New yam festival: Gov. Otti lauds Monarch for preservation of Igbo culture; announces approval of Ihechiowa road construction

Stephanie Clems, Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has commended the chairman of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Linus Nto Mbah for ensuring that the Igbo culture is preserved.

The governor was at the palace of HRM Eze Linus Nto Mbah during the 2025 New Yam festival of the Ata Igbo Ukwu, Umuzomgbo Autonomous Community in the state.

“I want to thank His Royal Majesty, Eze Linus Nto Mbah, for inviting us and for opening up his palace to receive us and for preserving our culture and tradition.”

He said that his administration would continue to work with sustained speed until its end.

” “We have as of yesterday, done 27 months and I can assure you that work will continue to be done with speed until the end of this administration,” gov. Otti said.

He announced the construction of the 9 kilometres Ihechiowa ring road and informed the gathering that the road was at the stage of procurement and would be flagged off for construction soon.

The State Chief Executive said that he was happy that the people appreciate his works at Omenuko Bridge, the Amuvi – Ndi-okereke – Abam Road, the Umuahia – Uzuakoli – Abiriba – Ohafia – Arochukwu highway. While noting that other roads around the corridors of Arochukwu LGA are being done, some of which are done with direct labour, Governor Otti revealed that, any road his government does with direct labour, saves the Government about 75 percent of the cost of awarding them to contractors.

The Governor further announced that the ongoing Abiriba – Ohafia – Arochukwu road would be commissioned by the first quarter of the following year.

According to him, “the other roads you see around, I’m sure you’ll be surprised because of the quality of the roads. You may be surprised that it is by direct labour through the Ministry of Works.

“Any road they do, we have been saving about 75% of the cost from awarding them to contractors. So, I’m sure that very soon, the road to this place will be as smooth as the other roads we are doing.

In his speech, the Chairman of the occasion and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Gregory University, Uturu, Prof. Uwaoma Uche thanked the Governor for recognising and supporting the traditional institutions in Abia State to play their roles.

He appreciated Eze Linus Nto Mbah for his consistency in the promotion of the Igbo culture and agriculture.

He commended the Governor’s giant strides in Abia State, in Ihechiowa and the local government area and requested that more roads, particularly, the Ihechiowa ring road be fixed.

Earlier, the host and Chairman, Abia Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM. Eze Linus Nto Mbah saluted Governor Alex Otti for his favourable disposition to the Ihechiowa people, including the fixing of roads leading to Ihechiowa, which politicians have used to do campaigns for over two decades. Eze Mbah, who described the event as a thanksgiving unto God for bountiful harvest, noted that the roads to Arochukwu, which the Governor was fixing had eased transportation time, and assured that his people and all traditional rulers in the State were solidly behind him and his reelection bid in 2027.

Speaking on behalf of the community, the President General, Ihechiowa Development Union, Mr. Ogbonnaya Okoroafor commended the Governor for appointing their sons into positions of trust, including the Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers and assured that the Ihechiowa people were supporting him.

The event featured display by various cultural groups and communities, and disbursement of gift items to different groups and individuals.