By OKECHUKWU PEACE
It is now confirmed that rap artiste Slow Dog will headline this year’s Ogbunike Cave Carnival (OCC) billed to open on December 30, 2015, with a one day Five-Aside Football Tournament. However, the rapper is slated to perform on January 1 during the Ada Ogbunike Beauty Pageant scheduled for New Year Day, at the Ogbunike Town Hall, Ogbunike, Oyi LGA, Anambra State.
Known for fusing his native Igbo rhymes with English, the witty indigenous rapper is expected to treat guests to the best of his recordings at the event that will also witness the crowning of first ever Ada Ogbunike.
Speaking at a contract signing ceremony in his base in Enugu, the rapper urged fans and music lovers to keep a date with him at the carnival.
“It’s confirmed that I will be in Ogbunike for the Ogbunike Cave Carnival; we’ve just signed an agreement with the organisers. For my fans in Anambra, this is an opportunity to entertain you all; I’m looking forward to the event,” he said.
First hosted in 2013 by 90 Degrees Entertainment, Ogbunike Cave Carnival (OCC) is a three-day festival centered on Ogbunike Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Billed to open on December 30, 2015 with a one-day Five –Aside Football Tournament, which will see eight teams slug it out for the carnival trophy. There will also be a Sport Parade, which will see football fans, clad in their different club jerseys, parade to the market square (Oyeolisa Market) with a traditional ogene music leading the train.
The day two of the event holding on December 31 will feature Ogbunikewalk4life (Street Carnival) starting from 7.30am. The carnival float will take off from the Ogbunike Town Hall, through the usual routes, to the Round Palace of Igwe Ogbunike, HRH John Ositadimma Umenyiora, where guests will pay homage to the King. From the palace, the train will move to the Cave, where visitors and tourist will have the opportunity of exploring the tourist destination that has put Ogbunike community on the world map. The day will wrap with the Carnival Concert/New Year Countdown by 6pm, at the Town Hall, with different musicians and comedians on parade.
On New Year Day, Ada Ogbunike Beauty Pageant will take centre stage. The event, which will see pretty Ogbunike ladies contest for the Ada Ogbunike crown, will be spiced with musical and comedy performance.
This year, the carnival, which has the blessings and endorsement of His Royal Highness Igwe John Umenyiora, his Cabinet, and the Ogbunike Progressive Union (OPU), will honour some deserving individuals, who have contributed to the success of the project in the last three years.
Meanwhile, the Central Working Committee for the carnival has sealed a media partnership deal with the management of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) and National Light Newspapers, both state owned media outfits. With the agreement, both media outfits are now official media partners for this year’s celebration and will help project the carnival nationally.
Speaking during a courtesy call on them at their corporate offices in Awka, Anambra State capital, both the MD/CEO of ABS, Uche Nwora and MD/Editor in Chief of National Light, Chuka Nnabuife commended the organisers for creating a platform that will boost one of the major tourism destinations in Anambra State. They also pledged their media support to the event, which has the capacity of
According to the founder and creative director of the carnival, Chuks Nwanne, this year’s edition will set the tone for more innovations around the Cave, as well create platform for youths of the community and tourists to unwind during Xmas.
“In 2013, when we came up with Ogbunikewalk4life, the idea was to use the health walk/mini carnival to set the tone for the main carnival. With the level of success we recorded in 2013 and 1014, it was obvious that the time has come for us to unveil Ogbunike Cave Carnival. What you will witness this year is the original format of the carnival, which has taken us three years to develop,” he said.
In her remarks, the project manager Adaeze Uzodoh informed that the team is doing everything possible to stage a hitch free carnival this year.
“This year, we are going to surprise guests with the package we’ve been working on. I can assure you that we’ve taken care of all the logistics involved, including security. We look forward to hosting all of you this year, as you come to explore our natural heritage,” she said.
