By Silvernews
ITU, MBAISE — In the lush cultural heart of Mbaise, a thunderclap of tradition roared above the rumble of politics as Ndi Ezeji Mbaise — the ancestral custodians of yam spirituality — gathered in Itu, Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA, to light the sacred torch for Iri-Ji Mbaise 2025, Southeastern Nigeria’s grandest celebration of agrarian heritage.
With ceremonial solemnity and ancestral authority, the yam priests — known as Ezeji — made it clear: their role in the festival is not symbolic, but sacred.
> “We are not guests. We are the very soul of Iri-Ji Mbaise. It is our ancestral duty, not political charity,”
— Ezeji Dr. Kachi Nwoga, Coordinator of Iri-Ji Ceremonies and Chairman, Central Planning Committee.
A Tradition Beyond Time
Ezeji Nwoga’s bold pronouncement came during a pivotal high-level engagement with the Chairman of the host LGA, Chief Chinedum Nwachukwu of Ezinihitte, where he reaffirmed that Iri-Ji — beyond fanfare — is a spiritual covenant with Yaweh–Ahiajoku, the divine guardian of harvests.
The ceremony, observed in all 94 autonomous communities of Mbaise — and mirrored by their kindred in Ngwa, Ngor Okpala, and parts of Rivers State — marks a thanksgiving rite before the tasting of the new yam. It is a ritual older than memory, and binding across generations.
A Festival at the Crossroads
Yet, beneath the vibrant cultural pageantry, a fierce struggle simmers. Ndi Ezeji expressed mounting concern over attempts by political and elite circles to sideline their sacred role in favor of more “modern” or politically expedient structures.
Ezeji Nwoga lamented that certain cultural associations have begun to reshape the festival into a “popularity contest,” replacing ancestral order with cosmetic appeal.
> “The burden has fallen solely on us in recent years. We must restore dignity and unity — or risk cultural erosion,” he warned.
A Tense Rift with Ezuruezu
Tensions also reached boiling point over a deepening rift between Ndi Ezeji and Ezuruezu Mbaise — a socio-political umbrella body accused of attempting to hijack the festival’s planning and rebrand it as “Mbaise Cultural Day.”
In fiery remarks, Ezeji Dr. Bar. Anamelechi Aguwa condemned the parallel planning initiative and the August 15 date clash as a distortion of cultural truth.
> “Ezuruezu Mbaise cannot stage an event they didn’t inherit. They must return to Eke Nguru — our sacred headquarters — and make peace before they talk festival,” Aguwa declared.
The yam priests insisted that all legitimate planning must flow through Eke Nguru, the ancestral epicenter of the Mbaise people’s yam tradition.
National Recognition, Local Neglect
While Iri-Ji Mbaise was once recognized as a National Festival by former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke, complete with a designated desk officer at the federal level, its funding and visibility have since waned.
Festival stakeholders lamented that despite its potential as a magnet for cultural tourism and heritage education, Iri-Ji remains conspicuously absent from both state and national cultural budgets — a reflection, they argue, of the larger marginalization of Southeastern heritage practices.
A Promise of Unity
In response, Ezinihitte LGA Chairman Chief Nwachukwu assured the yam priests of his administration’s commitment to honoring tradition.
He pledged to convene a joint council with the Chairmen of Aboh and Ahiazu LGAs — Chief Iheukwumere Alaribe and Chief Larry Chikwe respectively — to ensure that the 2025 edition of the festival remains united, authentic, and spiritually grounded.
His entourage, which included Hon. Uzochukwu Njoku, Special Adviser on Political Matters, and Mr. Chris Ekpe, LGA Secretary, listened attentively as the yam priests laid out expectations for transparency, inclusion, and respect for ancestral rites.
Voices of the Custodians
The meeting featured a roll call of respected Ezeji elders:
Ezeji Dandy Obani (Vice President), Ezeji Rock Emereole, Ezeji Nze Ikwu, Ezeji Benco Nwaiwu, Ezeji Linus Nwachukwu (Financial Secretary), Ezeji Gerald Okonko, Ezeji Titus Nnadozie, Ezeji Nwachinemere, Ezeji Fabian Imo Okoronkwo, and Anicetus Chidozie Ogu (PRO).
Closed-door deliberations with the Ezinihitte Council of Traditional Rulers, chaired by Ezeji Osita Nwokocha, followed. Sources say the elders emerged visibly satisfied with the progress toward protecting the festival’s sacred core.
The Road to August 15
As plans take shape, the message from Ndi Ezeji is clear: Iri-Ji Mbaise is not for passive observation — it is a call to cultural vigilance.
> “Iri-Ji is not just a festival. It is our identity. If we lose it, we lose ourselves,”
— Ezeji Dandy Obani, Vice President, Ndi Ezeji.
As Ezinihitte prepares to host the 2025 edition, Mbaise stands at a cultural crossroads. The question now is not only what will be celebrated, but how — and by whom.
