Thousands turn out in southeast London to enjoy fifth Igbo Festival of Arts and Culture

THOUSANDS of Nigerians celebrated the fifth Igbo Festival of Arts and Culture in London yesterday in what was a highly colourful carnival characterised with entertainment and impressive cultural displays.

 

Organised by the Congress of Igbo Leaders UK and Ireland, the event which took place at Charlton Park in southeast London, attracted a wide array of Nigerians. Apart from the fact that every Igbo association in the UK was represented at the event, it was also graced by Emmanuel Namah, the minister for consular, education and welfare at the high commission, and representing the high commissioner and officials from the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK (Canuk).

 

About 40 Igbo organisations participated in the event, with some 24 of them hiring stalls where they displayed their memorabilia and sold food. Igbo leaders like Mazi Obi Okoli, the coordinator of the Congress of Igbo Leaders UK, Chief Anthony Ajiduah, the president of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Kate Anolue, Chief Aaron Muorah, Ebonyi State Union president Dr Nnana Igwe and Canuk vice president Malcolm Benson, all pulled their resources together to organise a memorable event.

 

Mazi Okoli said: "As we celebrate today, we must bear in mind that we are a strong people, universal and hardworking, and despite our travails, we shall come forth victorious. We shall overcome by our great desire to succeed, the urge to reach our full potential and our pursuit of excellence as the keys that will unlock the door to our collective wellbeing."

 

Canuk chairman Boma Douglas added: "We are all here to celebrate the Igbo culture and to appreciate the contribution of Ndigbo to our rich heritage, future prosperity and Nigeria as a whole. Canuk, which represents all 2m Nigerians in the UK, many of whom are Igbo,  is proud to be associated with this festival."

 

Mr Namah pledged the high commission's continued support for the festival, adding that Ndigbo are an integral part of the Nigerian community in the UK. He praised the Igbo community for putting together such a colourful event, saying it showed how industrious Nigerians can be.

 

Secessionist campaign group the Indigenous People of Biafra added colour to the occasion also, lightening up the event with an array of melodious songs, flag waving and dancing as they chanted independence slogans. Other cultural groups made it even more colourful with a litany of masquerades, traditional dances and cultural Igbo music.

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