7th Igbo World Festival of Arts & Culture (2020)

2020 In-Person Igbo World Festival of Arts & Culture Postponed to 2021

​The annual in-person Igbo Festival of Arts and Culture previously scheduled for July 31 – August 2, 2020 has been rescheduled to 2021 due to concerns regarding the corona virus pandemic. Click here to read CISA’s press release. The date for the next in-person Igbo Festival of Arts and Culture is July 30 – August 1, 2021 at Igbo Village in Staunton, Virginia, USA.

2020 Virtual Igbo World Festival of Arts & Culture Celebrated
A virtual Igbo World Festival of Arts and Culture was hosted by the Council of Igbo States (CISA) on August 23, 2020. Although this festival lacked the in-person socialization and live performances characteristic of previous Igbo festivals organized by CISA, the event attracted an enthusiastic audience of about 200 people who participated by logging in via Zoom streaming video.

Highlights

50 African Americans of Igbo descent participated in a traditional Naming Ceremony and received their Igbo names. This is the largest number of participants since CISA started organizing annual Reconnection and Naming Ceremonies in the past 10+ years. The Naming Ceremony was coordinated by CISA’s DSG for DNA Tested Igbo Descendants, Chief Anyanwụ Ututu (aka Princess Naja Chinyere Njoku Eri).

Screenshots of some of the 50 African-Americans of Igbo descent who participated in the virtual Naming Ceremony on August 23, 2020

Presentations, Speakers and Attendees

  • Remarks by President of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo
  • His Majesty, Eze Chukwuemeka Eri of Eri Kingdom performed the traditional kola nut breaking ceremony and prayed for participants in the Naming Ceremony
  • Address by CISA President, Ozo Bobby Aniekwu, titled “Who are We and the Role of the Igbos in the Building of the Americas?”
  • Address by CISA Board of Trustee Chairman, Dr Nwachukwu Anakenze (Onowu Abagana)
  • Video presentation on the Reconnection of African Americans with their living relatives from the Igbo community – commentary provided by Ticha Akuma
  • Presentation by Ticha Akuma titled “How the Aro [Arochukwu people] Took Captured Victims of the Atlantic Slave Trade to the Coast”
  • Live and video-recorded cultural education and entertainment provided by Atlanta Igbo School
  • Video-recorded cultural education and entertainment provided by PILA
  • Presentation on African/Igbo traditional medicine by Chief Dr Flora Ilonzo (Anyafulugo)
  • Presentation by President of Umu Ada Igbo Worldwide, Chief Dr Kate Uzoamaka Ezeofor
  • Welcome Address to the newly named Igbo-Americans by CISA’s DSG for African American Liaison, Ms Denver Beaulieu-Hains
  • Welcome/congratulatory messages by Nollywood’s Ugezu O. Ugezu and Chief Bob Manuel
  • Introduction and brief comments by the leadership team of Igbo World Assembly (IWA) who joined the event from European, Asian and African countries
  • Igbos and African American brethren who participated in the Naming Ceremony – along with their families and associates