Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Abia State counterpart, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu are among dignitaries expected to grace this year’s Ohafia Udumeze Cultural Festival and launching of a N500 million Civic Centre project in Port Harcourt.
The President of Ohafia Improvement Union (OIU), Port Harcourt branch, Chief Stone Kalu disclosed this in a phone call to theportcitynews in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
He noted that the essence of the celebration was to promote and preserve the rich cultural heritage bequeathed to the people by their ancestors which according to him, was being influenced by religious and social realities.
He explained that many youths are unaware of their cultural practices due to lack of cultural activities and the importance attached to it which was fast eroding.
He added that that many parents who have been away from their community due to the search for white-collar jobs barely tell their children about culture.
“We have organised the hosting of Ohafia Udumeze Cultural Day in Port Harcourt to remind us of where we come from. We will also use this medium to showcase the rich culture of Ohafia to non-Ohafia indigenes residing in the Niger Delta region”
“The benefits of the festival would impact positively on the society by engaging the young people in culture. It will help to engage them as nation builders, through lectures, activities and sensitisation.
“THe youths will be encouraged to embrace culture not cultism, it will rekindle our cultural heritage as well as help to strengthen inter-state relationship in the area of culture”, he said.
He said the union was the oldest social-political organisation in the area and started in 1923, adding that the aim of the organisation was to bring the people of Ohafia together, improve their wellbeing and to develop the area and humanity at large.
He urged people of the state to attend the programme.
