Ahead of the 2021 World Tourism Day, the organisers of the 13th Annual Eko Oni Baje Festival has announced the quartet of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor Yahaya Bello, Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouq and Mr. Allen Onyeama, as the recipients of its prestigious ‘Icons of National Cohesion Award’.
With the theme, “Peaceful Coexistence”, the Honours Committee of the erstwhile cultural fiesta, says the quartet would be honoured for using their offices and activities to cement the ties of national unity amongst Nigerians.
Announcing this to the media at the Festival Arena, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, the Project Coordinator of Castledown Arts Centre, curators of the event, Ozo Chinedu Idezuna, said the quartet got the highest number of votes from respondents in a poll conducted to shortlist nominees for the event.
“Let me stress that the award holds a special place in this year’s festival, because we are concerned about the state of the Nigerian nation today and believe that we need peaceful coexistence, which our fore fathers had been doing even before the Europeans came to Africa.”
“We started a poll in June to know Nigerians, whose activities are helping to unite us rather than divide us; that was what threw up the four names. Nigerians therefore, believe that these winners have done well in uniting us, which is why as promoters of national unity through culture, we want to recognise them and encourage others to be like them, so that we can have a more united Nigeria.”
“Our message is that Nigeria is one. The Festival has always highlighted what unites us as Nigerians, and that is our culture, expressed through sports, our cuisine, the New Yam festival and our beautiful women”, he said.
Highlights of the 2021 edition include: New Yam Festival, Soccer Competition, Children’s Art Competition/Exhibition, Beauty pageantry and Wrestling.
The festival, which has grown to become a part of the cultural calendar of Lagos metropolis, uniting the various ethnic groups co-habiting in Lagos, will commence on Saturday 25th September 2021 till Monday 27th September 2021, as part of the World Tourism Day festivities.
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