By David Onwuchekwa
Oraifite Kingdom in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State was on Sunday transformed into a theatre of colours, rhythms, and traditions as His Royal Majesty, Ogbuefi Stanley Chukwujekwu, the Ezeora II of Oraifite, led his people in the 2025 Iwaji (New Yam) Festival.
From the early hours of the day, the town wore a festive outlook as families, friends, and well-wishers trooped to the Umuike Family Hall, venue of the celebration, to witness the cultural feast.
The event drew together stakeholders of Oraifite, traditional custodians, Ndị Nze na Ozo, captains of industry, cultural enthusiasts, and indigenes both at home and in the diaspora. It was a gathering that showcased not only unity but also the enduring beauty of Igbo heritage.
In his royal address, Igwe Chukwujekwu declared the festival a sacred moment of thanksgiving and cultural reaffirmation. He described the Iwaji as a time when Oraifite people commune with their ancestors, express gratitude for a fruitful harvest, and strengthen the bond of oneness within the kingdom.
The high point of the day was the ritual of cutting roasted yam, a symbolic act performed by the monarch. Holding the yam aloft, the Ezeora II invoked the Holy Trinity — in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost — as his subjects and guests echoed a thunderous Amen.
This ritual, deeply rooted in Igbo cosmology, signified the acceptance of the new harvest and the permission for the people to begin feasting on the season’s yams.
Surrounded by his royal cabinet, his wife (Lolo), elders, and visiting dignitaries, the Igwe radiated joy as he watched the spectacle of masquerades and cultural groups that graced the occasion.
Notable among them was the appearance of the revered Ajofia Nnewi, whose esoteric presence electrified the crowd. Dance troupes from various quarters of Oraifite took turns to entertain, their drums, flutes, and chants echoing into the evening sky.
Guests were treated to the sights and sounds of tradition, women in resplendent wrappers, men in flowing isiagu, children in colourful attires dancing to the beats of the talking drum.
There was enough to eat and drink, as yam dishes of different kinds, alongside other delicacies, flowed freely, symbolizing abundance and hospitality.
Community voices further enriched the celebration.
Pastor Dr. Josiah Udoji described the festival as long-awaited, stressing that it fostered togetherness and the promotion of cultural heritage.
Charles Chukwujekwu reminded the gathering that Iwaji is a legacy handed down by the forefathers, a tradition binding generations of Oraifite people.
To Chief Sir Moses Obi, the festival was a season of joy, the evidence of harvest after the toil of planting.
Beyond its cultural significance, the celebration carried historical undertones.
It will be recalled that a landmark judgment of the Nnewi High Court on the Oraifite chieftaincy dispute affirmed the right of the Ezumeri quarters to produce the traditional ruler, a ruling that birthed the reign of HRM Ogbuefi Stanley Chukwujekwu as the Ezeora II of Oraifite.
As the sun set on the festival, Oraifite glowed with pride, its people bound by faith, culture, and joy. The 2025 Iwaji was not just a feast of yam; it was a reaffirmation of identity, unity, and continuity, a testimony that the traditions of the ancestors live on vibrantly in the hearts of their descendants.
