Igbo tribes resident in faraway Turkey turned out en masse to mark this year’s 2023 new yam cultural festival.
This was irrespective of Police presence and the continuous arrest of foreign illegal immigrants in Turkey.
Regardless, it turned out to be a very colourful one as the President of the Nigerian Community, Prince Emre Magboh in collective efforts of other Captains of industries owned by Ndi Igbo in Turkey converged at Aksaray, Fatih in Istanbul – Turkey last weekend Friday, 22nd September, 2023, to mark the auspicious ceremony of the New Yam Festival.
Custodian of the rich cultural heritage in Turkey, His Royal Highness, Chief Norbert Okpala (Igwe Chukwumereze I of Faith, Istanbul Turkey) by the custom of Igbo tradition declared the 2023 Iriji officially opened.
Performing the ritual, he offered prayers that signify and conform to Igbo ancestral heritage.
HRH chief Norbert Okpala accompanied by Chief John Paul Okoronta (Onowu 1 of Fatih, Istanbul Turkey) and other Cabinet members officially carried out the intercessory prayers for prosperity amongst Ndi Igbo and Nigerians in Turkey especially the period they found themselves.
HRH Okpala highlighted the significance of the new yam festival and called for a united Nigeria, especially those in the diaspora and at homefront.
Speaking earlier during the event, the President of the Nigerian Community Turkey, Prince Magboh said that the essential rites of Iriji remain a ceremony in Igbo land that commands enormous respect as periods of celebration vary from clan to clan.
He seized the opportunity to call on all Nigerians to remain united following the recent economic crunch experienced recently.
The President of NICOT reminded attendees of the Embassy’s continued efforts on the plight of Nigerians in Turkey, reminding them about the meeting of all African Ambassadors with the Turkish Ministry of Interior and the positive expectations following the meeting.
He emphasized the widespread social media videos of police harassment and inhuman treatment meted out to immigrants of African extract and called for all to remain law-abiding.
However, he expressed the community’s readiness to assist all Nigerians as they have records of many Nigerian beneficiaries from the community.
The high point of the occasion was the customary prayers and ritual rites of the Iriji Celebration as the president of the Nigerian Community Turkey, Prince Magboh donated a sum of 500 dollars to the event organizers.
