DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Okoko Item Celebrates Age-long New Yam Festival

From ThisDay · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Okoko Item in Abia State held its 2026 New Yam Festival on August 24, bringing residents and members of the diaspora together for cultural celebrations and community planning.
  • The event included age-grade processions, traditional music, masquerades, the ceremonial cutting of new yam and fundraising for local projects.
  • PDP governorship candidate Kelechi Anosike, who has family and educational ties to Okoko, donated N2.5 million to community efforts and N500,000 for a vigilante initiative.

Okoko Item’s 2026 New Yam Festival turned the LA School field in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State into a gathering of colour, music and community purpose on August 24.

I am excited to return as a special guest to cut the new yam.

· Kelechi AnosikeThe Abia governorship candidate spoke at the festival, where he was honoured by the Okoko Item community.

More than 10 age grades marched in uniform, accompanied by ogene and ekwe music and masquerades. Traditional rulers and elders first cut and blessed the new yam before the feast began, in a ceremony that symbolised a wish for food in every home during the coming year.

The festival also served as an annual homecoming. Indigenes returned from Aba, Umuahia, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and elsewhere, bringing together a community shaped by farming, self-help and town-union organisation.

My formative years started from here, Okoko Item. The new yam festival promotes not only our culture, it also promotes our identity and entrepreneurship spirit of every Igboman.

· Kelechi AnosikeAnosike described his personal connection to Okoko and the festival’s cultural importance.

The Okoko Item Development Association used the occasion to promote peace, review projects and raise funds. Each age grade contributed to community development, while PDP governorship candidate Kelechi Anosike was honoured as “Ezinwa Okoko Item.” Anosike donated N2.5 million during the yam cutting and another N500,000 toward establishing and equipping the community vigilante.

Okoko people are great farmers. Over the years, they produce the food we eat in Abia State and beyond.

· Kelechi AnosikeHe praised the community’s farming contribution.

Anosike’s mother is from Okoko, and he attended primary and secondary school there. He said the festival promoted culture, identity and entrepreneurship, and pledged that a future administration would support agriculture, farming, cultural heritage and tourism in Abia State.

As a government, we will promote our rich cultural heritage. Tourism will have a place in our government.

· Kelechi AnosikeAnosike outlined his stated approach to culture and tourism.
About this summary

Originally published by ThisDay. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog