Urges Izzi People to Preserve Cultural Values
Date: 13 September, 2026
By Abraham Ovuoba
Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, says his administration has completed more than 500 kilometres of roads across the state’s 13 local government areas as part of efforts to improve transportation, connectivity and economic activities.
Governor Nwifuru stated this on Saturday at Amagu, the ancestral home of the Izzi people, during the grand finale of the 2026 Ojiji Izhi New Yam Festival.
He said the completed projects included major roads linking Ebonyi with neighbouring states, as well as bridges constructed to improve movement across communities and strengthen inter-state connectivity.
The governor said the infrastructure development was part of his administration’s broader efforts to open up rural communities, facilitate commerce and improve access to social and economic opportunities.
Nwifuru, however, used the cultural gathering to call on the Izzi people to preserve their ancestral values and resist influences capable of eroding the customs and traditions of the clan.
He identified respect for elders and traditional institutions, dignity of labour, hard work, peace, unity and communality as enduring values that had sustained the Izzi people across generations.
The governor expressed concern over the sale of ancestral lands, including family compounds, graves and tombs of forebears, warning that such practices could weaken the cultural identity of future generations.
He also urged Ebonyians to distinguish between religion and tradition, noting that misconceptions about both had contributed to the erosion of indigenous values.
“Many have confused religion for tradition and have failed to locate the difference between the two,” Nwifuru said, stressing that tradition should not be equated with human sacrifice.
Ahead of the 2027 governorship election, the governor further appealed to residents to avoid using social media to disparage political leaders or undermine developmental achievements in the state.
He also defended the power-sharing arrangement between the two kindreds in Izhiland, describing it as a framework intended to promote equity and social justice.
Earlier, the chairman of the event, Edward Nkwegu, said virtues including good morals, sincerity, industry, justice, equity and fairness were inherited from the ancestors.
Nkwegu regretted that modernity and Western influences were gradually eroding the values, particularly among youths.
The festival featured displays of Izhi cultural heritage, including traditional masquerades, music and indigenous entertainment, as well as the sharing of traditional foods and presentation of live animals to elders and guests, reinforcing messages of hospitality, unity and peaceful coexistence.
