Ikenga aims to showcase the tireless Igbo Industry in developing new economic and cultural dynamics with the world around it, and nip the clichés of the Biafran civil war, the photos of hunger-stricken, malnourished children, dying from Kwashiorkor that has clung to them. Igbos are a resilient and hardworking people who rebuilt their cities beyond recognition, just 3 years after the civil war; and embraced the new world. The region is rich in natural and human resources.
AfricaFora, through Ikenga Day is calling on all Ndigbo, lgbo descendants and their friends to come together annually to display, share and celebrate their culture and traditions in joy and celebration of that which bind them together for the purpose of preserving that common heritage. It is also an occasion to take that retrospective look at themselves, homeland and economy which is necessary to detect and design ways to promote intra-Igbo relations and cooperation.
About the 2023 edition : Idinotu Ndigbo
Ikenga Day – A European Igbo Festival is an annual engagement tool of AfricaFora, a get-together of sorts for Ndigbo, Igbo descendants and their friends to promote, celebrate and honour Igbo people, culture and traditions in Europe. Launched in 2022, the 2nd edition will hold on September 24, 2023, in the Paris region, under the theme is Idinotu Ndigbo.
Idinotu is an Igbo word that denotes unity. More than a word, Idinotu is a concept of collaboration, togetherness and congruence of purpose. This choice of theme was borne out of the repeated wear and tear of who is or is not Igbo. Some go further claiming to be more Igbo than others. But these identity crises are not exclusive to Ndigbo. Example of incidents of identity crises is rife in recent times all over the world. This weakens the fabrics of society and should not be left unchecked for our survival as well as that of umuigbo unborn.
Programme
Activities of the day
● Roundtable discussions, ● Prose reading, ● Masquerades (traditional performance with masks), ● Igbu Oja (traditional flute), ● Film in Igbo with subtitles, and more activities You can read more about the programme here and discover some of the profiles joining us here.
Expected outcomes
● Reunite all of Igbo descent, and consequently regain pride in being Igbo or Onyeigbo ● Create awareness of, and share Igbo culture, custom and tradition with the world, ● Renew the spirit of Igbo togetherness and oneness, ● Take charge of sharing and preserving Igbo culture and narratives, ● Enable all Ndigbo to take pride in celebrating that which bind them together (the common heritage), ● Reposition Ndigbo and Alaigbo in the international spotlight
