Adegboyega Odumesi
The host state of the 2014 edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture, Ebonyi, has emerged the winner of the yearly event.
The state emerged winner after it won in six different events, including Arts and craft, documentary, traditional cuisine, essay writing, traditional storytelling and traditional wrestling.
The event, which is the 28th edition of the festival, was attended by 19 states of the federation, with Niger and Akwa Ibom coming second and third respectively.
While delivering his speech at the closing ceremony held at the Abakaliki Township Stadium on Saturday, Martin Elechi, Ebonyi State governor, said it was gratifying that the event was successful despite earlier challenges.
“It is gratifying that the festival was a huge success despite the teething problems and uncertainty surrounding its exact date of commencement after the Ebola-induced postponement.
” Abakaliki has been a beehive of activities in the past one week as the contingents jostled for honours in various events. Our state and its people were witnesses to creativity and history. I declare that all participants are winners in their own right though winners of competitive events would savour their victory,” Elechi said.
Elechi, who stressed that the festival has become a common ground for Nigerians to celebrate their rich cultures, described it as a showpiece of the country’s tourist endowments.
“Nigerians of diverse geo-cultural areas have come together in unity and brotherhood to celebrate our culture, as the emblem of our identity and the showpiece of our tourist endowments,” he added.
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