By Okorie Uguru
The 10-day IPADA Initiative festival 2024 which started at the beginning of the month has ended. It was marked with fanfare at the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ikegun in Lagos. Participants who attended the inaugural edition from different parts of the world experienced rich African culture on display, and also had opportunities for business networking.
The festival was held under the aegis of Motherland Beckons, an initiative of Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, Founder and President of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort.
The celebration commenced with the arrival of delegates and participants from multiple locations. Guests were welcomed with a rich dose of African finger foods including African fried foods like Dundun (fried yam), potatoes, akara, and pieces of chicken, with fresh palm wine making the rounds.
As the people gradually settled into the festival mood, Atunda Entertainment put up scintillating performances, entertaining the guests with a mixed blend of music and dances. The audience was not left out as many of them took to the stage to dance and sing alongside the musical group.
The sound of music continued into the night, with an all-night pool party at the swimming pool. It featured African cultural dances and a DJ that blasted music to the delight of guests. There was also a bonfire section for many to savour.
At the section of the festival, top businessmen and women from different countries, African returnees from different continents of the world and friends of Africa and other guests participated as different business pitches, new business ideas and propositions were unfolded.
Many deals were closed at the end of the section, with a series of memoranda of understanding (MoU) signed by different groups and individuals.
The carnival parade was a blockbuster event, which saw on parade the celebration of different cultures, featuring among others the Brazilian descendants’ carnival train. It was a colourful, entertaining and vibrant celebration of African and Caribbean culture, with participants from different African countries showcasing traditional costumes, dances, and music, emphasizing unity amidst diversities, all blending into one people.
There was also an empowerment programme for women, tagged; Blossom Retreat. It was coordinated by Prof. Remi Duyile, an African-American returnee and former Vice President of the Bank of America. It featured among others an engaging storytelling and inspirational discussions, fostering connection and creativity. Blossom Retreat offered a relaxing session for self-reflection and inner peace.
Festival of Creatives for enterprising and talented youths was another highlight, with Nigerian award-winning dancer, Dr. Kaffi, taking the youths through the preliminaries of the creative competition.
There were a lot of theatrical and musical shows on display, with Odigbose – an epic stage play, written by Akinboboye, enlivening the colourful international stage.
The audience was wowed also by Nefertiti Queen of Africa Beauty Pageant: A prestigious event celebrating the beauty, intelligence, and cultural pride of African women. The event successfully produced two African Ambassadors for IPADA Initiative.
There was also an exhibition that featured displays by a number of countries, including Rwanda and corporate bodies and sponsors of IPADA Initiative Celebration 2024. It afforded the participants and guests the opportunity to interact and network as well as close deals on different products.
The 10-day celebration was spiced with a blend of fun filled activities, ranging from catapulting, power biking, horse racing, horse riding, footballing, nature watch, table tennis, badminton, volleyball, tug of war, sack racing, musical chair dance, swimming, sip ‘n’ paint, dance lessons, African food cooking lessons, lawn tennis, bonding games, to table games (Scrabble, Monopoly, Snake and Ladders, Ayo, Ludo, and Drought), and snooker.
There was no dull moment as the vibrancy of the African themed resort came to the fore, offering people of all ages and backgrounds, immersive experiences that they will never forget in a hurry all through the 10 days of the celebration.