Oba of Benin new yam festival set for Sept 30 after fasting and prayers, as the kingdom ushers in the annual harvest celebration

Oba of Benin new yam festival will commence on September 30 following a palace ceremony, the Benin Traditional Council has announced.

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In a statement on Monday, Council Secretary Frank Irabor said the indoor rite would usher the *Emorho* (new yam) into the royal household.

“Following the ceremony, all sons and daughters of the Benin Kingdom, as well as indigenes and non-indigenes living in Edo who participated in the two-week fasting and prayer exercise, can eat the new yam,” the palace noted.

The announcement comes after a solemn fortnight of fasting and prayers declared for peace and progress across the kingdom. The observance, which began on 15 September, concluded on 28 September.

Oba Ewuare II expressed gratitude to all participants and prayed for peace, happiness, and prosperity in their homes.

The New Yam Festival, widely celebrated across Nigeria, is an annual harvest tradition marking the first yield of the yam crop.

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While closely associated with the Igbo people, it is also observed in various forms among other communities, including the Benin Kingdom.