The President General of Igboukwu community in Aguata Local Government Area, Barrister Michael Ubah and Traditional Ruler, Igwe Alex Azike, hands over fifty-six plots of land for the development of “National Yam Festival Cultural Village” at Etiti village of the community for public use.
The community handed the papers for the land to the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Barrister Udorji Amedu, represented by the Director of Tourism, Mrs Chioma Afuba.
The Commissioner noted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo is tourism-friendly, and that the place will be a tourist attraction, promising that the ministry will do everything possible to make the yam festival cultural village thrive and gain recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
In his address, the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musawa, represented by the Director, Department of Cultural Industries and Heritage, Princess Ginika Nwafor-Orizu, promised that the ministry will support, preserve, develop with excellence and ensure that place remains a place where every indigene, Igbos, Nigerians and visitors can visit to learn, research, relax, market, patronize, invest, celebrate, showcase and be proud of.
Speaking in an interview, the President General of Igboukwu community, Barr. Ubah, declared the project a “prayer answered”, and that the community is ready to help make it a tourist destination of first choice.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Mbido Igbo Association, Chief Ugochukwu Okafouzu, explained that the “National Yam Festival Cultural Village” will have yam barn, cocoyam barn, pavilion, royal dome, art exhibition center, tourism institute, yam/ cocoyam research/ information center, hotel, among others.
Okafouzu expressed hope that public-private-community partnership will help speed up infrastructural development of the ‘village’, and that the government will provide access road, electricity, water, landscaping, fencing, security, joint management team, among others.
