CISA, IWA Unite in Abagana for Global Igbo Cultural Renaissance on Dec 12
In Abagana, a historic town in Anambra State, a renewed cultural pulse is rising. On December 12, 2025, the Council of Igbo States in Americas (CISA) and the Igbo World Assembly (IWA) will converge at the Ikendigbo Event Center—directly opposite the Njikoka Local Government Headquarters—for CISA-Fest, a cultural convention devoted to ancestral reconnection. The festival, themed “Oganiru Ifediiche (Positive Impact)”, is designed as a bridge between the global Igbo diaspora and their ancestral homeland, inviting descendants scattered across continents into a shared space of dialogue, identity, and celebration.
Organizers have shaped the gathering as a vibrant immersion into Igbo history and tradition. Through performances, masquerade displays, panel conversations, and reflective heritage dialogues, guests will encounter new strategies for reclaiming identity and strengthening diaspora–homeland ties. CISA’s long-standing commitment to this mission—through educational programs, diaspora leadership platforms, and heritage sites modeled after Igbo villages—remains central to the day’s vision, particularly in inspiring younger diasporans.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., cultural and intellectual expressions will intertwine. Royal leadership will be strongly present: HRM Eze Chukwuemeka Eri, Eze Eri, Ezeora 34th & Aka Ji Ovọ Igbo, presides as Royal Father of the Day, anchoring the event in the deep origins of Igbo civilization. Beside him stands His Eminence Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, the Eze Aro of Arochukwu, serving as Guest Royal Father, enriching the festival with the weight of Aro heritage.
Stewarding the event’s leadership are Dr. N. A. Anakwenze, Regent/Onowu of Abagana, CISA Governing Council Chairman and IWA President, as Chief Host; Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Uzoamaka Josephine Aguoji (Nee Ekunnọ), President of CISA, as Host; and Onye Nze Amadiebube Mbama, CISA Vice Board Chairman and GIL Coordinator, as Co-Host.
The festival’s intellectual and cultural circle widens with figures such as Dr. Juan Ávila Abrahams, renowned for constitutional law and human rights advocacy; Chief Laverne Holden, Ugosimba I of Ibagwa Nike (United Kingdom) and CEO of Able Farms Ltd; Chief, Prince Dr. Sidney Eluemuno Davis, who represents CISA as a collective voice for real African Americans of Igbo descent across the Western Hemisphere and works on DSG Diaspora and Igbo Landing projects; and Lolo Nneka Chimezie, President of the IWA Women Council.
For Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Aguoji, the festival represents more than a moment—it is an ongoing movement. She describes CISA-Fest as a “cultural nexus” where identity, unity, and institutional cooperation flourish. Under her leadership, the event affirms a shared determination to safeguard Igbo language, customs, and legacy in an increasingly complex world.
