Lagos, Nigeria – May 7, 2025 – With the Igbo language increasingly under threat of extinction and traditional practices rapidly fading among younger generations, especially those in the diaspora, a group of cultural visionaries led by Chief (Mrs.) Evelyn Okere Onyung has announced plans for the Igbo Language and Culture Festival 2025, scheduled for August this year.
The festival is a direct response to growing concern over the loss of identity within the Igbo community—particularly among families living outside the Southeast geopolitical zone. In cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and even far-flung locations like Houston, Dallas, and New York, many Igbo families struggle to keep their language and traditions alive. Parents, often preoccupied with work and modern lifestyles, find little time or platforms to teach their children the language, folklore, or customs of their heritage.
According to Chief (Mrs.) Evelyn Okere Onyung, an accomplished entrepreneur and cultural advocate, the festival is more than just a cultural celebration—it is a deliberate attempt to halt the steady erosion of the Igbo identity and reinvigorate a sense of pride and belonging in the new generation. “The Igbo language is now categorized by UNESCO as endangered,” she said. “We cannot afford to watch our language, our stories, and our way of life vanish. This festival is our collective response—our call to action to preserve what makes us Igbo.”
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The festival will bring together Igbo communities from within Nigeria and the diaspora for a series of immersive experiences, including language workshops, performances of traditional music and dance, culinary exhibitions, and fashion displays rooted in indigenous aesthetics. These experiences are designed to educate, entertain, and reconnect attendees—especially youths—to their roots in a celebratory yet reflective atmosphere.
An innovative aspect of the event is the inclusion of an Igbo Enterprise and SME Economic Forum. Recognizing that culture and economy are deeply intertwined, the forum will highlight the Igbo spirit of entrepreneurship and the historic apprenticeship systems that have driven business growth across Nigeria. The forum will also serve as a platform for conversations around redirecting investments back to the Southeast, challenging the prevailing belief that the region lacks the infrastructure and return on investment that other areas offer.
Chief (Mrs.) Onyung emphasized the importance of changing this narrative. “We have contributed significantly to building other cities and regions, and we continue to fuel its economy with our investments, yet we neglect our own homeland. It is time to rethink. This festival is not just about music or language—it’s about restoring confidence in our homeland and encouraging enterprise development across Igboland,” she said.
One of the keynote speakers expected at the Economic Forum is Mr. Patrick Okigbo, a renowned strategist and thought leader on entrepreneurship and SME development. His address will focus on leveraging Igbo business practices to create sustainable growth and prosperity within the region.
The festival also aims to engage and attract support from corporate Nigeria. Several leading financial institutions, such as Fidelity Bank, Zenith Bank, and UBA, are being approached for strategic partnerships. These organizations, known for their active Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, are being invited to support the festival as a means of strengthening cultural preservation, community development, and SME growth.
In Chief (Mrs.) Onyung’s words, “This is a unique opportunity for banks and forward-thinking companies to align with cultural sustainability while also reaching a key demographic of consumers and entrepreneurs. Our culture is not backward—it is sophisticated, resilient, and full of economic potential. It deserves to be seen and supported.”
A robust media campaign is already underway, with plans for interviews, features, and announcements in leading national dailies such as ThisDay, Vanguard, and The Guardian. The festival’s message is clear: that cultural revival is a national imperative, and the Igbo people, wherever they reside, must take the lead in preserving and modernizing their own heritage.
At the heart of the movement is a clear vision—to revive the Igbo language, reinvigorate cultural identity, promote regional investment, and ultimately, unite a people through shared pride and purpose.
The Igbo Language and Culture Festival 2025 is not just a gathering—it is a clarion call for a cultural awakening and an economic rethink. It invites every Igbo son and daughter to not only celebrate who they are but to invest in who they can become—as a people, a culture, and a future.
Media Contact:
Festival Media Relations
Email: igbofestival2025@gmail.com
Social Media: @igbofestival2025
