By Uzo Ugwunze
The traditional ruler of Ogidi community, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Igwe Pharm. Alex Onyido (Ezechuamuagha) has urged the youths to go into agriculture especially farming as a major means of fighting hunger in the land as obtainable in those days which sustained our grandfathers.
He gave the advice during his 2024 new yam festival celebration held at his palace adding that not only will farming fight hunger but will also keep the youths busy instead of roaming the streets in search of white cola job that is nowhere to be found.
He described new yam festival (Alo Mmuo), as an inheritance from his forefathers stating that it is the reason why the people give the forefathers the yam to eat first during the celebration as mark of honour before the people will begin to eat new Yam.
“The ancestors are saints like you have saints in the church. In the Igbo culture we have saints, Nwankwo, Nworie, Nweke, Nwafor, among others as you have saints, Cyprian, Peter, John, Philip, among others,” he stated.
He lamented that with the high cost of food items now and pump price of fuel, the only way out of the socio-economic and political quagmire is to embrace agriculture.
“The pump price of fuel now is #1250, a tuber of yam is about #5000, not to talk of other food items, we have teeming youths and they should go to farm now. The economic hardship is an ill wind that blows nobody good,” he stated.
He lamented that high taxation of imported wares has worsened the situation adding that essential items like pharmaceuticals should not have high taxation on them.
“We still pay old tariffs, multiple taxation on importation of wares. A lot of things are happening at the ports, Government should help out importers of these essential commodities,” he pleaded.
Moreover, the former Acting Rector, Federal Polytechnic Oko, Dr Uche Onyegbu who is also a cabinet member of Ogidi Kingdom after eulogizing the qualities of Igwe Onyido who has empowered many people with employment prayed God to keep him in good health to celebrate many more New Yam festivals in years to come.
Highlight on the occasion was paying of homage to the monarch by his cabinet members, dance groups, town union branches, in-laws, friends and well wishers.
In return each person smiled home with a tuber of yam and fowl as the case may be as the monarch’s appreciation to participants during the celebration.
Picture: His Majesty, Igwe Pharm Alex Uzo Onyido of Ogidi community, Ezechuamuagha (center) flanked by Former Acting Rector Federal Polytechnic Oko, Dr Uche Onyegbu and other dignitaries during the New Yam festival