Egbira leaders in Kogi State have said modernity and socio-economic development are responsible for lack of awareness of the depth of the cultural values of the Ohueje Ohinoyi Heritage Festival.
On behalf of the stakeholders, the chief executive officer of Ohueje Ohinoyi Heritage Festival, Tijani Seidu, said these realities have impacted the awareness of the Egbira Tao culture to the point of negating the social and economic activities of the people.
Seidu said it was an urgent need to arrest the negative development that the Ohueje Ohinoyi Heritage Festival was initiated in 2017 to begin the process of rebranding Egbira Tao culture.
According to Seidu, the need to rebrand Egbira culture became imperative as the culture of the people had gone beyond singing and dancing.
The 7th edition of the festival that was held on 1st June, 2023 at Egbira day ground Okene saw the display of various cultural activities.
He said, “Egbira need to make a fortune from her rich culture by way of harnessing their endowments to empower the women and youth as well as opening it up for tourism and the international market.
“To achieve this, a deliberate and sustained programme had to be out in place if the objectives of repositioning the culture of Egbira people in the global sphere is to be accomplished.”
Seidu said the festival has justified its essence since its debut which has resulted in the listing of Ohueje as a national festival while Egbira cuisines have also been listed among Nigeria’s most sought-after in Nigeria.
“The continuous display of Egbira cuisines throughout the three days of the annual festival had caught the attention of the authorities resulting in its listing as a national festival. The women are not left out in this improved cultural heritage. They have been educated to appreciate their heritage of weaving and many had gone back to the business and prospering,” he said.
The permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Dr Maryanne Onwudiewe, during the 2023 festival described the festival as one of the cultural festivals that have hearkened to the clarion calls for cultural renaissance, promotion and sustenance of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
Onwudiewe, who was represented by Orlumanti Orluwene, said the festival is not only showcasing the cultural potential of the Egbira but also practically exhibiting other little-known cultural heritage that will tell the globe that Nigeria is a cultural tourist destination that needs to be explored and harnessed.
