Ohaneze Ndigbo rolls out drums at 2019 EKIFEST

By Ebere Chibuzor

 Recently Ekiti State indegenes were filled with joy as Ohaneze Ndigbo rolled out the drums at 2019 Ekiti Festival for Arts and Culture (EKIFEST), which promotes peaceful coexistence across the nation.


Ohaneze Ndigbo  celebrated indegenes of Ekiti State, who were their host  for more than three decades.

Participants during the festival  enjoyed wonderful renditions displayed by  Ohanaeze Ndigbo at Parapo Pavilion, which was one among other official  venues of the festival.

The group was accompanied by  Ogene Big  Boys Cultural Group and Ebonyi Women Wing Cultural Troupe.
  The women were seen wearing blouse and sparkly red wrapper sets  with colourful head beads widely worn by Igbo women as they wrapped the day with rhythmic patterns in music.

The festival had a range of sponsors and partners including Ekiti State Government, MTN, among others.

The 2019  EKIFEST with theme: “Arts And Culture For Restorations Of Values and Social - Economic Development" ushered by the KIDIESFEST  attracted sizable numbers of children at the fun land.

President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ekiti State, Chief Alex Ndubuisi noted that there was this cordial relationship between Ndigbo and the host state.  He said, both the residents  and host state have so many things in common such as food, inter tribal marriages, hospitality, enterprising and others, which helped them to feel at home, build stronger relationships between Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the host community.

For Ndubuisi their participation was basically to appreciate and to show love to the people of  Ekiti."Asde, we are residents in Ekiti and we also  do our businesses here. We are  here to celebrate  Ekiti Cultural Day and it's  indeed great. Culture is the lifestyle  of people and we have come here to witness  this great day  and this is our own way of showing  appreciation to the host state. We participated in Ekiti Cultural Day as a way of showing  love  to  them.  We came here with the Big Boys Ogene Group and Ebonyi Women Wing Cultural Troupe to spice the day."
According to Ndubuisi,  he has been living in Ekiti for 37 years.  He  also described ndi Igbo as  peaceful and loving people.
"Despite the general hardship affecting Nigerians, Ekiti State remains a peaceful state and we have  been enjoying that peace."

He appealed  to Dr. Kayode Feyemi  led administration to accommodate them in his government by giving them five per cent employment slot as a way of appreciating them.
"It is obvious that majority of the children completed their primary, secondary and higher level  education in Ekiti State. This was because prior to election, the group in spite of their tight schedules ensured the Igbo residents wisely casted their votes as they staged campaign  rallies of various manners."

According to Chairperson,  Ebonyi Women Wing  Cultural Troupe, Ogbonnaya Nneka,"we accompanied the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Ekiti State for this wonderful occasion  and we are very happy and  this is not our first outing. We started six years now and within this period, we have been asked to perform in different places.  We appreciate Ohanaeze Ndigbo for using the group as their official cultural troupe and we also thank the governor, Fayemi, for this wonderful day and for making this journey a success."

1. According to one of the group members, Mercy Eze, "We  love Ekiti State and the indigenes and for that reason we  decided to honour the invitation in order to build this solid relationship with the people".