When we were children, we often envied those celebrating the Ibeku new yam festival (Iri ji Ibeku) my dad would make sure that any day that the new yam festival is fixed there would be enough cocoa seed for us to attend to.This was a ploy to make sure that we don't take part in the festival. Also considering that we were members of Faith Tabernacle that forbids any traditional ceremony, we dare not get closer to the celebrants. This was likely the reason why we peep through the gate anytime the celebrants were moving round the village with their very melodious songs, it was really fun seeing them sing around with their visitors most of them carrying big slices of yam, eating them in public.Those where the fun that brought visitors and Ibeku people living abroad to the festival. I could not remember seeing children or even elders brandishing machetes and other dangerous weapons like we experience today. Am sure that if they had tried it then, we wouldn't have seen the number and calibre of visitors we were having then. Sincerely the joy of this festival is the presence of these visitors. What has gone wrong? Why have we become so lawless? Why are our leaders and elders turning blind eyes to this dangerous trend that is fast exterminating this once revered festival? Why would the use of dangerous weapons be a mark of our festival? It's very clear that the alcoholic intakes on the festival days are always on the increase, so why carry these weapons even when you are drunk. Many have lost their lives, many more injured, cars smashed and properties wasted because of this uncontrollable act.
I humbly call on the Eze's, community and village leaders to rise up to their responsibility to put a stop to this social stigma that is fast defining us as a people.
Many people are still ready to celebrate with us as there is nothing demonic or diabolic about this festival but it is our attitude that scares the people away.
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