Guinness enlivens Mbube New Yam festival in Cross River
By Our Admin
A Premium Beer brand, Guinness, on Saturday spiced up and enlivened this year’s New Yam Festival celebration by the thirteen communities that make up Mbube in Ogoja local government area of Cross River State.
According to local organizers, the festival has been on for over 50 years and they are pleased that Guinness came to identify with them and share the values the festival bring to them.
Guinness Brand Manager, Cynthia Ufele explained that, “the partnership between Guinness and the New Yam Festival in Cross River seeks to emphasize the importance of celebrating key cultural moments.
“The celebration seeks to celebrate with the people of Cross River, Benkpe specifically in moments that come most natural to them.”
“Guinness is a brand immersed in local culture, celebrating the magic that inspires experiences that encourages our audiences, the dance, the culture, the people, the men, women and their experiences to shine bright, together,” She said.
Addressing the people of Mbube nation, the Chairman Mbube Chiefs Council, His Highness, Chief Mathias Odey Abua noted that the festival has existed right from their origin. “It’s as old as Mbube. for up to fifteen years now, we have been rotating this annual event within us.”
He explained that the essence of the rotation round the 13 communities is to ensure Love, peace togetherness and oneness. “We are hoping for more acceptance of our culture outside this environment.”
He urged that the government should encourage farming and agriculture as well as promote our heritage.”
Also speaking, a participant who said she was an indigene of Mbube, Grace Onam said “we are made up of 13 autonomous communities in Mbube, this year’s edition is organized by Benkpe autonomous community. And that the festival holds every year in turns within the Mbube nation. This new yam brings peace and unity. Yam farmers, palm wine trappers, young beauty queens, and cultural enthusiasts are encouraged to increase their efforts in their farming, and other endeavours.”
She said her “people are happy for Guinness Brand’s sponsorship, it a good thing. We are happy seeing Guinness Brand here. The aim of this celebration is to promote agriculture.”
Another respondent, Mr Josephat Modey explained that he was also “surprised that Guinness, a nationally recognized Brand can venture into a rural community like this to celebrate with the locals, I am baffled, in fact this is something to be happy about and to celebrate, I hope to see improvement in our next farming season as a result of this event.”
The event was climaxed with the live performance by one the popular Nigerian Music artist, Onoyom Mbuka, popularly known as Inyanya.
Inyanya, sponsored by Guinness to event and he thrilled the rural dwellers and visitors alike who graced the occasion.