A Cultural Pinnacle and a Honour Bestowed
The 2025 Igede Agba Festival in Oju once again captivated hearts and honored its heritage. Celebrated annually on the first Ihigile market day in September, this New Yam Festival marks both gratitude for a fruitful harvest and a renewed invocation for the planting season ahead. Central to its observance are thanksgiving rituals to spiritual forces, vibrant dance troupes, communal feasts featuring yam as the “king of crops,” and unwavering displays of unity across the Igede homeland Oju and Obi.
on the 5th of September 2025, the air in Oju was electricfied by Sons and daughters of the Igede nation who adorned themselves in their cultural patrimony—traditional wrappers in blue, black, and white stripes, crafted into striking old and modern designs.
Attendees included esteemed dignitaries, traditional rulers, and community leaders who participated in cultural dances, the blessed rituals, and shared in the communal feasting that defines the festival’s soul.
The festival’s highlight was the prestigious conferment of the title UGEBE I of Igede Nation—”The Lion of Igede Nation” upon Chief Nelson Alapa, whose roots trace to Igwu Onmachi in Uwoku through his mother.
The festival’s highlight was the prestigious conferment of the title UGEBE I of Igede Nation—”The Lion of Igede Nation”—upon Chief Nelson Alapa, whose roots trace to Igwu Onmachi in Uwoku through his mother.
Bestowed by Ad’Utu 1 of Igede Nation, Chief Daniel Ulegede (aka Kosoko), this title recognized Chief Alapa’s relentless support for the Igede people. The chief extolled Hon. Alapa’s generosity and contributions, describing him as “a worthy son of the land who has given back to his community using his resources”—fulfilling the Igede tradition of honoring such benevolent leadership.
This recognition resonates deeply within Igede culture, where individual contributions towards communal welfare are both celebrated and memorialised during Igede Agba.
Beyond festivity, Igede Agba is a living tradition of unity, thanksgiving, reconciliation, and forward planning. The act of communal yam tasting families washing their hands together before feasting is a physical and spiritual symbol of unity, resolving conflict, and forging bonds across generations and households.
The agrarian roots of the festival, where yam is both sustenance and cultural currency, remind us of the discipline, integrity, and industrious spirit revered amongst the Igede. Igede Agba transcends celebration to become a moment of cultural renewal.
—Nelson Alapa Solidarity Movement