THE CHOICE OF IHYIGILE AS IGEDE AGBA DAY.
Igede Agba, also known as Igede Day or Igede New Yam Festival, is a socio-cultural festival of Igede people worldwide. It is a festival that marks the cultural hegemony and unification of Igede people. It also marks the importance Igede people assigned to the farming of yams. Yam, to an Igede man, is the king of all crops. A person is called and known as OGIREJI when you have plenty of yams tubers only and not when you have other crops even in abundance.
September is the month of the year that yam farmers commence farming activities. The choice of September is for the fact that it begins the new farming season for yam farmers. The choice of Ihyigile is in line with the fact that it is the first day of Igede traditional week. Before the coming of the colonial masters, the advent of Christianity and the introduction of Western civilization, Igede people usually prefer Ihyigile market day as the resting day from farm work.
Igede Agba day is the moment of joy and merriment, not evil, as no shrine is erected to bow to. It is for willing Christians and non-Christians.
The first Ihyigile in September 2022 is on the 5th. The countdown is getting lower every day.
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