Rt. Hon. Emeka Martin Chinedu (left) receives the award from Surv. Anosike during the event. Photo Credit: Media
By Tony Adibe
A member of the House of Representatives representing Ahiazu Mbaise/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Martins Chinedu has been honoured as the Grand Patron of the Iri Ji Mbaise National Cultural Festival 2026.
Background Of Iri-Ji Festival
NewsBits reports that the Iri Ji Mbaise Festival is a major annual cultural thanksgiving ceremony celebrated every August, precisely by the Mbaise people of Imo State in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone. Ordinarily, the Iri-ji festival marks the official first harvest and eating of new yams, symbolizing gratitude to God, community unity, and the preservation of this aspect of the rich Igbo cultural heritage.
Perhaps it’s important to note that the main aspects of the iri-ji festival have to do with thanksgiving: The people express deep appreciation to God Almighty (Chukwu) for a bountiful agricultural harvest and survival through the farming season.
The Iri-ji festival is also regarded as a season for global homecoming for those sons and daughters living outside Mbaise. The festival enables the Mbaise people to enjoy a period of major reunion that draws Mbaise indigenes from all over the world back to their roots. There are also cultural exhibitions/ displays showcasing vibrant and acrobatic traditional dancers, masquerades, royal regalia, and traditional music.
The event may not be seen as complete without culinary delights such as local culinary art through the traditional Mbaise Kitchen (Usekwu Mbaise) with various yam preparations and other mouth-watering native delicacies such as well-prepared ugba-na-okporoko (oil-bean, prepared and eaten with stockfish), among others.
It’s noteworthy to state here that the celebration of the iri-ji festival is not peculiar to the Mbaise nation; rather, it is observed in the entire Igbo land. The legendary African novelist, late Prof. Chinua Achebe, wrote about the New Yam Festival in some of his books.
Back To The Honour Done To The Lawmaker
The honour, conferred on Chinedu at Oke Ovoro Secondary School, Ovoro, Aboh Mbaise LGA, Imo State, during the Iri Ji Mbaise Festival 2026, was in recognition of “his contributions to public service, constituency development and the promotion of Mbaise’s cultural heritage,” according to the press release issued by his media officer, Nnamdi Ukasanya, and posted on the Oboama Autonomous Community platform.
NewsBits reports that Oboama Autonomous Community in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA of Imo State is the hometown of the national legislator, Hon. Chinedu. Ukasanya, in the press release, stated that the festival was organised by Ezuruezu Mbaise in collaboration with Ndi Eze Mbaise (Traditional Rulers in Mbaise), under the chairmanship of Okenze Felix Amadi, with the President General of Ezuruezu Mbaise, Surv. Joe Anosike, as Chief Host.
He said in the press release that the festival drew a “broad gathering from across Mbaise and beyond, bringing together political leaders, traditional rulers, community leaders, professionals, youths and sons and daughters of Mbaise from across Nigeria and the diaspora”.
The Media Officer further said in the press release that former Governor of Imo State, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, was among the prominent personalities who attended the annual event. High Chief Success Akagburuonye, Chief Barr. Chidi Henry Ojinere and Chief Bright Akachi Alozie were also among those honoured with Grand Patron awards at the ceremony.
Presenting the honour to Rt. Hon. Chinedu, Surv. Anosike briefly highlighted his record of service, “particularly his interventions in education, infrastructure, human capital development and community advancement”, Ukasanya stated in the press release.
The accompanying citation in the event brochure described Rt. Hon. Chinedu as a “distinguished legislator and advocate of people-centred governance, and documented projects and programmes undertaken across the 24 wards of Ahiazu Mbaise and Ezinihitte. These included the construction of classroom blocks, civic centres and skills acquisition centres, roads and other public facilities.”
It also highlighted the provision of solar-powered streetlights and electricity transformers to several communities, as well as empowerment programmes through which women and youths have received vocational training, equipment and start-up support, Ukasanya said, referencing the program brochure also mentioned in the press release.
He said that the brochure further “detailed his legislative record, including his sponsorship of bills addressing technical education, healthcare, public safety, infrastructure, economic development and institutional reform.”
Ukasanya ‘s press release further read: “Among the bills listed were the Federal Institute of Technical Education and Skills Acquisition, Mbaise Bill; National Emergency Call Centre and Short Code Bill; National Independent Project Monitoring and Evaluation Agency Bill; Real Estate Development Bank Bill; Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Mbaise Bill; National Football Academy, Ahiara Bill; and South East Erosion Commission Bill, among others.
“His role in advancing the legislative process for the creation of an additional Local Government Area in Mbaise, which is awaiting presidential assent, was also acknowledged.” According to the Media Officer, the citation further referenced Hon. Chinedu ‘s facilitation of the rehabilitation and upgrade of the Principal’s House at Mbaise Secondary School, Aboh Mbaise.
Ukasanya said that while responding, Rt. Hon. Chinedu appreciated the organisers and the people of Mbaise for the honour. “He expressed gratitude to God for the successful celebration and announced a donation of N5 million in support of the festival,” Ukasanya said, adding that the legislator also prayed for more abundant harvests and greater prosperity for Ndi Mbaise in the years ahead.
