By Precious Oham
It was a joyous occasion on Tuesday as the Onifa of Ado-Ekiti, Awise Dauda Lawal celebrated the annual New Yam Festival known as ‘Odun Ijesu’ with family, community members and well-wishers to express gratitude to God for blessing their land with bountiful harvest.
Historically, the New Yam Festival is celebrated annually, after new yams are harvested to mark the beginning and end of a new season.
The festival was marked by traditional dances, music, prayers to the creator and the symbolic yam cutting ceremony, all of which showcased the vibrancy of Yoruba culture.
Awise Lawal said the New Yam Festival is an occasion for the community to offer gratitude to their deities for a bountiful harvest and to usher in a season of abundance.
According to him, the festival is an important part of tradition which should be passed from generation to generation and not be eradicated.
He equally noted that it’s a taboo to eat the New Yam before the celebration as it is a means of pleasing and appealing to the gods and spirit of harvest and god of the Earth adding that by so doing, the gods will be happy and will bring a better harvest in the new season.
His words: “Since the new yam came, we have not been eating yam and it is in celebration of it. Prayers are being offered to our god in appreciation for sparing our lives to see a new season.
“Before the inception of plate we use leaves to eat, called “era” in Yoruba. We are grateful for a new life. Alot planted the yam and could not eat it. In my father’s house until when we celebrate the new yam that’s when we can eat it.”
He however advised youths in the State not to derail from the rich culture of the land, rather imbibe it in their daily lives, noting that patience in their quest for wealth is the essential.
He also appreciated Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his good work in the State adding that he is the best they’ve had so far.
Fatai Adesoji, a celebrant at the event and community member said the people of Ekiti State are known to be professional farmers, with Yam as its main crop.
He implored the present generation not to forget the customs and traditions of their root, adding that those who abandon their culture are bound to fail.
He said: “Having the first day of yam of this year which signifies a new season in our lives. Any section that abandon their culture are bound to fail. When ae talk about culture, we are professional farmers in this part of the world and the main crop we are familiar with is yam and it has its season.
“Here in this part of the world, we don’t normally rush in consuming it. There is a specific period and that year starts today. We are forbidden from consuming it since we started harvesting but today is the real day where we can have access to the yam.
“To the new generation, I want to implore them to keep this tradition. Do not forget your root.”
