Organisers unveil activities for end of the year event [Photos]

All is now set for the 2017 edition of the annual Idoma International Carnival which will hold in Otukpo, the traditional headquarters of the Idoma Kingdom of Benue State from December 22 through to 25.

The festival which was formerly known as the Agila Carnival, according to the organizers, is a yearly fiesta, which started about five years ago and has been judged as one of the most sought after events for lovers of culture, tradition, fun, ideas, travels, trends and fashion in the state.

In a statement signed by the CEO of the Idoma International Carnival, Chief Edwin Ochai, the carnival is a perfect blend of cultural heritage and entertainment 'scheduled to hold this year from December 22 to 25, 2017 in Otukpo, the traditional headquarters of the Idoma land, heart of the lion and land of brave.'

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According to Ochai, the epoch-making event will draw participants and attendees from across Nigeria.

"It is the first and only star-studded get-together event that conveniently fuses the usually incompatible pair of beauty and brains.

It has attracted notable Nigerian industries, organisations, corporate entities, grounded arts and social personalities. It is a money generating product, a youth empowerment platform, and an innovative entrepreneurship project," the statement added.

According to Chief Ochai, activities lined up for this year’s carnival include the Face of Idoma International Beauty contest 2017, Carnival Band Procession and Competition, Cultural display/competition, Ogbureke Traditional Wrestling, Football tournament, Arts and Food Exhibition/Mini trade fair, Idoma Merit Awards, Carnival Village, Fireworks/Burn fire night, Music and comedy from Nigeria’s A-list/ home based artistes

The event according to the organizers, will hold at the at St. Mary’s Primary School, Otukpo, Benue State.

Continuing, the statement reads:

“The Idoma people have long been involved in the transformation of the Nigerian project to its present level.

Yet our land is besieged by all sort of sub-ethnic infractions, ranging from duplicate complexes, avarice, secluded and isolated individualism to slave driving mentality of a few privileged or pseudo privileged rental characters.

There's the dire need for us to change all of these. The Idoma International Carnival aims to attract our best in the arts, sports, fashion, academia, economy, agriculture and business to facilitate common grounds for building a self-helping community in addition to government often scarcely resourced programmes.

Otukpo promises to be hotter in December when we will kick-off the Idoma International Carnival. We hope to roll even in the face of daunting personal and group survival methodologies.

We love our people. We think that we owe Idoma more than it owes us. So we will soon be unveiling the imprimaturs of the new face of Agila Carnival turned Idoma International Carnival in Otukpo soonest.

My people, may I humbly implore you to join us as we host the world in this special event aimed at promoting our promises, hopes and enduring legacies of growth.

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It started as a one man's vision, one man's dream, a philanthropist's passion; he's a mentor and a leader; that man is Prince Edwin Ochai, President of the Idoma International Carnival.

Now it has become the biggest carnival celebrated all over the middle belt in the heart of the Idoma nation.

This year, we are taking it a notch higher, expanding the horizons, breaking bars with the promised land in sight.”