The continuous success of the annual Ofala Festival of Onitsha has been attributed to the support given the ceremony by digital solutions provider, Globacom, which has sponsored the festival for the past twelve years and helped transform it into a tourist destination.
This was stated by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, while speaking at the 2023 edition of the event at his Ime Obi in Onitsha, Anambra State, over weekend.
Igwe Achebe, who commended Globacom, for adding value to the people of Onitsha since it took over sponsorship of the festival, said, “Globacom as our principal partner has remained steadfast with us even with the present economic challenges. We thank them exceedingly and trust that our mutually beneficial partnership will continue to grow”.
In his speech, Globacom’s Retail Sales Chief, South East and South South, Augustine-ndu Offor, explained that the company supported the festival over the years because of its capacity to boost Nigeria’s tourism industry as well as the need to preserve the country’s traditional values and systems.
One of the personalities at the event was Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who commended Igwe Achebe, the entire indigenes of Onitsha as well as the sponsors for their outstanding contributions towards the success of the event. This, according to him, would complement the government’s efforts in bringing development to the state.
Globacom took over the sponsorship of the Ofala Festival in 2011 and it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last year extending the partnership for another three years, from 2022 to 2025.