New Yam Festivals in Nigeria

Okpe is a town located at Akoko-Edo local council in Edo state. The town is known for their vast celebration of the new year festival, the celebration usually hold in July in Okpe Kingdom. Close to the festival period at about thirteen days, Olokpe(the King) and his Chiefs who are the committees for the festival notify the community about the details, new improvements or deductions to the festival. After this 13-days the King send greetings to the whole kingdom by the sounds of gunshots heard far and near and the people well understood the meaning when the gunshots are heard, and the greeting made by the gunshots carries a message ‘Wasigbeenile’ by the Olokpe to his people, that means, ‘thank you all for taking good care of me in this outgoing year” then the people throughout that day greet themselves with this word[20].[12]

On the first day of the one week ceremony, people visits the palace to pay there respect as they do not go empty handed but with gifts like assorted bush meat, goats, yam tubers; among others, as a mark of respect for his throne. And on the main day, the King and his chiefs comes out of the palace as they are dressed in white attires, they visit four Shrines(called the Ancestral spots) to offer prayers and blessings for better harvest and more productive years ahead. The ceremony which continues later at the town square with different activities and speech from the Olokpe and other reputable individuals from the town or guests to address the town issues.[12]

Abuja which is the Nigeria Capital, it lies in the central part of Nigeria, in Federal Capital Territory(FCT).[21] During one of its New yam festival celebrations, which was celebrated concisely with the Igbo festival was said that the yam is one of the ways of measuring a mans wealth. Also, different types of yams was served to people with different sauce to celebrate the festival[22].[13]

Ikere town is located in the southwestern Nigeria, Ekiti State.[23] The yam festival is celebrated in the town yearly.[24] The festival which is also called in the Yoruba language as Odun Ijesu (Festival of eating yam) and it is done to thank the many orisha for the fertility of the land and for crowning their efforts in the previous planting. The festival is a colorful one as the drums rolled out with singers and dancers and pray that the Ogoga, the King of the town, whom is known as the harbinger of good fortunes for Ikere, will enjoy a long reign for the town to witness greater development.[25] Many activities are held including hunting, gun firing and the display of all the crown wore by the Oba. The Oba will always dress in traditional clothing known as Aso Oke with his white crown and the Olori's (King's wives) adorned with various beads and also dance before the King.[26][27]

Ogidi Community is located in Ijumu local government area of Kogi State, the town is known for is formation of indigenous rock. The town which is popularly known for its agricultural produce as yam is one of them, and this is then celebrated annually as the Ogidi new yam festival, this town consider yam as a miraculous plant that shows fertility and they consider the period of plenty harvest of yam as a symbol to show that other plants will flourish.[28] To the people of Ogidi new yam festival is celebrated to offer thanksgiving to God who gives increase and yield. New yam festival is celebrated in conjunction to the ogidi-Ela day which is the land cultural day, the celebration starts few days prior the festival week as different dance group parade the community and hunters demonstrate with gun firing to create an overwhelming awareness in the community. it is a festival celebrated for one week with several features like: cultural performances, presentation of new yams, chieftaincy investitures and awards, and many more, while other entertaining and beneficiary activities are free medical outreach, novelty match, Jumat service, expedition to the Oroke Oda mountain and a bonfire. Due to the colorful festival, it always attract neighboring communities, states and tourists from Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Lagos and all over the globe. The festive which always start very early with young, old, male and females match to the Ogidi community ground where the ceremony takes place, people are seen with different beautiful attire that makes the view looks bright. The festival can onnly fully start when Oba Rabiu Oladimeji Sule, who is the Ologidi of Ogidi land arrives the venue. His presence creates a special atmosphere as the whole crowd raises the tempo and cheerfulness could become extreme. On the arrival of the Ologidi, different groups are allowed to pay there respects though the Olokoro/Olu-Otun group comes first as the Orotas follows. As this cultural groups pay there respects, everyone present follows to pay there respect as the hunters demonstrate there skills as they shoots into the air.[29][30]

Also, the festival consists of Award giving section where certain people are presented award based on there personality and impact in the society or in the festival, Masquerade performance of Igbabolelimin masquerade meaning masquerade from the spirit world, Igunnuko masquerade, Agbo Olode masquerade, Egungun Oniye means masqueradewith feathers, and the Gelede performance, gelede are human being on mask.[31] Foods are shared in the event so people can stay lively.[32]

The Igbo people also known as Ibo are from the southeastern of Nigeria, they are one of the top cities in Nigeria that celebrates the new yam festival. They hold the festival at the beginning of each harvest of new yam(Iri ji) or Onwa Asaa (seventh month) festival, the purpose is to thank God for bountiful harvest especially for Yam, no one is expected to have a taste of the new yam before the new yam festival as it is considered a taboo.[33] It is an annual festival always embraced by the Igbo's as it is there most important festival each year. The festival serve as a means andseason where long gone indigine of the town returns home to re-unite themselves with there loved ones and cheer another excited moment together.[34][35]