Umuahia community regrets voting for government
Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia
The Ezeleke community of Umuopara in Umuahia south LGA has urged governments at all levels to come to their aid, just as the community celebrated its 2017 annual new yam (iri ji) festival last Wednesday.
Speaking with Daily Times in his palace, the President General, Ezeleke community, High Chief Godwin Nwosu said the massive votes and support given to governments at all levels in the country, Ezeleke community has nothing to show for that, regretting that politicians are yet to make good their electioneering promises to the community and people of the area.
According to him “We are not happy with the government at all levels in this country. There are many promises which they are yet to be fulfilled.
“There is no government presence in Ezeleke. Our secondary school, Umuopara Seconday school is dilapidated and now a desert today.
“Such promises include the reconstruction of Umuopara Ring Road, other rural roads, including the rans-community road of Nkwoha market (Ezeleke Umuopara Umuahia South LGA)- Umuohuru Nkwoegwu (Umuahia North LGA) which was a project under the defunct DFRRI (Directorate for Rural Roads and Infrastructure) among others.
“Governments should come and fulfill their promises during the campaign promises. They should come in and do our market square for us as they did in other places”.
On the new yam celebration, High Chief Nwosu said the occasion was their yearly festival that reminds them of how their yams and other products did well and to thank God who made our new yam to do well”, pointing out that in Ezeleke community, the festival is not fetish and transcended from their forefathers to them.
He disclosed that many Christians celebrate with their minds because of financial incapacitation.
He expressed his view that the festival, as well as other cultural festivals, can be made to be tourist attract and urged Christians to avoid double standard in their view of cultural activities.
Also speaking, a traditional chief from the community, and Omeihechiyagwaraya I of Ezeleke, High Chief Francis Clean Olekaibe observe that new yam festival in Igboland has been of old, stating that those who oppose it should think twice.
According to him, Christians should not feel threatened by the celebration which is not fetish, pointing out that the occasion calls for thanksgiving to God over bumper harvest.
