By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Leader of the Igbo Community in Ghana, Eze Dr. Amb. Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu, has dismissed circulating reports that the annual Igbo New Yam Festival in Accra was cancelled following objections from the Ga Traditional Council.
According to him, the event — originally scheduled for Sunday, September 21, 2025, at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park — was not scrapped but only postponed to a later date to avoid unnecessary confrontation and ensure peaceful dialogue.
This comes after the Ga Traditional Council issued a formal letter dated September 19, 2025, warning that the festival could “possibly cause mayhem and disturbance of peace and security within the Ga State” if allowed to proceed. The Council, led by HRM King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, reminded Eze Ihenetu of its earlier directive on July 9, 2025, cautioning him against introducing traditional Igbo rites and festivals within Ga land without prior consultation.
Registrar of the Council, Evelyn Amewotse, who signed the letter, emphasized that while the Ga people have no hostility towards the Igbo community, the directive was meant to preserve cultural sovereignty and prevent clashes. Copies of the letter were also forwarded to the Regional and Divisional Police Commanders, the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, and the Ministry of the Interior and National Security for enforcement.
Reacting to the controversy, Eze Ihenetu clarified that the Igbo Community respects Ga customs and had no intention of breaching peace.
“The festival was not cancelled. We only postponed it to allow further consultations. We remain committed to promoting unity between the Igbo community and our Ga hosts,” he stated.
The Igbo New Yam Festival, also known as Iri Ji, is a major cultural event observed globally. It marks the end of the farming season and celebrates hard work, harvest, and renewal, usually with rituals, yam feasts, traditional music, and masquerade performances.
The annual event in Accra has, for more than a decade, attracted dignitaries from Ghana and Nigeria, cementing it as a significant cultural calendar activity for the Igbo diaspora.
Meanwhile, cultural experts are calling on government authorities to step in as mediators to prevent the rising tension between the Ga Traditional Council and the Igbo community from escalating into broader ethnic misunderstandings.
