Organisers of the Anambra Unity Festival (ANUFEST) have said the event will serve as a platform for promoting cultural pride, strengthening social cohesion and creating economic opportunities across the state.
Speaking in Awka, the Festival Director, Ifeanyi Eziukwu, said the week-long celebration is scheduled to take place from Sept. 21 to Sept. 27 across all 21 local government areas of Anambra State.
According to him, the festival is designed to showcase the rich heritage of the state while providing avenues for youth empowerment, community participation and business development.
Eziukwu explained that a variety of activities have been lined up for the event, including traditional cultural exhibitions, football tournaments, theatrical productions, tourism excursions and wrestling competitions.
He added that innovation and entrepreneurship summits, creative showcases, entertainment programmes and community engagement initiatives would also form part of the festival.
Among the major highlights are the Ugokwesiri and Dike Anambra Reality Series as well as the ANUFEST Unity Cup, which will feature football teams representing the 21 local government areas.
The festival will further honour renowned literary figure Chinua Achebe and Nigeria’s first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, through special stage performances celebrating their contributions to national development and cultural identity.
Another major attraction will be a grand cultural gala featuring EKUMEKU, a theatrical performance by the National Troupe of Nigeria under the direction of renowned playwright Ahmed Yerima.
Eziukwu expressed confidence that the festival would stimulate economic activities across multiple sectors, including hospitality, transportation, tourism, media, fashion, food services, event management, technology and small-scale businesses.
He noted that entrepreneurs, artists, innovators and creative professionals would have the opportunity to showcase their products, services and talents to a broader audience during the event.
The festival is being organised by JT Play Hub in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism and the Creative Law and Intellectual Property Finance Forum.
Support for the initiative has also come from African Heroes Magazine, the National Troupe of Nigeria and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority.
Eziukwu said the vision behind ANUFEST extends beyond entertainment, noting that the event aims to strengthen cultural identity, encourage creativity and position Anambra as a leading hub for tourism, investment and cultural innovation in Nigeria.