Festivals

Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) Collaborates with Nigerian Embassy in Belgium to Host Arts and Culture Festival in Antwerp

Published

3 years ago

September 6, 2023

The Embassy of Nigeria in Brussels, in partnership with the Nigerian community and associations in Belgium, and the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), recently organized an Arts and Culture Festival in Antwerp. The festival aimed to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage in line with the federal government’s tourism promotion drive.

During the event, Nigerian Ambassador to Belgium, Mr. Obinna Chiedu Onowu, emphasized the significance of art and culture in shaping society. He highlighted that Nigeria’s cultural heritage is not only a source of pride but also a powerful tool for empowerment and growth.

Ambassador Onowu highlighted the role of cultural heritage in nurturing the sense of identity and belonging, as well as its potential for economic opportunities, tourism, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He reminded attendees that while progress is embraced, it is essential to never lose sight of one’s roots.

The Ambassador commended Nigerians in the arts and entertainment world who have brought honor to Nigeria, including renowned writers such as Professor Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and others. He also highlighted Nigeria’s Nollywood, one of the largest film industries globally, valued at more than $6.4 billion.

Ambassador Onowu reiterated President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s commitment to boosting the tourism industry in Nigeria and encouraged Europeans and Africans to visit the country to experience its rich cultural heritage.

Diplomats and attendees praised Ambassador Onowu for showcasing Nigeria’s cultural heritage, emphasizing that the event provided an opportunity for Belgium and the world to appreciate the beauty and diversity of Nigerian arts and culture.

Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, representing Anambra South senatorial district at the National Assembly, also commended the festival as a celebration of Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage. He emphasized the importance of fostering international relationships and applauded Ambassador Onowu for making Nigeria proud with the event.

The festival featured performances, exhibitions, and literary sessions, where Nigerian authors and poets shared their works. Attendees had the chance to enjoy traditional music, dance, fashion, visual arts, and literature, showcasing the wide range of Nigerian artistic expression.

Related Topics:Embassy Featured Festivals Nigeria Tourism

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Culture

OLOJO….Ile Ife’s September Gift To Culture

Published

5 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Halima Adaba,

It was a featubal if the people. It was for the anciebt town of Ile Ife, which the Yoruba race refards as the Source.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

And ut was a festivsl for the King, Arole Oduduwa, Oonirisa, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

And so between September 24 and 28th 2026, the annual featuval dazzjed in all its white glory.

Tge Monarch paid the traditional ancestral homage and offered propitiation as part of the sacred rites of the Olojo Festival.
It was a powerful expression of Yoruba heritage, spirituality, and enduring tradition.

Call it a collection of beautiful moments, faces, colours and cultural expressions.

Every frame tells a story.

Every face carries the energy.

Every moment keeps the heritage alive.

Undoubtedly one of the most sacred cultural celebrations in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. It marked a day associated with creation, thanksgiving, ancestral heritage, and the sacred appearance of the Ooni of Ife wearing the revered Aàrẹ crown.

There were also the devotees of the famed god of thunder – Sàngó who were hardly conspicuous at the festival.

Many other traditional groups came out with candor, showing a powerful expression of Yoruba cultural identity, spiritual devotion, and respect for the ancient traditions of Ilé-Ifẹ̀.

Devotees of Sàngó bekieved the ‘appearance’ of the god of thunder on Seotember 26th could be understood as a symbolic meeting of ancestral heritage, spiritual devotion, and the celebration of creation.

It was a moment when the sounds of drums, chants, and traditional praise poetry brought the history of the Yoruba people to life.

Although Olojo is closely associated with Ogun, the god of iron, and the sacred traditions of Ile-Ife, the presence of Sàngó devotees reflected the rich diversity of Yoruba spiritual heritage.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

As a participant enthused at the festival, “To witness Sàngó Olúkòso emerge on Olojo Festival day is to witness a living expression of history, identity, and ancestral pride.”