The Eze Ahia-Orie of Erema  a in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area  of Rivers State, His Royal Highness, Eze Macaulay Ebide, has raised alarm over  the steady disappearance of traditional food crops such as cocoyam, yam and  cassava, while plantain and banana stems no longer bear fruits.

Eze Ebide while addressing the mammoth crowd that graced a ceremony in his palace to mark the formal eating of new yam, said except some urgent steps are taken to check the trend, famine would be inevitable in the area in the next few months.

“Local food crop known as Coco India’ has disappeared, while plantain and banana, which ordinarily should not be seasonal food, are now becoming scarce and costly in the market, as they are no longer available’, he lamented.

Ebide challenged Nigerian soil scientists to take up the challenge  to find the cause of the situation “before it becomes a national calamity.”

Towards this end, he urged oil firms, government at all levels and their agencies to formulate policies that would restore local farmers’ confidence in food production, and also provide the necessary incentives for them.

He described the day’s ceremony as a heritage from his ancestors saying “because, in Africa, yam is regarded as king of all crops, it is institutional that certain rites be performed befored it starts to come out and princes and royal families eat it.”           

The traditional ruler used the occasion to preach peace and unity among the people as a way to sustain an enduring development which, according to him, had been made possible through the efforts of some of the community’s illustrious sons.

Such sons include Chief Godpower Ake, Mr. Cbibuzor Ugwuoha, Dr Cheta Williams, Dr Harcourt Ukomadu and Senator Wilson Ake.

He appealed to the youths to uphold the peoples’ custom of respecting elders, and also avoid anti social behaviors that could paint the community in bad light.

Hights of the occasion were customary paying way of homage to the Eze­Ahia Orie, masquerade display and cultural dances.