The ancient town of Ozuzu in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State was aglow with colours, music, and dance as the people gathered to mark their annual New Yam Festival, a sacred tradition that pays homage to their ancestors and celebrates the blessings of harvest of Yam.
The festival, presided over by His Royal Highness, Eze Fyneface Amaechi, remains one of the most significant cultural events in Ozuzu. It serves as a thanksgiving to the ancestral progenitors for the gift of life, prosperity, and abundance.
Speaking at the occasion, Eze Amaechi reaffirmed the centrality of tradition in the life of the kingdom. “We uphold our culture and tradition. Before the advent of colonial Christianity, Amadi Oha Ozuzu was our Chi, and we revered our practice in honour,” he said, stressing that the New Yam Festival is both a spiritual and cultural renewal for the people.
The day was marked by age-long rituals, traditional dances, and vibrant communal feasting. Sons and daughters of Ozuzu, including those who returned from far and near, joined in celebrating the land’s bounty while reconnecting with their heritage.
For the people of Ozuzu, the New Yam Festival is more than a harvest celebration. It is a reaffirmation of identity, unity, and the living bond between the present generation and their ancestors.