FESTIVAL OF LOVE AND PEACE: 2023 AKPET NO 1 FESTIVAL IN FOCUS.
Akpet No 1 New Yam Festival is an ancient cultural Festival which has over the years served as a Tempetuous tool for cultural reinvigoration, unity in Biase and national cohesion.
To start with, Akpet No 1 cultural festival serves as a medium for cultural inclusiveness, unifications, alms giving, and cross-fertilization of valuable ideas from the angles of the chiefs, men, women, youths, maidens etc.
Akpet No 1 will always go agog, with festivities featuring several cultural dance troupes, as well as wrestling competition among men from different quarters that make up the community with different types of dance with masquerade display, rally by different bands/groups.
The New Yam Festival, known as *Iveh Jah*’ or *Ikeji* is a celebration of the prominence of yam in the socio-cultural life of the good people of Akpet No 1. During the Festival, the people thank God for the bountiful harvest of yams and perform traditional rites to declare the new yam fit for general consumption.
Incidentally, no one is allowed to eat the new Yam before the official declaration of the new Yam festival by the Council of Chiefs.
The yearly Festival is an age-long cultural heritage that brings all the sons and daughters of the land together to exhibit/express their rich cultural values, pass on the oral tradition of this age long Festival and ceremony, particularly the show of love, hospitality, care and respect to the constituted authority within the community.
Akpet No 1 festival always marks the reawakening of Akpet 1 huge cultural heritage and promotion of peace, hard-working, oneness, love and unity in Akpet No 1 Land.
Most importantly, Akpet No 1 festival serves as a veritable medium to usher in the beginning of new year. The question that begs for answer is: what is new year in the Traditional African Society.
The answer is not far fetched, new year entails the consummation of the old farming season and the commencement of new farming season. It depicts the end to the season of famine and the beginning of season of plenty.
There are a lot of youths who may not understand Akpet No 1 culture and heritage, and in this event there will be rich display of our culture and heritage, and it will continue to move from one generation to the other.
Please, endeavour to witness this great and memorable event which will be holding in the month of September as follows;
Date: 16th September, 2023.
Venue: Village Square, Akpet No 1, Biase Local Government Area.
Time: 10am.
*Note:* Friday being 15th is the grand finale of Akpet No 1 Festival League with the closing ceremony commencing by 4pm at Akpet No 1 Primary School field, and Mr. and Miss. Akpet No 1 Beauty Pageant contest coming up by 7pm at the village square; featuring comedy shows, dancing competitions, singing competitions etc.
*Akpet No 1 Media*
