expressed satisfaction with the way the monarch has been piloting the affairs of the community with his cabinet members and prayed God to give them the strength and guidance as they move the community forward.
On the newyam festival the APC Green Chamber candidate who was flanked by his twin brother, described it as the rich cultural heritage of the people of Ojoto adding that it is a period to thank God for a bumper harvest.
His words, "You have to thank God for giving you the yam before you go back to farm again. It is a cultural heritage to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the people and I pray that it will be better for Igwe, his cabinet members, and all the people of Ojoto as we mark the newyam festival," he prayed.
Among those present included, the palace secretary, Esinwaeze Anthony, his assistance, captains of industry, government functionaries, among others.
Highlight on the occasion included different masquerades display and dance troupes.
