Umulewe New Yam Festival: Eze Duru Empowers Widows, Rewards Farmers

The traditional ruler of Umulewe Community in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, His Royal Majesty Eze Benignus Okwudili Duru, has turned the community’s 2026 New Yam Festival into a platform for cultural celebration and grassroots empowerment, supporting widows, needy residents and farmers with cash, foodstuffs and other prizes.

A major highlight of the annual “Iwa Ji” festival, held on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at the monarch’s palace, was a New Yam harvest competition in which farmers were rewarded according to the sizes of yams they presented.

The farmer with the biggest yam won ₦100, 000 and was conferred with the traditional recognition of “Eze Ji”, while the second, third, fourth and fifth-place winners received ₦50, 000, ₦25, 000, ₦20, 000 and ₦10, 000 respectively. Other participating farmers received ₦5, 000 each as encouragement.

Eze Duru also gave out a motorcycle, fans, clothes, back-to-school supplies, backpacks and other prizes to members of the community, while widows and other vulnerable residents received foodstuffs and cash support.

The colourful celebration attracted sons and daughters of Umulewe, traditional leaders, political figures and other dignitaries from within and outside the community.

Eze Duru, who holds the traditional title, Ononobi Nochiriobi, Enyi 2 of Umulewe, said the celebration remained an important platform for preserving the cultural heritage of the people, promoting unity and giving back to vulnerable members of the community.

The traditional ruler expressed gratitude to God for the successful celebration and thanked the people of Umulewe and their guests for turning out in large numbers.

He described the festival as more than the traditional celebration of a new harvest, stressing that it provides an opportunity for the people to renew their bond, celebrate their heritage and demonstrate concern for one another.

Eze Duru maintained that the empowerment programme was particularly important because cultural celebrations should also positively impact the lives of the people, especially those in need of support.

He said the New Yam harvest competition was designed to encourage farming and recognise farmers for their contributions to food production in the community.

The monarch stressed the need for the people, particularly the younger generation, to embrace agriculture and contribute to improving food production and economic self-reliance.

Beyond the empowerment and agricultural rewards, the festival showcased the rich cultural heritage of Umulewe through the traditional presentation and sharing of kola nuts as well as colourful dance performances by daughters of the community, popularly known as “Umu Ada”.

Speaking at the event, the President-General of Umulewe Community, Hon. Callistus Obi, commended the massive turnout and described the festival as a rallying point for unity, cultural identity and togetherness.

Obi reaffirmed his commitment to serving every member of the community without discrimination, stressing that the people remained one and must continue to work collectively towards the development of Umulewe.

He thanked visitors and other guests who identified with the community during the celebration and expressed optimism that subsequent editions of the festival would be even bigger.

The President-General also commended Eze Duru and his wife for sustaining the annual celebration and particularly for extending its benefits to widows, needy persons and farmers.

The Queen, Ugoeze Uloma Duru, expressed delight over the success of the festival and the impressive turnout of community members and guests, praying for continued peace, progress and an even more successful celebration in the coming year.

Ugoeze Duru also seized the opportunity provided by the festival to better the lot of widows in the community, presenting cash gifts to them as part of her contribution towards cushioning their needs and improving their welfare.

Former House of Representatives member for Ideato Federal Constituency and APP Senatorial Candidate for Orlu Zone, Rufus Omeire, was among dignitaries who joined the people of Umulewe for the celebration, adding prominence to a festival anchored on culture, agriculture and community welfare.

Beyond the colourful displays, the 2026 Iwa Ji Festival delivered tangible benefits to the people, rewarding farmers for productivity, supporting widows and other vulnerable residents and reinforcing the role of the annual celebration in promoting culture, agriculture, unity and community welfare.