The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) says the Black Heritage festival, which will hold in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, is to keep alive the spirit of FECTAC 77.
Sir Ferdinand Anikwe, the Director General of the agency made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. “The festival holding from Nov. 26 to Nov. 29 will show-case different cultures across the world and it is essentially to keep alive the spirit of FESTAC that was held in 1977 in Lagos,’’ he said.
“This year, we are assembling people from all over the world, particularly those who are interested in black and African culture. “We will come together in Yenagoa and we will do what we call cultural parade. “We will seek to organise activities from the different cultures across the world,” he said.
Anikwe said that the festival would not be another FESTAC, but a related event that would keep the spirit of FESTAC alive.
In line with the festival, he said all the embassies that participated in FESTAC 1977 had been contacted and most of them were responding.
Anikwe said that all culture stakeholders were also involved in the build up to the festival including Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood. “Its not going to be another FESTAC, because FESTAC was very big. “But this time around, we are trying to see how we can keep the spirit of FESTAC going without arguing because we don’t have the money.
“We want to do things to keep the spirit of FESTAC going.
“We have called on all embassies that participated in FESTAC and those who are interested and most of them are responding,’’ he said.
Anikwe said that he had contacted many Nollywood stars like Pete Edochie, Patience Ozokwor, Bob Maunel Udokwu and many others and “they are very much ready to be part of the festival.’’
He said that the festival would witness cultural parade and dances, theatre and creative performances, durbar and many more from across the country and the entire black world. (NAN)
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