Monthly Archives: July 2021

2021, Actors, africa, African Culture, Artist, Cultural, Culture, Dalta State, Edo Pikin, EDO STATE, Entertainment, Events, girl of the week, high life music, Hip-Hop, Wazobia Models

[MUSIC DOWNLOAD] Goose ‘N’Gandas EP By Big Kojoe

Super hit maker, Big Kojoe,  drops his highly anticipated Extended Play (EP)  titled Goose n Gandas.  As expected, the delivery is top notch, and cuts accross as one of the best projects of the decade..

It is an Afro pop project.

All the five (5) tracks are huge hits, delivered with a rich blend of English, pidgin and Urhobo languages.

No jokes! 

My favorite track in d project remains (actually, am confused cos dey r all tight)….

Goose n Gandas EP was produced by some of the best producers in the industry, such as Joeblingz,  Elvix d’Genius,  Bcleff,  Boom Mixer,  properly organised for your pleasure.

The five tracks are available in all music streaming digital stores world wide.

 Enjoy

1.   Wetin?

Prod.  by Joeblingz and Elvix d’genius,  MnM by BoomMixer

https://wazobianigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/WETIN.mp3?_=1 DOWNLOAD WETIN?

2    POSE

Prod. by Joeblingz,  mixed and mastered by BoomMixer

https://wazobianigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/POSE.mp3?_=2 DOWNLOAD POSE

3    Area Baby

Prod., Mixed n mastered by Bcleff

https://wazobianigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Area-Baby.mp3?_=3 DOWNLOAD Area Baby

4   BOUNCE

Ft Elvix,  Blezd Child

Prod.  by Elvix d’Genius,  mixed n mastered by Boom Mixer

https://wazobianigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Bounce.mp3?_=4 DOWNLOAD Bounce

5  OMOTE MEH (My Lady)

Prod., mixed n mastered by Bcleff

https://wazobianigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Big-Kojoe-OMOTE-MEH.mp3?_=5 DOWNLOAD Omote Meh (My Lady)
Agbor, AGBOR COMMUNITY, Community, Events, Ika South Local Government Area, Nigeria, PFN inaugurates Ime-Obi, RELIGION, Top News

PFN inaugurates Ime-Obi unit executive amidst thanksgiving to God

It was an exciting day, July 10, 2021, for members of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Ika South chapter as they officially inaugurate newly elected executive for its Ime-Obi unit.

The inaugural ceremony was held amidst great joy and thanksgiving to God at Christ Faithful Vessels Evangelical Ministry Inc. in Agbor and was well attended by great men of God, officials of the FRSC and the Chairman of Ika South Local Government Council, Hon. Sunny Tatabuzogwu who was ably represented by the Council’s Secretary, Mr. Aluge-Obia Kainji.

The PFN Ime-Obi Unit executive sworn-in include: Prophet Ojeifoh Festus as Chairman, Apostle Agbatutu Oghenerukevwe as Vice Chairman, Pastor Igumbor Nelson as Secretary and Pastor Igumbor Kelly as Treasurer. Other unit officers are Pastor Ugbeze Nosa (Assistant Secretary), Pastor Divine Anthony (Financial Secretary), Apostle Eluma Onyisi (Programme Director), Pastor Where Obi (Discipline Officer), Pastor Mrs. Mary Nimfa (Welfare Officer), Rev. Omezi S. E. (PRO 1), Apostle Ochei Ifeanyi (PRO 2), Rev. Chinedu I. (Prayer Secretary), Pastor Joseph Benedict (Data Base), Rev. James Ihenonye (Assistant Prayer Secretary) and Pastor Emeri Michael (Auditor).

Also, members of the women’s wing executive that made the list are; Pastor Mrs. Ojeifoh Grace as chairperson, Pastor Mrs. Agbatutu Esther as Vice Chairperson, Pastor Mrs. Kelly Igumbor Helen as Secretary, Pastor Mrs. Igumbor Roseline as Treasurer, Pastor Mrs. Osonye Helen as Financial Secretary, Pastor Mrs. Chinedum Favour as PRO while Pastor Mrs. Onwuanishia Ngozi and Pastor Mrs. Igumbor Julie were elected as Advisers.

In a sermon centered on “The benefit of unity” had Apostle A. S. Eboigbe charged christians to speak with one voice, positing that there are much to achieve when things are done in unity.He enjoined all to show love, fellowship together in other to build the church and subsequently build the nation.

He concluded by congratulating the new executive, advising them to work as one indivisible body.

Why administering the oath of office on the executive, the Ika South PFN Chairman and General Overseer of Power of Faith Pentecostal Ministry, Rev. Joseph Uche Ejiniwe, applauded the well organized ceremony.He commended the guests for honouring the organization while acknowledging that PFN Ime-Obi Unit is the grassroot of the organization.He further explained that PFN being a well structured organization, has its chain of operations from the National to the state, province, local government and the unit, adding that the process was for an easy flow of her responsibilities.

Meanwhile, he congratulated the new unit executive, encouraging them not to relent in defending the faith in Christ Jesus. He also prayed God to increase them from strength to strength.

The Secretary to the Local Government Council, Mr. Kanji while conveying the message of the council Chairman, said the council is filled with men and women of Christian faith, adding that the Chairman who is also an evangelist, requires their prayers for him and the executive to function more effectively.

He disclosed that much development is ongoing in the local government in terms of cleanliness and infrastructural development, and in the same vein handed the chairman’s promise of doing his best for Ika South to move forward.

It was indeed a very successful ceremony which climaxed with special renditions in honouring God, taking of group photographs and pep talk on safety rules by the FRSC representatives.

Executive members of PFN, Ime-Obi Unit in a group photograph with some LGA executive
The post PFN inaugurates Ime-Obi unit executive amidst thanksgiving to God appeared first on IKA Mirror Newspaper Online.
Source: Ika News Agbor
Ika News: PFN inaugurates Ime-Obi unit executive amidst thanksgiving to God

Community, Events, Ika North East Local Government, RELIGION, thanksgiving, Top News

Kingdom Heritage Int’l Assembly Celebrates Mid-Year Thanksgiving Service

Sunday, July 11, 2021, was a day of joyous celebration for the General Overseer, Pastors, Officers, Members and Children of Kingdom Heritage International Assembly Incorporated, (a. k. a. Fountain Of His Glory), as they held the grand finale of the 2021 Mid-Year Fasting/Prayer Programme and Thanksgiving Service in grand style.

The colourful ceremony which took place at the magnificent state of the arts Church auditorium, located at Number 50, Memeh Street, Boji Boji Owa, Ika North East Local Government Area Of Delta State, featured some life transforming activities such as the Undiluted Message from the Elect of God, Special Ministration by Pastor Monday Atewe and the Church Choir, Widows Empowerment and the Special Thanksgiving by the General Overseer and Members of the Various Departments of the Church.

In his sermon, Rev. Success Atewe, the General Overseer of the Church, who spoke on the message he titled, “Why Must We Thank The Lord?”, took his Bible reading from the books of Psalms 107:1-43, Second Corinthians 4:15, Proverbs 3:9, Matthew 15:36, Jeremiah 30:19-20, First Thessalonian 5:18, Malachi 1:6, Malachi 2:2-9, Romans 1:21, Habakkuk 3:18, Second Chronicles 20:20-21, and Genesis 4:4.

Admonishing the congregation, he stated that the Lord inhabits the Praises of His people, saying that “When you are Praiseful, you become Godful, and when you are Godful you become Fruitful, and when you become Fruitful you become a Sign and Wonder to your Generation”. Continuing, he informed the gathering that the day’s thanksgiving service was to thank God for His grace that sustained them from January 2021 till date and to also pray for His continuous protection from now to the end of the year and beyond.

Speaking further, the Seasoned Man of God, outlined Four major reasons why they should thank the Lord. He stated that Thanksgiving is done in order to honour God, explaining that it makes God to feel that He is a good father and also makes Him feel that His children appreciates Him. The second reason he gave was that, Because it is commanded that we should Thank God, hence it is pertinent for everyone to obey God’s commandment.

The Third reason is that Thanksgiving to God Multiplies whatever the Lord has given to them as individuals, saying that when they Thank God, He will reverse adversities from their lives and the Lord will take over all their battles. And Fourthly, he stated that Because of the dangerous consequences of Thankless ness, it is most advisable to always Thank God for His grace and mercies which has kept them alive.

Rev. Success Atewe, warned the gathering to never attribute their successes to their personal efforts but to ascribe all their achievements to God. He frowned at the situation where people do things at their own will, instead of adhering to the will and command of the Lord in order to partake from God’s abundant blessings. He charged the congregation to make up their minds to honour God, so that He will not bring a terrible curse upon them.

The event featured gospel songs ministration by Pastor Monday Atewe, a gospel artist. The leadership of the Church also honoured the widows in their midst and presented them Six yards of textile materials individually.In a brief remark during the presentation, the General Overseer of the Church, disclosed that the Church decided that the widows should be honoured, being part of their ministry, assuring that by the grace of God henceforth the Church will not relax on its oars in taking care of the widows.

Responding on behalf of the widows after the presentation, Mrs. Osifo Philomena, thanked God and the Church authority for the good things that have been happening in the lives of the widows and their families, saying that the Lord has been providing their needs through his servant Rev. Success Atewe, who has been giving them food items, clothing materials and financial assistance. She Prayed Almighty God to continually bless the man of God and his family and the entire members of the Church for their love and care.

High point of the epoch making event was the Special Thanksgiving by the General Overseer and his family and the members of the various departments in the Church, who danced to the rhythm of the beautiful song rendition by Pastor Monday Atewe and the Church Choir as they appeared before the Altar of God to appreciate Him for His protection and loving kindness upon them from the beginning of the year and for His sustainability during the remaining months of the year 2021 and beyond.

Rev & Pastor Mrs. Success Atewe

Members of the Men department during their thanksgiving

Rev & Pastor Mrs. Success Atewe with the widows of the church

Rev & Pastor Mrs. Success Atewe with their children dancing to the altar for their family thanksgiving
The post Kingdom Heritage Int’l Assembly Celebrates Mid-Year Thanksgiving Service appeared first on IKA Mirror Newspaper Online.
Source: Ika News Agbor
Ika News: Kingdom Heritage Int’l Assembly Celebrates Mid-Year Thanksgiving Service

Community, Delta State, Events, Ika North East Local Government Area, Lucky and Bose, St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Top News

Lucky and Bose say I do

It was indeed a great time out last weekend, Saturday, June 10 as Lucky and Bose were joined together in holy matrimony as husband and wife.

The well attended marriage ceremony took place at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church along Owa- Ekei Road, in Ika North East Local Government Area, Delta State. While the reception was held at Becca Civic Center, DDPA, Agbor.Some of the guests at the ceremony expressed joy over the successful marriage of Lucky and Bose. They wished the couple happy and fruitful married life.

The couple while expressing gratitude to the Almighty God for a dream come through, thanked their parents, family members, friends and well wishers who were present to celebrate with them despite their busy schedules. They prayed God to bless and prosper them.
The post Lucky and Bose say I do appeared first on IKA Mirror Newspaper Online.
Source: Ika News Agbor
Ika News: Lucky and Bose say I do

Addiction, Community, drinking, Editorial, health, Mental Health Advocacy, Nigeria, Top News

Addiction And Its Impact

Addiction is a bad habit . Once addicted, it becomes very hard to stop; only by the special grace of God .Those people who are addicted to alcohol is a serious matter. Some persons prefer drinking of alcohol to eating of food. They drink alcohol as if there will be no tomorrow. They are so addicted to alcohol that when they are broke (no_money)They resort to drinking on credit. Addiction to alcohol had made some persons behaving foolishly Imagine a man after getting drunk, staggered home.His wife was at the door, seeing his wife ,he voiced out “Madam, your face looks familiar, ‘have forgotten where I once met you”. Angrily, his wife draged him into the house . you see what alcohol addiction can cost. What of those who are addicted to smoking of cigarettes, after eating if they don’t smoke cigarettes, it seems as if they have not eaten anything.

They smoke anything smokeable because they are addicted to smoking! Again this me, too much of it, may look foolish. Am mentioning of persons addicted to sex They have sex indiscriminately. Be it, male or female, these persons lack self-control and discipline for sex. They can have sex anywhere anytime; because they are so addicted to have sex. Even, some married men who are so addicted to sex, whenever they are in the mood and it happened that their wife were not around, they shamefully do it with their daughters. Instances abound. On the news, a man was reportedly to have been having sex with his two little daughters. This shows the extent of addiction and associated bad habit. Some women with high level of libido and are so addicted to having sex; often pay young boys to have sex with them once they are in uncontrollable mood to have sexual satisfaction.

The worst are those addicted to taking of drugs. It leads them doing things unimaginable not palatable to the society. My coming up with this topic was as a result of a true to life story on how addiction can go .So relax and read on!

Mr Amose and his wife, Vero (not real names) live in Asaba. Mr Amose is a tricycles (keke) rider and his wife manages a provision store along Nnebisi Road.And she is a Nursing mother .It happened one afternoon that Mr Amos rushed home to take cassava flour (Garri) and because there was no milk in the house at that particular time to’ go’ with the garri, hiy wife, asked him jokingly, if he would like to use her breast milk?

The husband, Mr Amose accepted and right from that day. It becomes a habit for him to be using his wife breast milk each time he wants to soak garri. He eventually got addicted to using the wife’s breast milk, which was mean’t for their baby for soaking garri instead of the normal milk. Now you can see that addiction impact in anything is bad! So be moderate!
The post Addiction And Its Impact appeared first on IKA Mirror Newspaper Online.
Source: Ika News Agbor
Ika News: Addiction And Its Impact

All Progressive Congress (APC), APC, APC Ika South, Community, festus ofume, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta, Nigeria, Ovie Omo Agege, Politics, Top News

SENATOR OVIE OMO AGEGE IS THE APC LEADER IN DELTA STATE FESTUS OFUME

Cairo Ojougboh and his followers should retrace their steps, support Omo Agege’s efforts in building Delta APC

In this online interview he granted Ika Mirror from Canada during the week, the Agbor born legal luminary cum politician Barr. Festus Ofume, a leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ika Federal Constituency has commended the leadership prowess of the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Senator Ovie Omo Agege and the efforts he is making towards achieving victory for the APC in Delta State come 2023. Ofume has a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B) from the University of Benin and a Master of Laws degree (LL.M) from the prestigious Osgoode Hall Law School, York University in Toronto, Canada is also an astute business analyst with many years of experience acquired from both North America and Nigeria. He was one time the Delta State chairman of Young Democratic Party (YDP).

Excerpts: Please may meet you sir?Thank you for the opportunity to grant this interview. I’m Mr. Festus Ofume, a practicing lawyer based in Abuja with offices in Lagos and Abuja. I’m a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC. I’m from Ward 6, in Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State. Politically and before joining the APC I was the Delta State chairman of Young Democratic Party (YDP) and her governorship candidate in the 2019 governorship election.

As a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress in Ika South, how is the party doing in your local government at the moment? Generally, in Nigeria the APC is doing very well as a party and Ika South is not an exception. APC is waxing stronger by the day. Recently, you can see the massive defection of members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the APC. The defection is happening everywhere including Ika South. APC is taking over everywhere in Nigeria. In fact, I can tell you without mincing words and you can take it to the bank that Ika South is APC irrespective of the fact that PDP is currently the ruling party in the state. The body language and movement of the people of Ika South have shown that they will support no other party than the APC. In the next few months,we are going to witness a serious defection of members of PDP into APC. We are harnessing them and we have assured them that APC is where all progressive minds belong. We are peace loving people. We believe in good governance and true democracy.

Why is APC in Ika Federal Constituency divided?The APC in Ika Federal Constituency is not divided. We are one family and especially in Ika South. We have one APC where every member belongs. What you are see happening in Ika South is a situation where some group of persons who are known as political jobbers are trying to hijack the leadership of party without following the due process. This set of people have shown to us that they do not believe or understand due process. We are not like that in APC. These persons came from nowhere and want to destabilize the peace and unity of APC in Ika Federal Constituency. We have told them clearly from the beginning that there is no place for them in APC. They are not part of us. They are business people who are using our APC platform as a tool to achieve their selfish aim. The real members of APC are doing their best to grow the party. We are not deterred because we know our real members. Those agents of destabilization do not stand anywhere. We don’t have faction in APC in Ika Federal Constituency.

Recently, Hon Dr Cairo Ojougboh was declared the maximum leader of APC in Ika Federal Constituency and one of the leaders in Delta State by his followers. How true is the declaration? I was surprised when I heard the news from the media that Hon Dr Cairo Ojougboh was declared the maximum leader of APC in Ika Federal Constituency. I have been asking our party leaders and executives both at the Federal and State about that position and nobody seems to know where that is coming from. The position is alien to the APC leadership at all levels. The truth is that in APC we are process oriented people and we respect hierarchy. Hon Dr Cairo Ojougboh was at the House of Representatives to represent Ika Federal Constituency and as an APC member we accord him that respect. The party also have recognized other leaders like Barr Felix Morka, Hon Doris Uboh, Hon Hilary Ibude, Hon Kingsley Noye Philips, among others. For instance, Barr. Felix Morka (Chief Servant) is a pioneer leader of APC and back bone of the party in Ika South. So, to hear that some group persons under the disguise of APC came together and declare Hon Dr Cairo Ojougboh as the maximum leader of APC in Ika Federal Constituency is the highest level of rascality. I asked where did that idea come from?. To me it’s an overzealousness and it should not be. However, everybody is free to say what he or she wants to say,but, all we know is that in the APC Constitution there is no provision for a maximum leader.

Why has the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo Agege not working together with Hon Dr Cairo Ojougboh,Chief Great Ogboru and Rt Hon Victor Ochei? The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo Agege is the APC leader both in Delta State and South South. He is a good leader who is always making sure that APC moves forward. I don’t know where people are getting the information that he is not working with everyone in the party. Omo Agege is an open hearted leader who is dedicated in building and strengthening APC in Delta State. His office is open to all members of APC. Those who are genuinely APC members are seriously working with Omo Agege ahead of 2023. Large percentage of the successes we have recorded in Delta APC today could be attributed to Omo Agege’s leadership. So, the likes of Hon Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Great Ogboru and Rt Hon Victor Ochei should join hands with Omo Agege to build Delta APC as the invitation is still very much open to them. There is only one APC in Delta State of which Senator Ovie Omo Agege is the leader.

What is your take on a recent interview where Hon Dr Cairo Ojougboh lambasted and called Senator Ovie Omo Agege as a maze snatcher? I’m very disappointed in the manner and approach of Cairo Ojougboh. We expected a leader of his status to be able to address matters based on issues and be very objective in his political utterances. In trying to score points, we must not be negatively destructive. If Cairo Ojougboh wants to assert and assume leadership in Ika South and Delta North, he should show his report card of previous leadership to the people and let the followers decide on whether or not he has merited their loyalty. The time of sentiment has passed. So if a stranger provide a fatherly care and love to me, he is my father irrespective of where he comes from. As I have earlier stated, APC is made up of peace loving people who believe in due process. Senator Omo Agege is number five person in the leadership hierarchy of Nigeria and number one in Delta State as far as APC is concerned. Therefore, anyone fighting Omo Agege either in Delta State or in South South does not understand leadership procedures. APC has not done her party primary for 2023 election and I wondered why people are thinking Omo Agege is the governorship flag bearer of our party in the state. If Ojougboh, Ogboru or Ochei are interested in the governorship seat in 2023 they should talk to Deltans on their selling points and stop fighting Omo Agege. My advice to Ojougboh and his followers is that they should be dealing with issues and not persons. They should stop being personal in party politics. It might interest you to know that I from the same Ward with Ojougboh and from family basis, he is my father but, I must call a spade a spade. Even if he is my father, Ojougboh has erred. His followers should advise him. If tomorrow he becomes vice president of Nigeria we will all respect and support him based on the position which is clearly what the Senator is enjoying.. Today, Omo Agege is the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, it is normal to give him the due respect and support his vision for the party in Delta State. It is the right way to go.

Do you see APC overcoming her internal crisis in the state before 2023?There is no crisis in Delta APC. What people are not getting clearly is thinking that PDP is still relevant in the state. PDP may be the ruling party because it has produced the incumbent governor. APC however, is the strongest political party in the Delta state. At the moment, APC controls two out of the three senatorial districts we have in the state. This is to tell you how strong our party is in the state. With the level our party is right now in the state you can imagine what is going to happen in 2023. The coming together of Senator Omo Agege and Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is already victory for our party. We are very happy because the untiring efforts of Omo Agege is yielding good results for our party. The mantle of leadership is upon Omo Agege to deliver Delta State in 2023. Therefore, if he fails, we fail, if he succeeds, we succeed. While Omo Agege exercises his constitutional and party rights, we should support him in complementing the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to move Nigeria forward.

What is the hope of your party in 2023? APC is a goal in 2023. We are taking over governance in Delta State. The evidences are everywhere. We are seriously engaging people on issues, what APC stands for and the failures of PDP. The PDP failed in Ika South, Delta State and Nigeria in general. Our people have said NO to PDP and YES to APC. I congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and all APC leaders and stakeholders for giving us people’s oriented political party to ride on.

What message do you have for APC members in Ika South and Delta State ?My message for APC members in Ika South and the entire state is for them to remain resolute and committed. They should be vigilant, so as to know the enemies of the party and put them where they belong. I’m using this medium to call on all APC supporters and members in Ika South and Delta North to work with our leader Senator Ovie Omo Agege so that we can achieve what is good for us in 2023. They should also avail themselves of the opportunity of the ongoing Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continues voters registration exercise. Our voting cards is our voting right and strenght, hence, we should take the INEC exercise seriously. Above all, we should keep giving our leaders the necessary support and encouragement they need. Together, we are going to achieve our goal of enthroning good governance and true democracy in our state in 2023.
The post SENATOR OVIE OMO AGEGE IS THE APC LEADER IN DELTA STATE FESTUS OFUME appeared first on IKA Mirror Newspaper Online.
Source: Ika News Agbor
Ika News: SENATOR OVIE OMO AGEGE IS THE APC LEADER IN DELTA STATE FESTUS OFUME

Community, Ika Chapter, Ika community, IKA culture, RELIGION, Top News

THE FARMING CYCLE IN IKA CULTURE

The farming cycle in Ika begins between January and February each year, at a time when the harmattan wind has opened up the bushes. The general pattern is a block system in which segments of a village make their farms in one section of the village land each year. The duration of the ‘bush fallow’ reflects the pressure of population on land. In the olden days, in some villages, the period of the bush fallow varied from seven to fifteen years whereas a five-year or less was characteristic of some other villages. Nowadays, the duration has reduced to three or two years and even less in some villages.

Men brush the bush with machetes and lately with shovels. Trees are felled or their tops lopped in recent times as a result of the tenderness of the trees. The substances are allowed to lie on the ground to dry whereby they are burnt to form an ash base, the chief source of fertilizer. While clearing the farm after burning, sticks for staking yams are collected. In recent times, bamboo sticks are mainly used for staking as there are not enough sticks in Ika bushes any longer.

Planting starts with the first rains which generally occur in late March or early April. Men use hoes or shovels in recent times to make cylindrical holes at about 180 centimetres (six feet) intervals. The period for planting and staking is one of great task for the men. Some who have arrears of work, for any reason, often engage the services of their kinsmen, in- laws or paid labour in recent times. Before the services of paid labour were known in Ika culture, there were several ways through which the Ika farmers side-tracked the difficulties of obtaining labour for their farm work. Apart from the household, extra labour was supplied by work parties. A work party is formed when three or four men agree to pull their efforts together and work on another’s farm in turn. Sometimes, additional labour is supplied by a person’s distant relations. There is another system referred to as otu-ohu/ofu; in this case, two men work in each other’s farm in rotation throughout a farming season.

The economic interest of Ika women in the farm is so well recognized that the women crops follow the men’s. Even before the planting of yams (the prime crop), portions, mkpa, are allocated to the women individually. Each woman plants such women crops enumerated above after yams are planted. This gives place to inter-cropping, a system where three or more crops maturing at different times are grown on the same plot of land. While the women are busy planting their crops, men stake the growing yams. From this period on, the women tasks in the farm increase, while those of the men are reduced to periodic visits to support the yam veins. Weeding is done twice or thrice on each farm, and it is usually performed by the children. The first weeding occurs in April, the second or perhaps the third in July, August or September.

In March or April, women plant cassava and sometimes, early okra in their special garden (ofia oka or ali igari), cassava farm. This is a recent development caused by the fact that even on poor soils; cassava has a high yield than yam. There is an increasing demand of the growing town population for cassava flour and garri, coupled with the fact that cassava has a comparatively low cost of production. Its food is easy to prepare and ideally suits the bachelor and the migrant. Initially, the Ika people who have not lived outside their villages regarded garri as nni ndi aghalo-uzo, the travellers’ food. However, the older people then regarded it as an inferior food lacking the prestige of yam, the traditional staple. It was regarded as the poor man’s food. Nowadays, among the people who are losing the older dietary preference, and acquiring new ones in Ika community culture, garri is superseding all other staples in importance, but certainly not in prestige.

By June, all the yams have been planted. A period of food shortage called famine, (ogen onwu/ugari) sets in. As yams become scarce, men depend on their wives for subsistence. The chief staple then becomes cocoyam or cassava in more recent times. In the olden days, when cassava was not known in Ika community, pudding of various types saved the situation during the famine period. Ogen onwu or ugari is caused by lack of well-developed system of storing surplus yams during the harvesting season for their use during the out-of-season period. Men of prestige and high social status, however, keep enough yams for themselves and their visitors. In the olden days, people also saved the situation by planting an early variety of yams called ore, which were planted early and harvested very early. This helped to shorten the famine period.

Before the final harvest begins in October, the yam house (oban), barns, have been repaired or new ones prepared. The yams are harvested by men and carried by women and children. Some people still maintain two separate yam barns, one in the farm and the other at home. Yams are tied to long up-right sticks secured permanent live posts by means of ropes in those days, but nowadays, by threads imported by traders. From the harvest to the next planting season, yams are eaten as often as possible. In addition to farm crops, the Ika people add in their diets, banana, bread fruits, oranges and pears. The men often wash the food down with palmwine. The trees that provide these supplementary foods are often grown in separate groves. An important source of food supply from the nutritional point of view is obtained by the collection of wild vegetable products such as mushroom, ujuju, oziza, oda, onunu-abun, utenzi, orioma, etc. In recent times, where close settlement and extensive cultivation have reduced the natural vegetations, these wide vegetables have become scarce. To be continued…
The post THE FARMING CYCLE IN IKA CULTURE appeared first on IKA Mirror Newspaper Online.
Source: Ika News Agbor
Ika News: THE FARMING CYCLE IN IKA CULTURE