By Sunny A. Ijomah
The Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, has approved the Committees of Experts set to manage the 2019 Ofala.
The festival, which is the celebration of the annual public appearances of the Monarch also marks the homecoming of Onitsha indigenes.
The Ofala Festival will hold from October 9 to 12, 2019. The events days are: 9th, Ofala Festival (Traditional Day), 10th, Azu Ofala Festival (Traditional Day), 11th, Ofala (Ceremonial Day) and 12th Azu Ofala (Ceremonial Day).
An International art Exhibition, a Youths’ Carnival and a Marathon endorsed by the relevant National and International Athletics bodies, will be part of the event.
The Committees will focus on Finance, Marketing Strategy and Communications, Culture and Tourism matters and government relations.
Other areas of focus are Protocol, Logistics, and Security. The Committees have been established to place the festival on a higher pedestal.
According to His Majesty, ”Despite the grandeur and spectacle of the Ofala, there is a need to build upon this and ensure that the Ofala continues to grow and remains relevant.
“This is imperative, particularly within the context of moving Onitsha Ado N’Idu forward. The 21st Century is a millennium of rapid change, driven by digital technology that is transforming the world into a global village”.
The Ofala Festival popularity has grown in terms of its social glamour, attracting National and International attention, in addition to enjoying the benefit of partnerships with major corporate bodies, which have helped enormously in projecting Onitsha to the entire world.
