The highly anticipated 2024 Port Harcourt Bole Festival, held yesterday, failed to live up to expectations, leaving many attendees disappointed and underwhelmed. Despite a decent turnout, the event was marred by poor organization, lackluster entertainment, and technical issues. The festival, which was meant to be a celebration of food, and music, ended up being a shadow of its former self, with many attendees comparing it unfavorably to last year’s event.
One of the major complaints was the poor network connectivity, which made it difficult for attendees to purchase food and other items from vendors.
Precious, an attendee, lamented; “The festival was boring, and the network was bad, making it difficult to purchase food and other items from vendors.”
This was a recurring theme throughout the festival, with many attendees struggling to make transactions due to the poor network.
Another major issue was the lack of entertainment. Jason, an attendee, said,
“There was no entertainment, except to patronize the food vendors. People were tired and began leaving by 2 am.”
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This was a far cry from last year’s festival, which featured performances by notable artists such as Odumodu Black and John Drille. The absence of these performers was deeply felt, and many attendees expressed their disappointment at the lack of quality entertainment.
The festival’s organization was also criticized, with many attendees feeling that it was poorly coordinated. Beliskome, an attendee, said,
“Last year’s festival was much better, with more energy, vibes, and entertainment. This year’s festival was very boring, unlike last year’s own.”
He rated last year’s festival 9/10 and this year’s 4/10, citing the lack of connection between the artists and the audience as a major letdown.
Despite the many disappointments, some attendees were able to find enjoyment in the food and company of friends. Janet, an attendee, said,
“I met different people, saw different faces, and engaged in other events. The food was also very good.” She acknowledged that while the festival was not perfect, she still had fun with her friends.
However, for many attendees, the festival was a waste of time and resources. Sammy, who traveled from Abuja, said, “I wasted my transport; I should have just stayed back. Last year’s festival was much better, with more energy, vibes, and entertainment.” He was not alone in his disappointment, with many attendees expressing similar sentiments.
