Awka drives socio-economic growth with cultural festival

The people of Awka, Anambra State, have demonstrated commitment to the continued sustenance of their socio-cultural and economic development with the celebration of this year’s Imo Awka festival.

The annual cultural event usually galvanises a flurry of socio-economic activities, boosting trade, commerce, peace, harmony, and unity during the period.

A traditional ruler, Igwe Austin Ndigwe, while speaking at the event, harped on the essence of culture as a mark of a people’s identity and tool of socio-economic and spiritual uniqueness that needs to be preserved for future generations.

He disclosed that the festival was over 950 years old and that its timing is always metaphysically impacted.

“This festival is over 950 years. It’s the ancestors that give date, it’s the ancestors that give time. I thank God, I thank the governor, I thank the security agencies, I thank everybody who put everything together to make this day possible.

“Our town is a very unique town. We have history and that history is what we said and maintain that nobody can stop our cultural heritage. Our culture cannot go down because of Christianity. Christianity was not in place when our culture took part before now,” he said.

Ndigwe called on Igbos not to abandon their culture because of Christianity, noting that Igbo culture had existed years before Christianity came.

“They (Igbos) should not forget their ancestors. They should not forget what they were created with because of Christianity that came just 105 years ago. Before 105 years, where were they worshipping? That is old testament, a new testament is renewed but we cannot fold our hands that we cannot be able to demonstrate what our forefathers left for us,” he said.

The traditional ruler thanked the people of Awka for celebrating this year’s festival and expressed hope that other editions would be better.