The Igbo culture has been catching up on several African-Americans who are tracing their ancestry to Nigeria and adopting Igbo names.
According to a report on globalsentiment.com, the CISA President, Ozo Aniekwu announced the decision of the Board of Trustees and the Governing Council of the organization to hold the festival this year.
The president in a statement on Thursday signed by Mathias Mgbeafulu, Director Media & Publicity, CISA, explained that the annual fiesta aims at reviving, resurging and propagating Igbo cultural value in the theatre of western civilization.
According to Ozo Aniekwu, the festival has become a ritual during which African Americans who traced their ancestry to Igbo communities in Nigeria (through DNA testing) and have chosen to take Igbo names are not only re-connected with their Igbo brothers and sisters but are also officially welcomed back to their homeland.
He therefore urged the Chairman of the Planning Committee Dr. Emmanuel Obiesie and his team to ensure that this year festival, which will be completely online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, stands out phenomenally.
The Chairman 2021 CISA Igbo World Festival of Arts and Culture planning committee, Dr. Emmanuel Obiesie reiterated the commitment of his committee to give the Igbo world a vibrant fun-filled event that will parade the beauty of Igbo cultural heritage. He assured that this year event will unmistakably stand on its own as an extraordinary world class Igbo fanfare.
He noted that since its initial opening in 2008, participants had come from 12 countries – USA, Colombia, Canada, Mali, South Africa, Liberia, Cameroun, Ghana, London, Nigeria, Gabon and Colombia.
He pledged that the 2021, which will be a one day experience will be more thrilling than the previous ones. Indeed, this is a celebration we cannot afford to miss.
