Farmers Win prizes as Umuona Celebrates New Yam

By Uzo Ugwunze

Umuona Community in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State which recently coronated HRH Igwe Ikechukwu SC Ezeofor (Ezedioramma II) as her new tradional ruler has held a Yam competition giving out prizes to winners and Scholarship support to best school children as the community marked the 2023 New Yam festival amidst pomp and happiness for a dawn of a new era.

“Umuona has risen again. Umuona is blessed. Good things will continue to flow into our town. My people wishes that I rule them like my father, Late Ezeofor Ezedioramma 1 of Umuona but by the grace of God since we all believe in progress, forward ever, I will do better than my late father because I am a friend to children who are the leaders of tomorrow,” said Igwe Ezeofor as he cuts his first new yam festival celebration on the throne.

According to the Chairman 2023 New Yam Festival Organizing Committee, Bro Ifeanyi Onyejekwe (Kakarakaa) flanked by the Yam Competition Inspector, Mr Okey Emezuo “agriculture is very important,it is the next economy. People should encourage and support farmers and those who embrace agriculture as their occupation just like Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State is doing because their is money and future in agro business.

“This year, 34 native farmers from Umuona registered for this Yam Competition. After weighing the sizes of the yarn which were monitored to ensure the yams were cultivated and harvested from Umuona soil we gave cash prizes to the first three overall winners and consolation prizes of farming implements to the rest 31 farmers.

“We also gave scholarship support cash prizes and school kits to best students from each of the classes of the two schools we have resident in Umuona community. Also, we are giving away bags of rice, food stuffs to everyone who participated in this New yam festival here today. The beginning of this new era is good,it will continue to be better,”said Onyejekwe.

“In the Yam competition, Beatrice Okafor who emerged winner with 39.3kg yam received 100,000 naira cash prize while Peter Chukwudum came second with 19.4kg yam and Nicholas Adirieje came third with 18.1kg received 50,000naira and 30,000naira respectively,” annouced Okey Emezuo.

The President General, Umuona community, Chief Kenneth Okoli (Ide Umuona) after praying for better days ahead and wishing a peaceful reign for the new monarch commended all the members of new Yam festival committee headed by Bro Kingsley Ifeanyi Onyejekwe (Kakarakaa)saying that over a decade now Umuona has never witnessed such home coming, sponsorship and conviviality.

One of the scholarship recipient’s who received 10,000 naira cash prize, Chikamso Emezuo a Basic 5 pupil and her parents thanked the organizers of the new yam festival for recognizing and promoting hardwork and excellence saying that it would urge the pupils to engage in healthy competition.

Pics: HRH Igwe Ikechukwu SC Ezeofor of Umuona flanked by dignitaries about cutting his first New Yam as a monarch during the 2023 New yam festival celebration