Tension in Abia’s Okon Aku as Native Doctors Resist Ban on New Yam Festival

Crisis is looming in Okon Aku community, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, following a ban placed on members of the Okon Aku Traditional Herbs and Roots Practitioners (popularly known as Dibia Okon-Aku) from celebrating their annual Iri-Ji (New Yam) festival, scheduled for Saturday, September 20.

The herbalists, describing the ban as “unlawful and unconstitutional,” have vowed to resist any attempt to stop the festival, insisting it is part of their fundamental rights.

In a strongly worded petition addressed to the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze Ndukwe Iko, and copied to Governor Alex Otti as well as security agencies, the group—through their lawyer, N.B. Kalu, Esq.—demanded the immediate lifting of the restriction.

They argued that the ban violates their rights to freedom of worship and association as guaranteed under Sections 38 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The dispute reportedly began after the community town crier announced the exclusion of one of their members, Chief Uche Ikenga, from the festival. The herbalists claim the subsequent blanket ban was tied to their refusal to excommunicate Ikenga without cause.

According to the petition, attempts had earlier been made to disrupt their first Iri-Ji outing on September 16, 2025, including threats of arrest and detention. They further emphasized that their association is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“Such intimidation and harassment violate Nigeria’s status as a secular state where no group is empowered to impose religious or cultural beliefs on others,” the petition read in part.

The group called on the Abia State Government and security agencies to urgently investigate the legality of the ban, provide security during the festival, and prevent any possible unrest. They pledged to conduct the event peacefully but warned they would seek legal redress if the harassment continued.

When contacted, the community’s traditional ruler, HRH Eze Ndukwe Iko, defended the ban, citing security concerns. He accused the native doctors of imposing a 30-day curfew on the community, describing it as oppressive.

“The ban was because of a security challenge. The native doctors place a curfew in the community for 30 days, which infringes on the rights of others. The council of Ezieogos, made up of 23 compounds, met and resolved to stop the festival to avoid possible clashes, especially between Christians and native doctors,” the monarch explained.

He recalled that a similar conflict erupted last year, nearly resulting in fatalities. “We told them not to destabilize the community. They are under the community, not the other way round. Whatever they want to do should be done in their private homes, not in public,” he added.