Sunday 24th August, 2025 will remain remarkable in years to come. Reason is simple. More than 2,000 people from across Nigeria and the diaspora gathered at Mgbago Umueri, Anambra East Local Government Area,
as Comrade Simon Okoye, popularly known as Itali Anam, celebrated the 2025 New Yam Festival and thanksgiving in grand style.
Okoye, who serves as President of Anambra West Indigenous Youths Association and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of De Will of God Estate Developers Nigeria Limited, organised the celebration featuring traditional masquerade performances, cultural music, highlife entertainment, and extensive food offerings.
The event, co-hosted with Prophetess (Dr.) Favour Adaeze, founder of Evidential Mummy Fire Foundation, was described by organisers as resembling an ofala festival in its scale and cultural significance.
“We wanted to show our people that our culture is still alive, still vibrant,” said Prophetess Adaeze, who coordinated logistics for the celebration. “When you see the Ijeje masquerade dancing, when you hear Eze egwu Anam singing our traditional songs, you know that Anam’s spirit cannot be broken.”
The festival’s centrepiece was a performance by Chukwuma Iyami, known throughout the region as Eze egwu Anam, who led his musical ensemble in traditional songs. “Music is the heartbeat of our culture,” Iyami said. “When I sing the songs of our fathers, I am not performing—I am preserving. Every note carries the wisdom of generations.”
Masquerade groups from the Ijeje tradition provided spiritual elements to the celebration. Speaking through an interpreter as custom requires, a masquerade representative said: “We do not come for entertainment alone. We come to bless the harvest, to connect the people with their ancestors, to remind everyone that some traditions must never die.”
The event was hosted by three masters of ceremonies: MC Walking Talking, Celebrity Tiles Seller, and Chibuzor Okoye of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS). MC Walking Talking noted the enthusiastic response from attendees when proceedings were conducted in Igbo. “When I speak in Igbo, the crowd responds with such enthusiasm. When I mention our traditions, they cheer not out of politeness but from deep pride,” he observed.
Prominent dignitaries in attendance included Chief Michael Okafor-Nwofia, described as one of the greatest philanthropists of Omambala extraction and President of More Days Group of Companies Nigeria Limited, who congratulated Okoye for his magnanimity and prayed for continued blessings upon his family.
The Assistant National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, South East, Chief Ojukwu Obakasi, attended alongside Chief Hyacinth Okoye Njaba, former President General of Umuenwelum Anam Town Union, and other traditional leaders who offered prayers and endorsements for the celebration.
“This is what Anam needed,” said Chief Okafor-Nwofia. “Today, we remembered who we are. Tomorrow, we must make sure our children never forget.”
The celebration featured extensive food offerings showcasing various yam preparations, reflecting the harvest theme. Traditional dishes were prepared by local women working through the night before the event. Assorted drinks and entertainment maintained the festive atmosphere throughout the day.
Attendees included students, professionals working in urban centres, elderly community members, and families who had travelled from Lagos and other major cities to participate. Many parents brought children to witness traditional practices they feared might disappear.
“My daughter was born in Lagos,” said one father in attendance. “Today, she sees her real heritage. This is her real education.”
The event attracted media coverage from local outlets, including Udala FM, ABS, and Multichannels247, an online newspaper. Odikpo Udaegbe of Udala FM described the festival as “one of the most authentic displays of our heritage” he had covered in the Omambala region.
Okoye, who sponsors the programme “Anam Amaka” on ABS, used the occasion to thank God for blessings upon his family, friends, and well-wishers. His wife, Prophetess Adaeze, appreciated attendees and asked for divine blessings upon all participants.
The festival demonstrated significant community support, with many attendees volunteering to help organise future editions. The success of Sunday’s celebration has prompted discussions about making it an annual tradition and expanding the programme to include workshops on traditional crafts and agricultural practices.
The Otite Anam festival joins a growing number of cultural preservation initiatives across southeastern Nigeria, where communities are working to maintain traditional practices whilst engaging younger generations increasingly influenced by globalisation and urbanisation.
