– Highlights Preparations
The Director General of the Ahiajoku Center, Hon Nze Ray Emeana, has said that preparations for the annual festival and lecture series are presently in top gear.
Emeana who stated this in the text of a World Press Conference he addressed x-rayed the origin of the Ahiajoku festival which according to him, was initiated by the first Civilian Governor of Imo State, Chief Sam Mbakwe PhD, in 1999 as a discourse on the Igbo essense and Igbo heritage.
The text dated October, 23, 2024, reads, “It is with immense pleasure and a profound sense of responsibility that I welcome you all to this world press conference on behalf of the Ahịajọkụ Center.
Today, I speak to you to provide important updates and to highlight the preparations underway for this year’s Ahịajọkụ festival and lecture series. This press conference is informed by the excitement, enquiries and interests shown by Ndigbo both at home and in the diaspora on this year’s Ahiajoku LectureThe Ahịajọkụ festival, as many of you know, remains one of the most cherished cultural heritages of the Igbo people.
Ahiajoku Lecture Festival provides us the moment and opportunity to celebrate not only our rich traditions and history but also the intellectual and philosophical foundations that have defined us as a people. Ahiajoku festival is more than a cultural exhibition—it is an intellectual harvest, deeply rooted in our ancestral reverence for agriculture, knowledge, and community. It serves as a reminder of who we are and where we are headed as a collective.
Ahiajioku Lecture was instituted in 1979, under the leadership of the first elected Governor of the Old Imo State, Chief Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe (Ph.D) as a pivotal Pan-Igbo forum for intellectual discourse on the Igbo essence and Igbo heritage. The vision behind Ahiajoku Festival was the creation of a pan-Igbo intellectual forum, for the Igbo people of South East Nigeria comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States as well as the South-South states with substantial Igbo populations such as Delta and Rivers States.
I am pleased to announce that under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State, there has been an unwavering commitment to the revival and promotion of the Ahịajọkụ festival. The Governor, in his wisdom and dedication to cultural preservation, has taken decisive steps to ensure that this year’s festival reflects both our glorious past and the necessities of our present times. His Excellency believes that the preservation of culture is essential for the development and unity of our people, and we are deeply grateful for his support. This year’s Ahịajọkụ festival and lecture series promises to be extraordinary in both scope and execution.
I can confirm that the topic for the lecture this is as suggested by the Advisory Council and ratified by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma is: “THE FUTURE OF THE IGBO ECONOMY AMIDST THE CHALLENGES OF INSECURITY IN THE SOUTH EAST: A CALL FOR PARADIGM SHIFT”.
This topic has been meticulously chosen to reflect the critical imperatives of our time among the Igbo people— our collective well-being, security, governance and socio-economic development. No doubt you will agree with me that this topic is highly relevant and will serve as a basis for stimulating intellectual engagement and dialogue across various strata of society, and charting a course of action for Ndigbo going forward.
I am also pleased to inform you that preparations are in full gear. We have engaged cultural experts, scholars, and institutions, both locally and internationally, to ensure that this year’s festival is truly world-class.
Our partnerships will allow for an exchange of ideas that will further enrich the quality of this event. While much work has been done behind the scenes, we are aware that the public eagerly awaits more details. Let me assure you that all other details concerning the festival—ranging from the Lecturer, venue, date, colloquium, exhibitions, guest speakers, to cultural performances—will be formally unveiled in the coming days We will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the public is kept informed every step of the way.
Gentlemen of the press, Ahịajọkụ Lecture festival is not just a celebration; it is a festival for all lovers of Igbo culture, seekers of knowledge, and harbingers of progress. It provides a platform for critical discourse, deep reflection, and cultural pride. We invite all well-meaning individuals, cultural enthusiasts, scholars, and the international community to participate in this year’s event.
I thank you all for your attention and support as we work together to make this year’s Ahịajọkụ festival a resounding success”.
