How did people feel about yams?

Yams are the main crop of the igbo people. A great store of yams marks a man's wealth. At the advent of the harvest, the Igbo people celebrate with the Feast of the New Yam. Thus, we can see that the yam is a staple in the Igbo community. It provides both food and economic growth..... the community depends on yams for sustenance.... a blight would prove disastrous.