The organisers of the 2026 Iriji Mbaise Festival in Imo State have pushed back against attempts to portray the annual celebration as a political gathering, insisting that the event is primarily focused on preserving the cultural heritage, traditions and unity of the Mbaise people.
Chairman of the Iriji Mbaise Central Working Committee, Steve Onu, said the festival was designed to bring together Mbaise sons and daughters, cultural groups, traditional stakeholders and friends of the community to celebrate their heritage and promote the values that have historically united the people.
Onu made the clarification while speaking at the Ezuruezu Mbaise Civic Centre in Aboh Mbaise ahead of the 2026 festival. He said the event should not be viewed through the lens of partisan politics, stressing that its central purpose was the preservation and promotion of Mbaise culture.
The Iriji Mbaise festival is an annual New Yam celebration involving the three local government areas that make up Mbaise: Ahiazu Mbaise, Ezinihitte Mbaise and Aboh Mbaise.
Traditionally, Iriji marks the end of the farming season and the beginning of the harvest period. Beyond the celebration of a successful harvest, it provides an opportunity for the community to express thanksgiving, strengthen relationships and pass cultural values from one generation to another.
Onu said the festival provides a platform for Mbaise people at home and in the diaspora to sit together, discuss the progress of their communities and reinforce bonds of peace and unity.
He urged stakeholders to resist attempts to politicise the event, arguing that cultural identity should remain at the centre of the annual celebration.
The clarification comes against the background of longstanding debates over the relationship between cultural festivals and politics in Nigeria. Iriji Mbaise attracts traditional rulers, community leaders, political figures, professionals and other prominent guests, making the presence of politicians at the event difficult to avoid.
Political participation, however, does not necessarily mean that the festival itself is a political event. Recent coverage of the 2026 celebration showed that political leaders and other public figures attended alongside traditional rulers, community leaders and Mbaise indigenes from different backgrounds.
The festival's organisers have also emphasised development and community participation as part of the broader objectives surrounding the celebration.
The 2026 organising committee has promoted initiatives aimed at connecting cultural preservation with tourism, youth participation, community development and wider recognition of Mbaise heritage. Committee chairman Chimaraoke Ben Nnaji said such initiatives were intended to strengthen the festival without replacing its traditional foundation.
Preparations for this year's celebration also involved consultations among local government authorities, traditional institutions and community leadership. A stakeholders' meeting held in Aboh Mbaise brought together representatives of the traditional rulers, Ezuruezu Mbaise and Ndi Ezeji as preparations progressed.
The involvement of these institutions reflects the importance attached to the festival beyond its entertainment value. Iriji is closely linked to the agricultural history of Mbaise communities, where yam has traditionally held significant cultural and economic importance.
The celebration also provides an avenue for younger members of the community to learn about traditions that could otherwise become less prominent as lifestyles change.
For the organisers, maintaining that cultural focus is particularly important at a time when disagreements over the organisation and direction of the festival have attracted public attention.
Some traditional stakeholders have previously called for greater involvement of traditional custodians in decisions concerning the festival, while also raising concerns about how the event should be managed. Those positions reflect ongoing differences among stakeholders and should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that the festival itself is political.
The committee's position is that the different interests surrounding the event should ultimately serve the broader objective of preserving Mbaise identity and promoting unity.
The festival also has potential significance for tourism and the local economy. A large annual gathering can bring visitors into the area, create opportunities for traders and hospitality businesses and showcase local traditions to people from outside the community.
Organisers therefore see the event as more than a single day of celebration. They want it to contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage while creating opportunities for development and greater recognition of Mbaise.
For residents and visitors, the message from the committee is clear: while politicians and government officials may attend the celebration, the event itself is intended to remain centred on culture, tradition, harvest and community unity.
The distinction is important because cultural festivals often attract public officials and political leaders precisely because they bring together large numbers of people. Their attendance, however, does not by itself change the stated purpose of the event.
As Mbaise continues to develop, organisers face the challenge of keeping Iriji relevant to younger generations while protecting the traditions that gave rise to the celebration.
The 2026 festival is therefore being presented as an opportunity to celebrate the past, strengthen relationships in the present and preserve Mbaise's cultural identity for future generations.
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