From the new yam festivities to the corporate sponsored food festivals below are three Nigerian festivals you have to experience.

1. New Yam festival

The New Yam Festival of the Igbo people is an annual cultural festival held at the end of the rainy season in early August.

It features colourful display of masquerades and different dishes made with the new yam.

2. Ikeji Arondizuogu

Ikeji cultural festival of Arondizuogu in Imo State is a popular festival that brings the Igbo speaking community around the world together.

The essence of the festival, which ranks among the best surviving traditional ceremonies of the Arondizuogu people, is to celebrate the harvest of the first yams. It serves to unify and foster ties among Aro people who are spread across the entire Igbo speaking states and part of Cross River state. The festival is marked with a colourful display of different masquerades such as Ogionu, Mgbadike, Nwaaburuja and Ozoebune; prestigiously parading across the market square to the admiration of the public.

3. Nnewi Afiaolu Festival

Afiaolu (New yam festival) is a traditional festival held annually in Nnewi around August.

The Afiaolu festival commences on “Eke” day with what is traditionally described as scaling of yam and the wood gathering. This heralds the availability of new yam as well as thanksgiving to God. The festival includes a variety of entertainments including the performance of ceremonial rites by the Igwe (king), cultural dance by girls and masquerades dance.