The Anambra State Government has officially unveiled “Onwa Dezemba,” a newly branded Christmas and end-of-year festival designed to showcase Igbo culture, strengthen communal ties, and firmly establish the state as a leading tourism, entertainment, and cultural destination in Nigeria’s South-East region.
Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, explained that the Christmas period, which translates to “Onwa Dezemba” in the Igbo language, holds profound cultural significance that extends far beyond religious observance. He described the period as a time of homecoming, reflection, and a critical pilgrimage for Ndi Igbo residing across the globe. Mefor noted, “The yuletide goes beyond Christmas celebration, for Ndigbo generally. It serves as a tourism hub and a time for stocktaking, as well as a pilgrimage destination.” He highlighted the mass return of Igbo people from all parts of the world to join auspicious family and community celebrations that typically last two to three weeks, underscoring that in most Igbo communities, burials are traditionally suspended from mid-December to make way for uninterrupted festivities.
While the cultural importance of December has always existed, Mefor clarified that the novelty lies in Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s deliberate effort to brand, unify, and institutionalize the season as a cohesive, state-wide celebration. He stated that the “Solution Governor” intends for the festival to be celebrated annually on a scale potentially surpassing events like “Detty December” in Lagos and the Calabar Carnival. Describing the initiative as both bold and ambitious, Mefor projected that Onwa Dezemba is poised to become a major global convergence point, attracting Ndi Anambra from the diaspora and every corner of Nigeria. He added, “Call it ‘Onwa Dezemba’, and Ndi Anambra will bow!” The commissioner further stressed that the festival is family-friendly and deeply rooted in culture, distinguishing it from potentially unwholesome celebrations elsewhere.
According to Mefor, the initiative is a fulfillment of Governor Soludo’s pledge to cultivate “a peaceful and pleasurable homeland that stands tall as a destination choice, rather than a departure lounge.” Drawing on the communal essence of the gathering, Mefor cited the words of Anambra’s legendary son, Chinua Achebe, from Things Fall Apart: “A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving… We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.”
The 2025 celebration officially commenced on December 10 with the lighting of the Christmas tree at Solution Fun City, marking the beginning of festivities scheduled to run until January 2026. The inaugural edition features nine major events distributed across Awka, Ekwulobia, and Onitsha, with other towns fully integrated. Key highlights include the Solution FunCity Christmas Cantata, Masquerade Festivals in Onitsha and Awka, the Christmas Day Children’s Carnival, and a host of entertainment events such as the LOL (Laugh Out Loud) Anambra event, Walk-for-Life, the All-White Old School Night, and MegaFest 2.0, featuring elite artists anchored by Flavour N’abania and his friends. Mefor concluded that Onwa Dezemba is a strategic platform to promote Anambra as the “cultural, entertainment, and tourism hub of the Southeast,” offering secure, organized events that support local creatives and small businesses while boosting investment prospects through extensive media coverage, confidently predicting that the festival holds a powerful promise of soon surpassing similar efforts
