By: Okonkwo Chinedu, Ekenyere Gladys & Maduabuchi John-Moses U.
July is an important month for many Igbo people, particularly in South East Nigeria, not because it is the 7th month on the Gregorian calendar, but because it marks the beginning of the Igbo New Year in several communities.
The Igbo New Year precedes the beginning of the Jewish New Year; the difference being probably as a result of differences in location, climatic conditions and the impact of prehistoric migrations of our people. Among the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria, several communities start the celebration of the New Year with the declaration of the New Yam festivals in July each year.
Ikem, the headquarters of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, of Enugu State also culturally referred to as “Ikem Asokwa” is an egalitarian town ancestrally related to other communities across Igboland that bear similar cultures and traditional practices, particularly in Abia, Anambra and Ebonyi States. Although there is still a debate as to whether the homeland of all Ikem people is in Abia, Anambra or Enugu State, it is interesting to report that there exists a large autonomous community in Abia State called Ikem-Nvosi, in Isiala Ngwa South LGA which is ancestrally related to Ikem Asokwa of Isi-Uzo LGA in Enugu State. These two communities re-established cultural relations several decades ago. 
Orurezhi is the traditional New Yam Festival of Ikem people. History and folklore have it that in the very olden days, the chief celebrants of this great feast are the Community Leaders who hold the title of “Edeji”. The Edeji title holders could be literally seen as the “Lords of the Yam.” They were great farmers who cultivated very large quantities of yam and customarily fed multitudes with pounded yam during each Orurezhi Feast. Apart from feeding multitudes which earned them the name Edejis, they also harvested a lot of yam and celebrated the Igbo New Year by cutting and placing large tubers and pieces of yam at different locations in the Community, along their way from the farms to the Market square.
The innovation to celebrate Orurezhi (New Yam Festival) in Ikem Asokwa in an improved way (as the Biblical First Fruit Offering) began 10 years ago. This decision followed widespread consultations with the Igwe-in-Council, then led by Late Igwe Francis O. O. Okwor (Enyioha II) of Ikem. The Community Leaders including the red cap Chiefs, the President General of the Town and the Christian leaders from Ikem Asokwa (collectively referred to as Ikem Ministers’ Forum) all agreed with the view that the the New Yam Festival is the Biblical First Fruit Offering related to the Feast of Harvests/Weeks commanded by God Almighty to be observed by Jews in the Bible.
Majority of the people of Ikem, Isi-Uzo Local Government believe like many other Igbo people that their ancestry is Jewish/Hebraic. It was agreed then that the modern way to celebrate the New Yam Festival in Ikem Asokwa should start with public offering of First Fruits and Thanksgiving Prayers to God Almighty in the market square by the people of Ikem Asokwa.
This is a very important act of cultural and religious service done on Saturday, Orie Orurezhi before Sunday, Afor when Christians will as well offer sacrifices of “New Yams” harvested from their farms in various Churches across the Town.
The following Monday, Nkwo is celebrated as the traditional wrestling day.
This is intended to foster unity and development, and to showcase Ikem Asokwa as a formidable Tourism destination in Enugu State, Nigeria. On the very first day of this renewed Orurezhi New Yam Festival, many visitors and tourists throng our town, Medical Missionaries visit and provide free medical services for Ikem people and guests to mark the Festival.
This year’s (2024) event, the 9th in the series; was marked on the July 6th with pomp and pageantry. The participants were excited and hopeful that the 2025 celebration will be more grandiose.
During an interview preceding the festival on 5th July anchored by Mr. Obiora Aneke (a.k.a. Okoro Wawa of Solid FM Radio & Wawa TV), the Chairman of the Isi-Uzo Local Government Traditional Rulers’ Council, HRH. Igwe Engr. Okey Ogbodo (JP), the Igwe of Ikem Uno autonomous community explained what Orurezhi means to the people of Ikem; thus; “Ezhi” means body, while “Ọrụrọ” means fattening or nourishing. It can also be interpreted as transforming or rather cleansing of the body, which also leads to the clearing of the roads and the environments. It is as well the season of plenty after the period of scarcity usually experienced during the planting season. However, once the New Yam is harvested, it marks the end of scarcity for the Community. All the members of the community thus feast together and rejoice in appreciation to the God of the land who has blessed them with good harvests and wealth. The young men are particularly a special class of celebrants during the Orurezhi Festival, as they would compete in wrestling competition on the third day of the feast. In Ikem Asokwa, no responsible young man shows off strength by bearing arms, fighting, killing or harming his neighbor, People show off their strength and superiority through wrestling bouts. This could happen occasionally at any time but whenever Orurezhi is being celebrated it becomes a compulsory activity to mark the end of the festivity.
This year’s First Fruit thanksgiving offering service and prayers which held on 6th July, 2024, Saturday, Orie market day was presided over by H.R.H. Igwe Felix U. Ogbuke, Ohamadike 1 of Ikem (the traditional ruler of Ikem Etiti, who is also the eldest of Igwes in Ikem Asokwa. His message to the entire Ikem indigenes was concise and direct. And that is urging the people to join hands with the Igwes and their cabinets to ensure that Orurezhi is well celebrated in Ikem Asokwa stressing that there is nothing unchristian about the festival. He appreciated the Organizing Committee for the success of this year’s event and the NGOs that participate annually in providing free medical treatments for Ikem people and their visitors. He appealed to all Ikem people at home and in Diaspora to always support the Town in celebrating the New Yam Festival.
Hon. Chief Engineer. Paul Ugwuagbo, Oforbuike 1 of Ikem Asokwa in his own account explained that before the coming of Europeans to Igboland, farming was the preoccupation of our people and that the celebration of the New Yam festival then was referred to as Ufejioku. However, in the recent past, Ikem generally christened it Orurezhi and chose Saturday Orie every July, for the festival and remodeled it to showcase the biblical values of the feast. He further explained that Orurezhi is a very important and the most outstanding cultural feast that binds all people indigeneous to Ikem together. He equally observed that the yams harvested in July each year belong to a particular species known as “Usekpe Ovune” which Ikem people cultivate in November and December of each year.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of the Orurezhi Organizing Committee, Chief Emeka Nnamani (Omemma 1 of Ikem), thanked God and the Medical teams that treat Ikem people free every Orurezhi day. He also reported that the team included General Practitioners, Public Health Physicians, Dental Surgeons and Eye Doctors, Nurses, Dieticians among other volunteers. He stressed that the good people of Ikem remained grateful to the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) and Models for Christ – Africa (MfCAfrica) Teams for their continued support to our people in the area of healthcare. This year, the MfCAfrica Medical Team was led by Dr. Ifeyinwa Ugwunweze, Consultant Public Health Physician, who in her remarks stated that the outreach was well organized and very successful. She noted that the aim of reaching out to the underserved population heath-wise was achieved. One other volunteer, a Christian Missionary Dental Surgeon, Dr. Daniel Obiora Chukwudimma, on behalf of CMDA summed his experience thus: “I have to really say that Ikem people are lovely to be with, as it was nice meeting them (on Orurezhi day). I must thank the organizers for a well-executed medical outreach.” The Eye Doctor (Optometrist), Dr. Nwakanma also commended Ikem people and observed that there is high rate of cataract, glaucoma and pterygium in the community .
Evang. Emmanuel Ndubusi Agbo, President of Ikem Christian Believers’ Fellowship (ICBF), and a member of the team of the ministers who officiated during the festival stated, “It is very clear that God almighty instituted the festival of first fruit harvest offering and embedded many blessings in it. [Exodus 23:16]. Everyone, especially the Christian Brethren in Ikem are sincerely encouraged to holistically be in the forefront of this our godly tradition. There is no doubt that next year’s Orurezhi will be more grandiosely glorious”.
On the eve of the 2024 Orurezhi Ceremony, the Chairman of the Isi-Uzo Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Igwe Engr. Okey Ogbodo had thanked the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for all he has done for Ikem and Isi-Uzo people and made a passionate appeal to the State Government to beef up security during and after the festival. This was in view of the horrible fatal attacks and killing of innocent citizens in Ikem by suspected killer herdsmen in the past few months.
HRM. Eze Dr. Solomon Nwakwue; Chimereze 1 & Akajiala of Ikem Osokwa-Nvosi, of Isiala Ngwa South LGA in Abia State has been an important stakeholder of Ikem New Yam Festival. This year, as always, he sent a delegation led by two members of his cabinet, Chief Ohazurume 1 of Ikem Asokwa/Osokwa and Mr. Mgbechinyere Sunday, Chairman Village Heads, Ikem Osokwa with Kola Nuts, Alligator Pepper, large quantities of wine and fruits for the First Fruit Offering.
The Ikem Community Health System (Ikem CHS), led by Dr. Maduabuchi John-Moses is a Community-based Organisation that has has been instrumental to the hosting of Medical Outreaches during the festival in Ikem for about two decades now. Ikem CHS was also the first health organization to run a Community-based Social Health Insurance Scheme in collaboration with Healthcare International, a Health Maintenance Organisation.