Glo has added great value to Onitsha Ofala - Igwe Achebe

The Grand Masters of Data, Globacom, has been commended for adding great value, meaningful innovations and panache to the annual celebration of the   Onitsha Ofala Festival.

The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, gave the commendation on Friday at the colourful annual grand procession into the Onitsha Ime Obi.

The Onitsha monarch was accompanied by his Ndi Ichies, and other palace functionaries, in a bloom of colours, as he danced to the royal traditional egwu otadrums, to the applause of the dignitaries, indigenes of Onitsha Kingdom and tourists.

In his welcome remarks, Igwe Achebe lauded Globacom for supporting the Ofala festival as the official corporate sponsors since 2011. He observed that the company had over the years introduced several innovations to the historic festival, thus making Ofala a huge tourism spectacle.

He identified Globacom's sole sponsorship of the Oreze International Arts Exhibition as one of the unique additions that had raised the stature of the festival. The Oreze International Arts Exhibition was introduced to the celebrations seven years ago and over 4,000 artists have so far exhibited their works at the forum.

"Our appreciation goes to our main sponsor, Globacom. The partnership with this company has contributed significantly to the growth of Ofala", Igwe Achebe said. He   expressed delight that the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation had endorsed Ofala as a major festival in Nigeria, adding that the National Gallery of Arts had also provided support for the Oreze Arts Exhibition.

"To us, ndi Onicha, we are encouraged and energised by the knowledge that our kingdom is moving forward through our collective efforts", the monarch concluded. 

Speaking through its representative at the Ime Obi, Globacom's Regional Activation Manager, South East 2, Mr. Noel Udeme, said, "Globacom's consistentsponsorship of the festival for the past nine years is an indication that we do not only love the Onitsha people, but that we are interested in the preservation of their cultural values". 

"Being a wholly Nigerian company, Globacom has contributed more to the promotion of the culture and values of the people of Nigeria, more than any other corporate organisation. We are not relenting in our efforts at promoting what makes us who we are as a people. Our culture is our life and that is the driving force behind the Glo Heritage Series, the platform we are using to support Ofala festival and other major festivals across the country", he added.

The Azu Ofala was held on Saturday while activities marking the 2019 Ofala festival will be rounded off on Monday with a Royal Banquet organised by Globacom in honour of Igwe Achebe at the Dolly Hills Hotels, Onitsha.