Digital telecommunications solutions provider, Globacom, has announced its sponsorship of this year's Ofala Festival which holds from October 22nd to 23rd October 2022. The mobile network operator has been a major sponsor of the festival since 2011.

The annual event is a customary obligation performed by His Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha. The celebration to be held at Ime Obi Onitsha will span two days including Iru Ofala on October 22 and the Azu Ofala on October 23. This year's celebration is a twin event as the revered monarch will be using the occasion of the Ofala also to commemorate his 20th anniversary on the throne.

Globacom said at a press conference held by the Ofala Steering Committee at Ime Obi, Obi's Palace, Onitsha, on Thursday, October 13, 2022, that its sponsorship of Ofala, underscores its recognition of the huge potential of Nigeria's tourism sector and the positive impact it can have on the economy and its key output sectors.

"Being a truly Nigerian enterprise, Globacom will continue to play a leading role in promoting this sector through support for, and preservation of our rich cultural heritage such as Ofala and other festivals that we sponsor," Globacom said.

The company referred to a recent World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Report which indicated that "The Travel and Tourism sector in Nigeria is expected to create 2.6 million new jobs over the next decade, doubling the number of those employed within the sector by 2032."

"The forecast shows that an average of 260,000 new jobs will be created every year for the next 10 years, to reach more than 5.1 million. It also stated further that Nigeria's Travel and Tourism contribution to GDP is expected to grow at an average rate of 5.4 % between 2022 and 2032, significantly outpacing the 3% growth rate of the overall economy", Globacom noted.

The digital transformation leader also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Palace to extend the company's sponsorship of the festival for another three years, from 2022 to 2025.

Highlights of Globacom's sponsorship of the 2022 festival include a special promotion to provide subscribers an opportunity to win fantastic prizes including tricycles, popularly called Keke, sewing machines, and grinding machines. The promotion which started on October 3rd will end on October 19. "All a subscriber needs to do to win any of the prizes is to recharge with a minimum of N1,500 or to buy a minimum data bundle of N1, 000 before the end of the promo," the network explained.

Events will round off with a Royal Banquet organized by Globacom in honor of the monarch on Wednesday, October 26 at the Dolly Hills Hotel, Onitsha, and Ofala Thanksgiving service scheduled for Sunday, October 30 at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, Onitsha.

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