…As Rumuolumeni Celebrates New Yam Festival
One of the respected Chiefs in Ikwerre Kingdom, Chief Chinedu Nyeche Onunwo, has lauded the Rivers State Governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for not only hosting and winning the 2018 edition of the Nigeria Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) but his determined effort to the sustain Nigerian Culture and tradition for generations unborn.
He stated this over the weekend at Rumuolemeni Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State at the sideline of the celebration of their 2018 New Yam Festival.
The monarch made it clear that culture and tradition of the people is inseparable and a very important legacy of a generation to bequette to the next generation.
He lamented that Christianity and civilization have eroded most of the peoples tradition which should be resisted in the interest of the society.
Chief Onunwo also used the opportunity to congratulate Governor Wike for recognizing and elevating the stool of the Rumuolumeni Kingdom to a third (3rd) class status as well as the support he has been extending to his son, Hon. Collins Onunwu, assuring him of his people’s support for his second term bid.
The Traditional ruler, however, lamented that despite the maximum support of the Rumuolumeni Kingdom to the governor during the 2015 election, including an award of a chieftaincy title, “Chirigide I” of Rumuolumeni Kingdom, the governor’s magnanimity to other parts of the State is yet to reach them.
According to him, “all our internal roads are not motorable and the situation has forced most of our tenants to park out of the area to better places.
The worst of the road network which are begging for urgent attention includes “Mgbuosimini/Nkpor road, Mini Kpete road and Akar/Sipem road,” he noted.
Also contributing, his wife, Mrs. Jane Chinedu Onunwo, said culture plays important role in the society and that women are the most important channel for the sustenance of this culture, both in the teaching of the indigenous dialect to the children and maintenance of the tradition.
She used the opportunity to call on her fellow women to support their husbands to sustain this all-important aspect of the society, adding that the family is an important unit of the society.
In his own contribution, the Secretary, Rumuolumeni Council of Chiefs, Chief Ikechi Ikpokwu, said annual New Yam festival is a way of unifying the people and transferring their culture and tradition to the younger ones as they watch them celebrate.
“The new yams we use for the occasion could be bought from the market to complement the ones harvested from our farms which we sacrifice to our ancestors and commune with them at such occasion to maintain our link and pray for guidance.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the youths to be close to their elders as to understudy the custom, culture and tradition of the people for sustenance.
