Nigeria/Culture: Abuja celebrates Igbo culture
The residents of Abuja came out in large numbers to celebrate the 2025 Abuja Igbo Festival, a vibrant showcase of visual arts, music, dance, food, language, and much more. The event was an immersive experience into the Igbo culture from southeastern Nigeria.
In recent times, with the rise of globalization and the development of modern communication systems, there has been much discussion about how Ndi Igbo in the diaspora present their culture in foreign lands — culture being the way of life of a people.
As Nigerians celebrate this unique tradition that highlights the cultural heritage of the country’s third-largest ethnic group, for the Igbo people, it serves as a reminder of their roots.
“We always love to celebrate. Anywhere there’s a party, we’re in — it’s part of who we are”, said Opkara Chidulue, a young Igbo man.
“The Igbo have a very beautiful culture — the dance, the traditions. When it comes to food, we have many dishes, dance steps, and masquerades. If you want to experience Igbo culture, you need to have an open mind because there is so much to enjoy”, said Becky Ricky, an Igbo mother.
For the festival organizers, the goal was to make the Igbo people feel at home in Abuja — a feeling reinforced by the cultural delights unique to their ethnicity.
“This event came to life because young Igbo people saw the need for it. We realized that some of our brothers haven’t traveled back home, some haven’t been to their villages in over five or six years. Also, some children can’t speak their native language — they have Igbo names but can’t speak the language. So we decided to bring the culture to Abuja”, said Francis Anekwe, a representative of the Abuja Igbo Festival.
“It’s important here in Nigeria to showcase different cultures so that we understand we’re not so different, and that within our cultural expressions, we are also alike”, said Mary Chinedu, another young Igbo.
The Igbo are mostly Christian farmers. They make up 18% of the Nigerian population, which amounts to over ten million people.
