November 10, (THEWILL) – Contingents from 29 states of the federation rolled out drums at the official opening ceremony of the 35th edition of the National Festival For Arts and Culture (NAFEST).
The host state and participants were filled with moments of joy as the contingents performed their songs, and danced in a particular order. In this piece, Janefrances Chibuzor writes that Eko NAFEST will advance the quality of diverse cultures in Nigeria.
The parade ground of the Onikan stadium, which is one of the official venues of the festival, was filled with a sizeable number of people who take pleasure in arts and culture activities.
Notwithstanding, these arts and culture enthusiasts waited patiently for the arrival of contingents from the state’s ministry of arts and culture.
Participants during the Eko NAFEST were spotted with excitement just as they enjoyed wonderful renditions displayed by different cultural troupes within Nigerian states.
The cultures represented at the event were of various ethnic groups and the unique thing was the dance drama performances, which expressed a mixture of arts and culture.
In addition to other cultural displays from different states such as the popular Ohaofia War Dance from Abia State, different parts of Lagos, the host state, showcased colourful Masquerades and breathtaking dances.
Some of the dances and masquerades that made appearances include the Agbo Remireke from Ijede, the Zangbeto Dance from Badagry (an official traditional police force, originally created to stave off criminals and protect the people), Igunuko Masquerade from Lagos Island (these tall masquerades possess the ability to drastically reduce their heights), the Apesi Masquerades in raffia costumes, etc.
The festival, which aimed at uniting and showcasing the rich and diverse culture of Nigeria, was organised by the Director General, National Council For Arts And Culture, NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe.
The NAFEST Tagged ‘Eko Nafest 2022’ with its theme, ‘culture And peaceful coexistence’, ushered the country’s unity in diversity, rich heritage and state of being diverse in nature.
The Executive Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu said, “As we celebrate the Nigerian heritage and cultural diversity here today, my clarion call is that we take this opportunity to elect leaders who will recognise and take advantage of our rich, multi-cultural heritage and language to unify us as a people and as a nation which was the intention of our founding fathers.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also praised the efforts of Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Lagos State, towards the success of the 2022 festival hosted this year by Lagos State. He described NAFEST as a festival that showcases the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria saying “we are celebrating our unity and diversity with culture and arts.”
After the civil war, Sanwo-Olu observed, culture and arts were identified as parts of the instruments for the healing of some of the injuries Nigeria and her people sustained during the war.
The Governor revealed that Lagos State’s desire to further support and showcase arts & culture informed the hosting of the 2022 Eko NAFEST. “To meet and surpass the standards set in past editions of NAFEST is the aim of Lagos,” he enthused, expressing confidence that Lagos will perform excellently in the 2022 Eko NAFEST as it has done in past editions. He reiterated that entertainment and tourism are among the 5 main pillars of development in Lagos.
Given that 2023, an election year in Nigeria, is very close, the Governor appealed to Nigerians to elect only leaders who will “protect our rich cultures and unite the country.
As of the time of the opening ceremony, 29 out of the 36 states in Nigeria have registered for the 2022 Eko NAFEST. Some of the states are Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Benue, Abia, Kaduna, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Nassarawa, Jigawa, Katsina, Edo, Kogi, Gombe, Delta, Kano, Zamfara, Osun, Kwara, Imo, FCT, Ebonyi, Taraba, Yobe and others.
In her remarks, Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Tourism, Arts And Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-yussuf said, “I want to implore everyone here present especially our contingents from other states across the country to use the opportunity of this festival to explore the abundant tourism potentials in different parts of Lagos State.
“Apart from being the centre of excellence, is also a state of aquatic splendour surrounded by water.
“Here In Lagos, our nightlife activities remain top-notch, being a 21st-century economy. You have heard of the popular phrase “Eko for show”, which echoes creativity, pomp and pageantry peculiar to Lagosians. This cultural festival, however, presents an opportunity for you to experience different entertainment shows in this city of excellence.”
Continuing, she said, “you must also be reminded of the fact that Lagos constitutes part of our heritage. You are also invited to explore the tourism potentials on our waterways as well as the world class water transportation system here in Lagos.”
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
