Speaking during the 2024 annual popular Oriri Anu Amurri which is a combination of their new yam festival held at the Community’s market square yesterday, the monarch insisted that the history of a people will be incomplete without their culture and tradition record.
He therefore urged traditional rulers in Igbo land to keep doing everything within their powers to ensure that the culture and traditions of their localities do not go into extinction in their respective domains in the name of civilization.
The Enugu state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, who spoke through his Commissioner for Agriculture, Patrick Ubru, applauded the Amurri people for their zeal and resilience in farming which he said, is in line with his administration’s commitment in boosting food production and sufficiency.
He assured the people that his government would continue to provide farmers both rural and mechanized ones the conducive environment so as to enhance food sufficiency and make the state food basket in South East Nigeria, restating his resolve in accordance with Agriculture sectors the topmost priority.
Also speaking at the colorful ceremony, the immediate past chairman of the All Progressive Congress in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye stressed the need for religious groups to always imbibe the culture of tolerance.
The APC chieftain who is a Crown Prince in the Community noted that before the advent of the Europeans that led to the acceptance of Christianity in Africa, natives had their ancient ways of worshipping their gods.
Going down memory lane, he recalled that the natives accommodated various Christian denominations like Catholic Church, Methodist, among others.
The former Federal Commissioner further disclosed that apart from accommodating Christianity, the natives gave its denominations places where they built schools and churches.
Nwoye therefore appealed to Christians and Muslims and other religions to also tolerate the traditional worshippers and not to disperse them.
Nwoye further noted that the Amuri community, like the Christian religion, has a pilgrimage center where people go and pray for solutions to their needs including wealth.
He explained that the cultural celebration is also used to seek for peace, adding that the priests of the land have already showered blessings on them.
Also speaking, the Chief Priest of Amuri, John Njoku stated that they use the event to celebrate the new yam festival and appreciate the land of Amuri.
In an interview, Senator Chukwu, described this year’s festival as unique, saying it provided sons and daughters of Amurri kingdom the opportunity of coming together as always to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the locality
He promised to attract his colleagues to attend that of 2025, adding that as a Senator, he would continue to support his people ensuring that the festival is sustained.