Suleiman Anyalewechi, Aba
Aba residents appear set to be taken on an unusual entertainment journey come Monday October 16, 2023. Without doubt, the entertainment cruise promises to be unique and diametrically different from the ones that have dotted the menu table of fun seekers over the years in the commercial hub of Abia state.
On offer is the unusual blending of conventional entertainment theatrics with the rich cultural heritage of Ndi Igbo nay Africa, as foremost Enyimba City fun rendezvous, Sky View Lounge is set to threat its fans to a lavish 2023 New Yam Festival.
Conceptualized and birthed about five years ago, to serve as a conclave for social rejuvenation, the entertainment outlet has since not disappointed.
In an interaction with the media on Friday October 6, 2023 the promoter of the entertainment Ministry, Chief Michael Chijioke Amaku, said the planned integration of the popular New Yam festival into its Menu disc this year is to preserve, promote and inculcate the rich cultural heritage of Africans into the upcoming generations.
According to Amaku, who was the immediate past chairman of the Ariaria International Market, the adoption of the celebration of the New Yam Festival as part of the menu disc of the entertainment ministry is in sync with its founding philosophy of bridging the wide gap between residents pursuit of economic activities and making time out to relax their nerves.
About five years ago, I discovered that many residents of Aba were too preoccupied with the pursuit of business activities, without finding time to attend to themselves, socially and even medically.
Many don’t bother to make out time to check their health conditions, as well as make out time to relax. On this note, we decided to float this entertainment ministry to help our people to strike the needed balance in their lives.
It is good to work hard and to engage in the pursuit of business activities. At this time, it is also advisable to make out time to relax and reflect.
I am happy that our ministry has made considerable impact in helping in our people to attend to themselves, outside business activities since coming on board, “Chief Amaku enthused.
On what actually prompted the infusion of the popular Igbo New Yam Festival into the menu chart of the entertainment outfit, Chief Amaku said being a ministry has conferred on them the necessary task of also serving as a vehicle in preserving, promoting, and passing to the next generations of Igbos and Africans generally our rich cultural heritage.
“We don’t want our people to perceive entertainment only from the prism of modern-day activities. We want the people to wake up to the reality that the traditional African setting before the coming of the colonialists, and subsequent submerging of our way of lives into those of the European, had a very rich socio-cultural activities that served to entertain the people.
Most of the traditional entertaining activities, like wrestling, cultural dance displays, cooking competitions etc used to be on display mostly during New Yam Festival Ceremonies.
Our mission is to use the occasion of this year’s New Yam festival to call back the consciousness of our people and encourage them to be proud of our traditions and cultural heritage,” Amaku stated.
He noted that the decision to blend conventional entertainment discs with those of the traditional African setting at the ministry will be a continuous one, until a synergy is formed.
