The Country’s Director of Cultural Oneness Festival, Ambassador Kazeem Balogun has confirmed that the event scheduled to hold in Ghana in September, is expected to attract 80,000 participants across the continent and around the world.
At a media briefing recently, Amb Balogun added that the event is offering a platform for cultural exchange, business networking, and the promotion of African arts which will also feature Nigeria-Ghana tourism roundtable, providing an opportunity for stakeholders from both countries to share insights and foster closer ties.
The upcoming 2024 edition of the Cultural Oneness Festival, scheduled to take place from 13th- 16th November, 2024 in Tamale, Northern Ghana, will feature a diverse range of activities aimed at celebrating African culture and promoting unity across the continent.
Amb. Balogun outlined the key activities planned for the four-day event, centered around the theme: “Leveraging on Our Strength for Shared Growth and Prosperity as One People”, includes Cultural Exhibition, Cultural Roots Tours, Cultural Fusion Durbar/Street Carnival, Business Forum, Fashion Show, and Musical Concert.
Contributing to the briefing through zoom were co-founders of The Taste Of Afrika, the organizers of the Cultural Oneness Festival, Tengol Kplemani from Ghana and Chief Martin Chris Glin from United States both emphasized the need for African unity and the role the festival plays in fostering this unity.
Kplemani emphazised the rationale behind the establishment of the tourism festival which is to promote and foster unity and diversity through cultural exchange and continental visibility for economic empowerment.
“The festival will serve as a platform for various traditional rulers, kingdoms and leaders from across the continent to come together, share their rich cultural heritage, and collaborate on ways to advance their communities,” he said.
Chief Glin, who has personally retraced his roots back to Africa, reiterated importance of Africa’s integration and encouraged African diasporans to reconnect with their heritage “This event will also improve our relationship with Ghana even more. It will help us to understand ourselves better,” he noted.
Also speaking was the Cultural Oneness Festival Assistant Country’s Director, Amb. Peace Onuiri, emphasized the importance of Nigeria embracing such initiatives to boost its own tourism and cultural sectors.
She said, “When Nigerians partner and participate in this, we will gain a lot. We’ll learn how to do things properly and reap the benefits,” She explained,
She also noted that the festival would serve as a platform for fostering unity and integration within West Africa.
The call to action extends beyond government participation. Amb. Peace, highlighted the need for cultural shift among Nigerians, urging greater appreciation for local traditions and attire. “Our mentality has to change that we are Africans,” she noted, encouraging the adoption of African attire and cultural practices in daily life.
The organiser, The Taste Of Afrika, an international organization dedicated to promoting African culture, has made the festival to become a platform for African countries to showcase their heritage, engage in cultural exchange, and discuss ways to leverage cultural assets for socio-economic development.
