Aniomas from all walks of life trooped out in their numbers to display their rich cultural heritage on Monday  as the Organisation for the Advancement of Anioma Culture (OFAAC) held its 13th Anioma Cultural Festival with Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa  advocating for  cultural revival in the country to boost tourism.

Governor Okowa who was accompanied by top government functionaries stated that there was the need for the nation to reinvent  its culture, uphold  its values, enhance tourism and engender peace and unity amongst its people.

“I want to thank OFAAC for organising this festival, and upholding our culture; our culture is slowly dying and we tend to westernise everything, OFAAC through this festival has just reminded us that a people must have cultural values to impact to their young ones and cultural festivals like this  help  to unite us,” he said.

“One of the best ways to tackle societal vices is to reinvent and recreate our cultural values as it teaches our young to respect their elders, learn hardwork and understand that together as one family in our communities we can maintain peace and keep our environment clean,” he added.

While advocating for a yearly cultural festival in the state, Senator Okowa charged the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to liaise with all stakeholders  to work out logistics to achieve this aim, stressing that the festival would help foster unity and peace in the state in addition to promoting tourism.

He charged royal fathers in the state to play prominent role in showcasing the love, peace and unity in the state. and advocate for what is best for their people.

Governor Okowa commended the President of OFACC, Arc. Kester Ifeadi,  for  keeping the vision of the cultural festival alive throughout the last 13 years and for projecting the Anioma cultural values and ethos.

Earlier, in his Welcome address, OFAAC President Arc. Kester Ifeadi said that the festival was a rallying point for Anioma’s cultural rebirth,

making the state a centre for tourism and boosting the local economy and enterprenualship stressing that “  The festival was a unifying factor bounded by the spirit of oneness which exist in all the communities in the  nine local government areas of Delta North Senatorial District.”