By Henry Akubuiro
On the eve of the 35th Festival of Arts and Culture, dubbed Eko Nafest 2022, which kicked off on Monday, November 7, the Rivers State contingents, made up of 400 participants, and the Benue State contingents (250) were the early birds at the National Institute for Sports, National Stadium, Lagos.
By Wednesday November 9, the number of participating states had risen to 29. and more were being expected. It was “Eko for show” in full swing with a tye razzmatazz of the cosmopolitan city.
The state contigents, who arrived earlier than the rest, didn’t regret perching on the National Institute of Sports at the National Stadium, venue of most of the events for the annual cuitural fiesta.
Osusu, a drama performance, which featured the legendary Soibifaa Dokubo as the narrator, welcomed the contigents on Day 1. There were also a performance by the Crown Troupe of Africa, led by Segun Adefila, and other musical performances.
The amiable, workaholic Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, opened the cultural market, too. You could buy local fabrics, jewelry, artworks, and what have you, at a mini stadium beside the NIS.
But it was on Wednesday, November 9, that the official ceremony took place at a second venue, Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly Onikan Stadium, Nigeria’s oldest stadium, on the Lagos island.
The atmosphere and hues reminded all of the lyrics of the old classic: “All things bright and beautiful/All creatures great and small…” 29 states present danced their way in a cultural parade that showcased Nigeria’s rich cuitural heritage.
Lagos had the largest contigents, with the Zamgbeto masquarades from Badagry stealing the show at first. Rivers State contigents were zingers by a mile, though, and got a standing ovation from all. They were the most colourful, too. Abia, with the Ohafia war dancer archetypes, created a stir. So was Benue State and Katsina State contigents, as well as the Ogun State bejewelled coterie filing past the ecstatic Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Femi Hamzat.
The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, among other royal fathers, smiled broadly, too. The Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr. Mudashiru Obasa, watched with rapt attention. The crowd was livid with excitements from 11 am to 5 pm the opening ceremony lasted.
The performances dominated the day noted for less talks. The Director General, National Council for Arts and Cuiture, when he spoke, praised Lagos for being a state of many firsts in Nigeria, one associated with Nigeria’s success story more than any other state of the federation. He was optimistic this year’s Nafest holding in Lagos would be the greatest ever, given the support of Lagos State.
Earlier, he told newsmen that Eko Nafest was “designed strategically as a lubricator of renewed synergy by the Council and Lagos State Government to reunite Nigerians for a greater tomorrow” and “We must not allow other people to tell our stories for us.”
That was reiterated by Governor Sanwo-Olu in his speech when he called on Nigerians to use the fiesta as a unifying factor. Lagos, he said, was a state noted for accommodating all comers. “The acceptance of the hosting rights is in demonstration of my love for cultural advancement and to exemplify the true spirit of Lagos and its accommodating nature of visitors,” he remarked.
His administration had made it a practice “to support, partner and collaborate in activities that would further strengthen our cultural heritage and promote our unity in diversity,” he informed all, which had made it support community festivals, such as the Popo Aguda Music Concert, Coconut Festival (also called Agunke Fest), Asa Day, Isese Day, Olokun Festival, and a host of others, to take place.
He said the decision to host this year’s edition was borne out of the desire “to further support and showcase our arts, our crafts, our entertainment, our nightlife our people, our disposition, and the aquatic splendor of our dear state.” His administration also gave a major facelift to the National Institute for Sports, “a venue which was carefully picked for its historical value and importance.”
He cautioned Nigerians to leverage on unity and peaceful co-existence, which Nafest platform provided, adding, “Rather than seeing the differences in our language and culture as a dividing factor, I implore us to see it as one of our greatest resources to be embraced, celebrated and used to our collective advantage,” even as he encouraged citizens to “elect leaders who will recognise and take advantage of our rich, multicultural heritage and language to unify us as a people and as a nation which was the intention of our founding fathers.”
Lending her voice, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Cuiture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf,
implored every partipant, especially the contingents from other states across the country to “use the opportunity of this festival to explore the abundant tourism potentials in different parts of Lagos State.” The festival ends on Sunday, November 13, Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos.