Tourists who visit Enugu in these ember months of 2025 are in for superlative arts and culture excitements.

FRED IWENJORA reports that there seems to be a culture overdrive in the state which climaxes in the month of November 2025.

Part of this overdrive is the National Festival of Arts and culture NAFEST, Nigerias arts and culture olympics which brings the nation and the world to Enugu in the next few weeks.

For a full week starting from November 22 to 29, 2025, all the tourism facilities including hotels and event places notably the Enugu International conference center, Okpara Square etc in the city will open its bowels to host Nigeria’s arts. culture and  creative community.

NAFEST 2025 promises a national cultural parade, arts and culture exhibition as well as dance showcase and other workshops and will no doubt boil up the state.

And if the state hosts and wins like it did in 1970 when Lagos hosted, then the governor would have made good his wishes.

Only a few do not know that Governor Peter Mbah means business in area of arts, culture, entertainment and tourism as an important sector of the economy. And with his body language and those of his lieutenants notably his indefatigable and culturally gregarious arts and culture commissioner, Dame Ugochi Madueke, the state seems very poised and ready to host and win.

In the past one year or more, Gov Mbah has been meeting with Minister of culture Amina Musa Musawa and some of the agencies of the ministry including the National Council for arts and culture (NCAC) led by DG, Obi Asika, organisers of the festival under the theme, Connected Culture with the assurance of its readiness to host.

However, NAFEST is not alone in this  culture overdrive in Enugu these ember months of 2025 as the much promoted Agbaja summit holding 25 – 27 November is also part. 

Since plans were announced during a well attended press conference in Enugu, Agbaja Summit promises education and skills as well as a cultural revival with Agbaja masquarades set to thrill at the Enugu Stadium on November 27, after the education summit that marks the beginning of the Agbaja 2025 show on November 26.

The Prof Chike Anibeze led planning committee backed up by its erudite members including Chairman board of trustees Prof Chinedu Nebo have not stopped sensitising and mobilising for a great event that hopes to leave the coal city state and its people culturally  inebriated before the yuletide.

Anibeze hinted that NAFEST will not clash with Agbaja Summit because of both events happening same week but would rather complement it and make Enugu people enjoy 100% artistic showtime.

Agbaja people are people occupying the other side of the Udi Hills and valleys covering Udi, Ezeagu as well as Enugu North LGAs.

Agbaja people have produced two governors for Enugu and have many distinguished Nigerians as members.

However, before the November arts and culture overload in Enugu, a  prelude came with the grand final burial for ace highlife music star, Gentleman Mike Ejeagha which held in Imezi Owa, Enugu state yesterday 31st October 2025.

Ejeagha died June 6, 2025 at the age of 95 and his final burial event was a full week of Tributes and commendations for a man whose music threw light on Enugu.

There was a night of music and tributes for the late highlife exponent organised by Enugu PMAN on monday 27th October as if to wet the ground held at a popular entertainment arena.

 It ends in a church outing service tomorrow 2nd of November, 2025.

Speaking earlier on the Ejeagha final burial event Father Benjamin Achi, Chairman of planning committee noted that the Ejeagha final burial event would go as peaceful as a baby’s sigh just as the man being celebrated. And those who attended confirm that the Akuko n egwu crooner went in a blaze of solemn glory.