Kenneth Ifeakandu from Okofia village in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, won the sum of N500,000.00 for harvesting 95-kilogramme yam during the community’s New Yam festival.
The Yam competition was part of the New Yam festival for the 2024 edition of Obeledu’s New Yam festival held over the weekend.
The community said it was a deliberate effort aimed at reviving and encouraging the spirit of agriculture, especially among the youths to achieve food sufficiency, Punch reported.
The excited Ifeakandu said the half-a-million naira prize he won for producing the heaviest yam would be invested into his farm for greater yield next year.
“The prize money is a morale booster to invest more into agriculture, I will expand my scope and return here next year by the grace of God with super huge harvests to show my gratitude to God," he said.
The President-General of Obeledu Progress Union, Ken Echendu, said that agricultural show was deliberately built into the new yam festival to encourage people to go into farming.
Echendu said, “People have this impression that Anaocha has white land which is not fertile enough to support agriculture, but we are changing that erroneous narrative.
“We are doing this initiative to key into the agricultural revolution of the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who has been encouraging people to go into farming. In Obeledu, we are encouraging our youths to go into agriculture.
“We appreciated all the members of the executive council for their sacrifices towards making the community’s new yam festival a huge success.
“We also appealed to the entire Obeledu people to continue to support our administration because there are better days ahead.”
The traditional ruler of the community, His Royal Highness, Igwe AC Oragwam (Ezeoranyelu III), while performing the traditional yam cutting to flag off the occasion thanked God for granting his community a bountiful harvest.
Oragwam urged Ndi-Obeledu and residents alike to continue to embrace peace which according to him is the bedrock for growth and development.
He recalled that yam competition which has gained international currency started in his community.
The Secretary of the Obeledu Media Department, Ikechukwu Okafor, who is also the Media Aide to the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, attributed the success of the occasion to the harmonious relationship existing between the Obeledu people.
He said, “People are happy, farms and other endeavours of the people are doing well, an indication that God is with us, the 2024 edition of Obeledu New Yam festival is particularly unique because of the level of participation of the people.
“To ensure that the tempo is sustained, fertilisers were distributed to farmers at the occasion in anticipation of bumper harvest next year and beyond.”
He also applauded the Obeledu monarch for giving yams and cash to the less privileged persons in the eight villages that constitute the town in celebration of the new yam festival, expressing optimism that the current Executive Council of Obeledu would take the community to the promised land.
He, however, appealed to all and sundry to continue to support the paramount traditional ruler of the town and the leadership of Town Union.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Collins Nwabuwanne, who graced the occasion congratulated the entire people of the community for a successful outing.
Nwabuwanne pointed out that he has continued to attend new yam festivals across the state to see how the communities are keying into the agricultural revolution of the administration of the state governor.
He said as a matter of fact that the Obeledu community has done so very well and would be supported by the government to do more in the area of agriculture.
He urged other towns and communities in Anambra State to borrow a leaf from Obeledu.
Dignitaries at the occasion included the senator representing Anambra Central senatorial district, Chief Victor Umeh, the Transition Committee Chairman of Anaocha Local Government Area, Romanus Ibekwe, the President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Emeka Obegolu and royal fathers from far and near.
The highlights of the 2024 Obeledu yam festival included church service, traditional dances, yam competition, displays by masquerades amongst others.
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