Bole Festival one of Port Harcourt’s most vibrant cultural food events, almost didn’t happen. This revelation came straight from the founder and CEO, Kennedy Nonso Iwuh, who opened up about the emotional and financial struggles behind launching the festival during a recent masterclass panel session organized by The Event Show in Port Harcourt.
According to Kennedy Nonso Iwuh, his dream of creating a festival that celebrated Port Harcourt’s iconic bole and local culinary culture was on the brink of collapse. At some point, he admitted he was ready to throw in the towel.
“Got a call from someone and they said they’d like to talk to me, that they want to invest in my festival. And when I heard how much they were willing to invest in my festival, I said ah, what am I doing?” he shared to an amazed audience.
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“I was having meetings with brands that wanted to invest and a sponsor called. That was the first time I got N80 million,” he revealed.
Reflecting on the experience, Iwuh highlighted the importance of faith and persistence, especially when dreams feel too heavy to carry.
“Sometimes you’d be at your lowest and what you need at that time is prayers. At the time I started praying, that was when everything changed.”
Today, the Bole Festival stands as an evidence of Port Harcourt’s rich culinary identity and the power of belief, resilience, and unexpected grace.
