All is set for the first edition of Nigeria Cultural Festival (NICUFES 2019) billed to hold in Copenhagen, Denmark, this September.

The event is organised by Senior Boyz Production Ltd in partnership with Africa Chamber of Commerce in Scandinavia and Afrowood Media, Denmark.

The organisers said the event is quite timely in the light of the negative perception of Nigeria and its people internationally.

“We want the world to know that Nigeria is not all about social vices, internet scam, banditry, and militancy. We want to create an honest impression about Nigeria and Nigerians,” the festival organiser, Olugbenga Ogunniyi noted.

The main event according to the organisers will feature a rich display of Nigerian dance, music, clothes, drama, and films.

As a build up to the event, some Nigerian celebrities like star actor; Saheed Balogun, Fuji music legend; Abass Akande Obesere and Okon Ofonime Felix (Udo Mariam) were unveiled as the festival ambassadors in Lagos over the weekend.

They were unveiled at a colourful ceremony held at the Aguene Art foundation, Lekki, Lagos.

In his remarks, Obesere called on the federal and state governments and Nigerians to support the carnival, stressing that it had a lot of benefits to Nigerians, especially in terms of image laundering abroad.

In his welcome address, Mr. Oguniyi explained that the major aim of the event is to showcase the uniqueness and rich cultural heritage of the various ethnic groups in the country.

“Culture plays a vital role in promoting national and global integration and harmony that are the key ingredients for international stability and peace. It binds people and races together irrespective of their differences.

“Another major facet of the festival is that it will provide vibrant institutional platforms for economic partnership and collaboration among the Nigeria investors and their Scandinavian counterparts with a view of promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) flow into Nigeria. We have the support of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.”

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He also noted that the festival shall comprise carnival-like procession with different cultural troupes as well as a business conference with institutional investors and cultural promoters.

He added, “A major highlight of the festival will be the Nigeria Market Day which shall provide an opportunity for Nigerians in the Scandinavian countries to unite and interact. We will also host an Award/Gala Night (Nigeria Cultural Night) on the final day.”

The festival would take place from September 6 to 8.