The much awaited Ofala Festival, sponsored by Globacom, in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Friday began with a Youth Carnival organized by the Onitsha Ado Youth Council (OYC).

Various youth cultural groups including the Agbalanze (Ozo title holders), Egbenuoba (warriors of Onitsha), Egwu Edo (girls dance group), Di Okpa (family heads), Omu (bearers of children) and Otu Odu (women title holders) took part in the carnival and dancing in procession through the streets of Inland Town, Onitsha, in celebration of the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe.

Additionally, throughout the carnival, Onitsha’s rich cultural heritage was emphasized. Several youth organizations wore clothing that reflected the various cultures of Nigeria, such as the Yoruba, Fulani, Edo, Igala, Ijaw, etc. The young people also wore clothing that represented the “Obi of Onitsha,” “Oba of Benin,” and “Ooni of Ife” royal traditions.

The Iru Ofala and the Azu Ofala will take place on Saturday, October 14, and Sunday, October 15, respectively, according to a press release from Globacom.

The festival is used by the king to fulfill some duties, but it is mostly a celebration by the king and his subjects of his return from a yearly seclusion period, during which time he successfully negotiates the kingdom’s fortunes. It also serves as a recreation of the traditional ruler’s celebration with his subjects over the discovery that yam is a nutritious food source and that it is non-toxic.

On Tuesday, October 17, Globacom will also hold a Royal Banquet in honor of the Obi of Onitsha at the Golden City Events Centre, located on Residency Drive in Onitsha.

Rite Foods Limited, the top food and beverage company in Nigeria, joins Muslims in celebrating Eid-el-Kabir this year while urging them to always preserve Islamic principles and refresh with its brands, which are known for their high quality.

The organisation also exhorts Muslim faithful in Nigeria and around the world to constantly exhibit qualities that would result in a peaceful and united country and a world where everyone lives in harmony, despite ethnic and religious differences.

The feast of sacrifice, also known as Eid-al-Adha, commemorates the sacrificial honour bestowed upon the Holy Prophet Ibrahim when, in a dream, Allah commanded him to sacrifice his son Isma’il as an act of submission to Him, and it is observed at the conclusion of the hajj pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Mecca by hundreds of millions of Muslims.

In light of this, Mr. Seleem Adegunwa, the Managing Director of Rite Foods Limited, declared that during this festive time of Eid-el-Kabir, Muslims should prioritise their relationship with Allah and urge them to love one another, be tolerant, and uphold the high moral standards they are known for, setting an example for others to follow.

In addition, he states that Muslims should emulate Prophet Ibrahim’s virtues because he exemplified an unrivalled level of obedience. This should serve as a model for all Muslims.

Adebola Adeyinka, the company’s Assistant Marketing Manager, said that Rite Foods’ variety of products, including the award-winning Bigi carbonated soft drink, the Bigi Premium Drinking Water, Fearless Energy Drink, the Sosa Fruit Drink, as well as the Bigi and Rite Sausages, are available for them to make the festival worthwhile. These products are produced with state-of-the-art facilities in a top-notch factory.

Adeyinka emphasised that the Bigi Premium Drinking Water, made with best practices in purification, quenches thirst like no other brand, whereas the Bigi Carbonated Soft Drink is suitable for every moment, including the Eid-el-Kabir holiday.

She stated that Muslim faithful would have a more revitalising and healthy time throughout the festival with the nourishing Sosa Fruit Drink, which is offered in five flavours: Orange, Apple, Orange Passion & Mango, Mixed Berries, and Cranberry.

She claims that the company’s product innovation has made it a success in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry.

Nigeria’s telecommunication solutions provider, Globacom, is sponsoring another edition of the annual Ojude Oba Festival, one of Nigeria’s biggest cultural events. The festival comes up in Ijebu, Ogun State, two days after the Eid-El –Kabir celebrations.

Mr. Sola Mogaji who represented Globacom at the press briefing held at Awujale palace ground in Ijebu-ode stated that the importance of religion and unity in the affairs of the nation underscored the choice of “OJUDE OBA: A Lesson in Religious Harmony highlights religion and the place of religion” as the theme of the 2023 edition of the festival.

The company, according to him, collaborated with the Ojude Oba Planning Committee in order to further develop the nation’s cultures, traditions and customs which have over the years bound Nigerians together.

Globacom said, “Our collaboration with the Ojude Oba Planning Committee is geared towards celebrating the unique tradition of the Ijebu people and at the same time fostering the cause of tourism which Ojude Oba has promoted for more than 100 years. This festival which has gained global recognition attracts tourists from other parts of Nigeria and the diaspora”.

The company added that its continuous sponsorship of Ojude Oba, which has the potential to boost the country’s tourism industry, is also to promote the different nationalities and the cultures, traditions and beliefs that bind them as one geographical entity.

Also speaking, Dr. Fassy Adetokunbo Yusuff, the Coordinator, 2023 Ojude Oba Planning Committee commended the telecoms company for its consistency over the years and for being worthy partners.

He said, “It is also a time to review the growth achieved in the past and an avenue to plan towards more infrastructural and industrial development of our land of birth”, adding that the festival is not merely a parade of opulence by sons and daughters of Ijebuland as well as families of warlords who defended their heritage in wars of the past.