The 2026 New Yam Festival of Ede-Oballa Ancient Kingdom, hosted by His Royal Majesty, Igwe Prof. Amb. Sir V. C. Onah, Ezeoshimiri I of Ukwuoto, attracted prominent personalities, professional bodies, traditional rulers, cultural groups, and community associations.
Notable attendees included CITN Enugu and Nsukka District Societies, ANAN, the Forum of Academic Doctors (South-East), traditional rulers from Nsukka and Enugu North, Iyom title holders from Anambra State, Emir Babangida Zaki and the Hausa community, the Yoruba community, Committee of Gentlemen (COG), Ede-Oballa Youth Welfare, NYSC members, Knights of St. Mulumba, Oha na Eze Ndị Igbo, Radio Nigeria, and other groups.
A major highlight was the initiation of Her Royal Majesty, Lady Dr. Iyom Ugoeze Adakaibeya Nome of Ukwuoto, Ede Enu, Ede-Oballa Ancient Kingdom, into the prestigious Iyom Confraternity. Igwe Ezeoshimiri I is recognised as the first traditional ruler in Enugu State to introduce the Iyom institution, with his royal queen becoming the first to be initiated.
The festival celebrated Igbo cultural heritage, promoted unity among diverse communities, and reaffirmed the role of traditional institutions in preserving ancestral customs and fostering peaceful coexistence.
