By ALEX ENEBELI

The President, Igbo Movie Producers Association of Nigeria (IMPAN), JohnPaul Nwanganga, on Thursday said Igbo Art, Culture and Film Festival would promote the beauty of Igbo culture.

Nwanganga said this at the Nollywood filmmakers Unveiling of Igbo Biggest Art, Culture and Film Festival in Enugu.

He said the festival was also a way to promote Igbo culture and bring the people of the region together.

According to him, the festival is aimed at reawakening the consciousness of Ndigbo towards the beauty of their culture.

The IMPAN President said the festival would re-establish and revive dwindling Igbo culture especially Igbo language, by creating awareness in their minds.

He said the festival would showcase movies, music and dance produced using the language and lifestyle of the people of the region.

“So with this project, we are bringing the five states of the South-East together and make them to understand that in spite of diversity in their various culture, language and tradition, they are one.

“There is that tradition that binds Igbo people together which we are trying to bring alive through this wonderful project.

“We are going to have movies production in Igbo dialect, Igbo music like “Igbo Amaka” by Flavour and stuff like that, which will go a long way to promote Igbo identity and heritage.

“Igbo Art Exhibition will be used to showcase creativity by Ndigbo,” he said.

Nwanganga said the festival would be extended to Delta-Igbo and Igbo speaking people in Rivers State.

He said that IMPAN had many personalities noted for their film production and acting, like Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Ebelle Okaro, Nkem Owo, Yul Edochie, Chika Okpala alias Zeburudaya.

Others were Diewait Ikpechukwu, Stev Ebo, Stan Amado, Kingsley Nweke, Nkem Alu, Raymond Agu, Rita Okonkwo, Paulize Ibe, Brown Ene, Kingsley Amadi and Pat Ani among others present at the unveiling.

They also pledged their support for the festival.

Nwanganga said there would be awareness campaign across the states in the South-East, starting from Enugu being the headquarters of the region.

He said, “We will be working with the governors from the region through their Culture and Tourism Ministries and the festival will kick-off early March, 2023.”

Nwanganga added that the festival would be held annually and serve as a unifying factor for all Igbo.

Unveiling the Project, Patience Ozokwor, who was Matron to the Organising Committee, blessed the project, saying that the festival would be one in town.

She said that coming together of Igbo film producers to organise a festival that would unite all the Igbo speaking race was a welcome idea.

Ozokwor lauded Nwanganga for initialing the idea and urged everyone to support the project.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Stanley Nwataetogo, said the festival would be a massive project that glue Ndigbo together.

“This is going to be a kind of festival Igbos have not had and I want every Igbo sons and daughters to support it,” he said. (NAN)

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