Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has warned the people of Izhi Nnodo clan against the indiscriminate sale of ancestral lands, family compounds and burial grounds, saying such practices could make them strangers in their own homeland.
Nwifuru issued the warning at the weekend in Amagu, the ancestral home of Izhi Nnodo, during the grand finale of the Ojiji Izhi New Yam Festival, where he also cautioned against the erosion of indigenous values in the name of religion, modernity or political expediency.
The governor said ancestral land was not merely a commodity but represented the history, identity and collective memory of the people, urging families to preserve inherited properties for generations yet unborn.
“I have seen situations where people sell not only family lands but even the burial grounds and ancestral compounds of their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers.
“Such actions are regrettable because they disregard the sacrifices and struggles through which our ancestors secured these lands,” Nwifuru said in his Izhi dialect.
He appealed to elders, traditional rulers, youths and religious leaders to protect the cultural heritage of the clan, stressing that the people must distinguish between legitimate cultural traditions and practices that violate religious or moral principles.
Nwifuru said religion and culture should not be unnecessarily conflated, noting that legitimate traditions promoting unity, respect for elders, communal responsibility and peaceful coexistence should not be discarded merely because of religious convictions.
“Many have confused religion for tradition and have failed to locate the difference between the two. There is sharp demarcation between the two and they do not conflict and clash in their operations,” he said.
The governor identified respect for elders, dignity of labour, hard work, peace, unity and communalism as some of the core values that historically defined the Izhi people.
He also warned against allowing political disagreements to tear the clan apart ahead of the 2027 elections, saying political contests should not destroy ancestral bonds or communal relationships.
Nwifuru said those seeking elective positions on opposition platforms were free to exercise their democratic rights but urged them to pursue their ambitions peacefully and in the interest of the people.
He equally cautioned against what he described as the use of social media to provoke political crises, insisting that legitimate grievances should be addressed through appropriate channels.
“People should not leverage social media to castigate our leaders and deny our sincere performances all in the name of politics,” he said.
Defending his administration’s record, Nwifuru said Ebonyi had witnessed significant infrastructure development under his administration, particularly in the road sector.
“We have completed more than 500 kilometres of roads across the 13 LGAs. We have done roads connecting other states with span bridges,” he said.
He subsequently urged the people to support the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 elections, expressing confidence that the party would secure victory across the state.
The governor said the administration’s political objective was to consolidate its development agenda and deliver electoral victories for APC candidates from the presidency to the governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly.
Earlier, Chairman of the Ojiji Izhi cultural event, Edward Nkwegu, said the festival remained a platform for transmitting the values of good morals, sincerity, industry, justice, equity and fairness handed down by the ancestors.
Nkwegu lamented the increasing erosion of traditional values among youths, attributing part of the development to modernity and Western influences.
The festival attracted traditional rulers, community leaders, political stakeholders, youths, women and other sons and daughters of Izhi, who gathered to celebrate the new yam harvest and reaffirm their commitment to preserving the clan’s cultural heritage.
Gov Nwifuru warns kinsmen against selling ancestral lands, graves