… As Organizers say new date reflects historical roots of Ahiajoku Festival
By Clem Iwejuru
The Imo state government has officially announced the rescheduling of the prestigious 2025 Ahiajoku Lecture Festival, moving the cultural and intellectual celebration to its traditional November time frame. The announcement, made through a press statement dated, September 16, 2025, confirms that the 45th edition of the Festival will now take place from November 27th to 28th, 2025.
“Governor Hope Uzodimma, CON, GSSRS, has approved the new dates, as part of an ongoing renaissance and rebranding initiative for the celebrated cultural event. The decision honors the founding vision established by the late Governor Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe, and the founding fathers of the Ahiajoku Lecture Series”, the statement by the planning committee reads.
Accordingly, the festival will commence with a colloquium on Thursday, November 27, 2025 (Afor) day in the Igbo calendar) at the Ahiajoku Convention Centre in Owerri. This will be followed by the main lecture on Friday, November 28, 2025 (Nkwo day) at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Conference Centre, also in Owerri. Both events are scheduled to begin promptly at 11:00 AM.
The highlight of this year’s festival will be the Ahiajoku lecture delivered by His Lordship, Most Rev. Prof. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese. Bishop Onah will speak on the timely and thought-provoking topic: “The Future of Igbo Economy Amidst the Challenges of Insecurity: A Call for Paradigm Shift,” addressing critical contemporary issues facing the Igbo community.
The change in date represents a return to the festival’s historical roots, as the Ahiajoku Lecture was inaugurated and traditionally celebrated during the last week of November. This restoration is expected to strengthen the event’s legacy as the foremost platform for Igbo intellectual, cultural, and economic renaissance, connecting the celebration more closely with its original cultural significance.
The planning committee, chaired by Chief Gary Nnachi Enwo Igariwey with Sir Stanley Amuchie as deputy chairman, has assured all invitees that venue arrangements and other earlier preparations remain unchanged. The organizers emphasize their commitment to maintaining the high standards expected of this landmark cultural celebration.
Hon. (Nze) Ray Emeana, Director General of the Ahiajoku Centre and Secretary of the 2025 Ahiajoku Planning Committee, expressed the directorate’s pride in hosting “Ndi Igbo and friends of Igbo heritage from across the world” at this significant edition of the festival. The event continues to serve as a crucial gathering point for the global Igbo community, promoting cultural preservation and intellectual discourse.
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