By Silvernews
Preparations have been concluded for the 2026 Iri-Ji Mbaise Festival, the annual New Yam celebration of the Mbaise people, scheduled to hold on August 15, 2026, at Oke Ovoro Secondary School, Uvuru, in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.
Addressing journalists during a media briefing, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Steve Onu, said the committee unanimously agreed to stage this year’s festival at Oke Ovoro Secondary School, Uvuru, assuring that all logistics and necessary arrangements have been put in place for a successful and memorable event.
He described Iri-Ji Mbaise as one of the most significant cultural festivals of the Mbaise people, bringing together sons and daughters of Mbaise from across Nigeria and the diaspora to celebrate the New Yam Festival, promote unity, and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the land.
Mr. Steve Onu reiterated that the festival would continue to uphold its cherished traditions while introducing fresh innovations that would make the 2026 edition more colourful, attractive, and memorable for participants and visitors.
Responding to questions on the role of Ndi Ezeji Mbaise as the custodians of the Iri-Ji Mbaise Festival, Mr. Steve Onu acknowledged their historic and traditional responsibility in preserving the cultural heritage of the celebration. He stressed that Ndi Ezeji Mbaise remain the rightful custodians of the annual New Yam Festival and that the organising committee fully respects their position. He added that the committee is committed to working harmoniously with Ndi Ezeji Mbaise and every other stakeholder to ensure a peaceful, successful, and culturally enriching celebration.
The well-attended media briefing attracted journalists from various media organisations, led by the Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), South East Zone, Chief Eze Aduku. Members of the organising committee assured the media that preparations for the August 15, 2026, Iri-Ji Mbaise Festival were at an advanced stage, expressing confidence that this year’s edition would be one of the most successful and memorable in the history of the cultural celebration. They also reaffirmed their commitment to delivering a peaceful, well-organised, and befitting festival that will showcase the rich cultural heritage and unity of the Mbaise people.
The committee also disclosed that rehabilitation work on the road leading to Oke Ovoro Secondary School, the venue of the festival, is ongoing and will be completed before the event to ensure easy access for visitors and guests.
Speaking at the sideline of the briefing, the Chairman of Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area assured the people of Mbaise that Uvuru community and Aboh Mbaise is fully prepared to host the festival. He expressed optimism that the issues raised by Nde Ezeji Mbaise to his administration will be resolved before the celebration, paving the way for a peaceful and successful festival. He further assured that adequate security, traffic management, healthcare services, and other logistics would be in place to guarantee the safety and comfort of the thousands of visitors expected to attend the event.
As part of activities marking the 2026 Iri-Ji Mbaise Festival, Ezuruezu Mbaise will officially launch the proposed Mbaise Security Surveillance and Intelligence Command Centre, a technology-driven security initiative to be established at the Ezuruezu Mbaise Civic Centre, Aboh Mbaise.
According to the organisers, the project is designed to strengthen security across the Mbaise nation through the deployment of modern surveillance and intelligence systems to support crime prevention, emergency response, and community policing. They emphasised that security guarantees life, security guarantees commerce, security guarantees tourism, and security guarantees the preservation of culture, stressing that a peaceful and secure environment remains the foundation for the development of Mbaise.
The proposed command centre is expected to serve as a central hub for gathering, monitoring, and coordinating security information across the three local government areas of Mbaise in collaboration with relevant security agencies and community stakeholders.
Ezuruezu Mbaise appealed to well-meaning sons and daughters of Mbaise, both at home and in the diaspora, as well as all Autonomous Communities, to identify with and support the project financially, noting that the technology-based initiative requires significant resources for its successful establishment and operation.
The 2026 Iri-Ji Mbaise Festival is expected to attract traditional rulers, cultural groups, government officials, community leaders, tourists, and thousands of sons and daughters of Mbaise from across Nigeria and the diaspora. Organisers expressed confidence that this year’s celebration will not only strengthen the bond among the Mbaise people but also promote the rich cultural heritage, unity, security, and sustainable development of the Mbaise nation.
