The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has raised the alarm over rising cases of modern illnesses in the South-East, blaming the trend on harmful, modern eating habits and the consumption of junk food.

The group made the assertion during a cultural empowerment initiative where it distributed N1.2 million in cash grants to dozens of rural women trading in indigenous Igbo food condiments across the region.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Dunukofia Local Government Area chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Uchenna Nwoye, urged Nigerians of Igbo descent to abandon fast food and return to the healthier, organic diets of their ancestors.

"Most of the illnesses people experience today come from eating unhealthy junks, which they sometimes think is modern, without knowing that it destroys organs and weakens immunity," Nwoye stated. "Our local foods are healthier, tastier, and even cheaper."

To back its campaign with action, the socio-cultural group empowered 60 rural women drawn from the six communities within the Dunukofia council area. Each beneficiary received a N20,000 cash injection to scale up their businesses.

According to the organization, the financial intervention targets traders and producers of vital traditional Igbo condiments—such as okpeyi, ogiri, ukpaka (oil bean), and local dried pepper—to prevent native culinary heritage from going extinct.

Nwoye emphasized that the program serves a dual purpose: providing direct economic relief to rural women while safeguarding the identity and health of the Igbo people.

"By supporting those who produce and sell these indigenous foods, we are not only empowering our people economically but also helping to preserve our rich cultural heritage for future generations," he added.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the market women expressed gratitude to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. They noted that the organization`s advocacy for a return to traditional diets would significantly boost patronage for local food vendors and revive the rural economy.