From left: Assistant District Governor, Rotary International, Elohor; Prof Niyi Osuntoki (LUTH); Mrs. Titi Ogunluyi (NDLEA); Dr Kunle Adebanwo, Founder,Cortex Medical Support Foundation, and Mrs Remi Dada, Nursing Services, LUTH during an awareness campaign in Surulere, Lagos
The Ijaw Initiative Movement, next month in Lagos holds a three-day cultural festival in a bid to promote unity, peace, culture and tourism, among Ijaws both at home and in the diaspora
The event tagged, “The Africa Ijaw Cultural Festival, 2026”, is the first of its kind, aimed at promoting Ijaw pride
Addressing a press conference to announce the maiden edition of the programme, the President, Ijaw Initiative Movement, Comrade Kuroghobogha Ibironke Fapohunda said, “the Ijaw Initiative is actually a movement and platform to promote our culture, people and identity, and to give those of us who are in the diaspora longing to be home an opportunity”
Comrade Fapohunda said, “This initiative is taking advantage of the population of the Ijaws outside the shores of the Ijaw nation to start having a cause to celebrate culture, unity and thereby advance tourism
According to her, “AICF is going global to promote Ijaw cultural heritage, economy, and tourism. It’s a global vision to become a global product for global attraction”
Continuing she said, “The 3 day event taking place in Lagos next month will showcase talents, cultural display, traditional music, cooking, masquerading, youth competition and other things that make the Ijaw nation unique. This is a big event, so we need support and collaboration from the organisations and government to strengthen our efforts”
In addition, Vice President Comrade, Ijaw Initiative Movement, Richard Ebizimor, Dagana said, “In Africa, we value our cultures and celebrate it. In Nigeria, there are different cultures, but Ijaw culture is very rich, that is why it is going global. We want to let everybody know about the Ijaw culture”
Speaking on the business angle of the forthcoming cultural festival, the PRO, Comrade Obianga Carter Iyalla said, “We have pushed through a lot of hurdles, pushed through a lot of setbacks, but we have successfully hosted six events in Lagos and we believe that this would bring about serious influx of businesses for the Ijaw nation and also tourism. Now we have a lot of culture, we have beauty, music, and we have food to share with the world, knowing that the world is looking for a place to go where they can experience something new, feel at home. We have the Ijaws spread across six different states in the country, meaning that we have peacefully co-habited with almost all the tribes in Nigeria”.
“I believe we can actually grow the Ijaw nation to a certain degree and the tourism we are talking about will scale up; people coming to explore and experience what we already have now”
