The Awba-Ofemili Development Union (ADU), Abuja Branch, has emerged the star prize winner at the 2025 edition of the Anambra Day celebration held in Abuja, outshining all other participating community associations.

Confirming the results, the Secretary of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the Anambra State Towns People Association (ASTPA), Abuja, and representative of Nteje, Engr. Charles Ekwuagana, disclosed that Awba-Ofemili clinched the top position with a total of 266 points.

According to the official result sheet signed by Ekwuagana, Enugwu-Agidi emerged first runner-up with 257 points, while Awkuzu placed third with 251 points. Rounding up the top 10 were Nteje (245 points), Achina, Nnewi, and Ezinifite (236 points each), followed by Onitsha (233), Obosi (229), Ihiala (223), Ekwulobia (220), and Umueri (219).

Reacting to the victory, the Chairman of ADU Abuja and Managing Director of Top-run Integrated Services Limited, Mr. Tochukwu Remmy Okolo, said the feat demonstrates the power of unity, teamwork, and collective vision among the people of Awba-Ofemili.

“This win proves that whatever we believe in and pursue with unity can be achieved. Our uncompromised love for one another remains the bond that transcends any political divide,” he stated.

Okolo emphasized that teamwork and community participation were central to the achievement, especially the dedication of the organizing committee and branch executives.

“As a community, our primary aim was to showcase our rich cultural heritage rather than chase the prize money. Above all, we give glory to God,” he said.

Also speaking, a patron of ADU Abuja Branch and Chief Executive of Edinho Nigeria Limited, Chief Nnamdi Edmond Okafor (Ikemba), described the award as a defining moment for the community.

“Awba-Ofemili is no longer an obscure town in Nigeria but now a star town from Anambra State. This recognition places us on the map, and it strengthens our voice when seeking development support from the government,” he declared.

Chief Okafor attributed the community’s outstanding performance to the spectacular display of the Ijele Enugwuagu Masquerade, the cultural dance troupe, and the symbolic use of rice leaves, which signified Awba-Ofemili’s reputation as one of Anambra’s leading rice-producing communities.

“Culture is a unifier. Everyone came together for one cause – Awba-Ofemili. I urge our youth to emulate this spirit and focus on initiatives that unite rather than divide us,” he said, stressing that collective development benefits both the present and future generations.

In his remarks, the President General of ASTPA Abuja, Sir Arinze Anadu (Nwachinemelu), commended all participating communities for their spirit of unity and cultural pride, describing the event as “the largest Igbo cultural carnival outside Igboland.”

“The success of this year’s Anambra Day proves that when we Ndi Anambra come together in love and purpose, we achieve great things. This unity and cultural pride must continue to guide us as we build a stronger Anambra family in Abuja and beyond,” he affirmed.

The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA), Pan-Atlantic University, is proud to announce the public unveiling of the second edition of its landmark exhibition, Collecting Now. Opening on October 11, 2025, the exhibition presents 90 significant works on loan from six distinguished Nigerian collectors – Olufemi Akinsanya, Ifeyinwa Momah, Tayo Odunsi, Nonso Okpala, Bimpe Nkontchou and Yemi Ogunbiyi – offering audiences privileged access to a diverse range of traditional, modern and contemporary art rarely seen outside private collections.

Following the success of its maiden edition in 2024, Collecting Now has become an important platform for highlighting the practice of art collecting in Nigeria and its role in sustaining the country’s cultural and creative economy. Featuring works across painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media, the exhibition illuminates the interplay between individual taste and collective heritage.

This year’s showcase is particularly notable for spotlighting two women collectors whose perspectives illustrate the multifaceted power of collecting—as a way of living and as an act of advocacy.

“The Collecting Now series reinforces YSMA’s role as a pioneering institution that brings private visions into public spaces,” said Dr. Jess Castellote, director of the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art. “We are not only presenting exceptional works of art but also shaping a critical conversation about collecting as a cultural practice that ensures continuity, strengthens our art ecosystem, and connects Nigeria’s artistic legacy with future generations.”

Reflecting on her participation in the exhibition, one of the featured collectors, Ifeyinwa Momah, shared: “For me, art is everyday living—it fills my spaces, shapes my memories, and inspires how I see the world. This exhibition is deeply meaningful because it allows these personal experiences to be encountered publicly, sparking conversations that affirm the value of art in our daily lives. I am proud to stand alongside fellow collectors in sharing our journeys through this platform at YSMA.”

The exhibition enjoys the continued support of Ark Insurance Brokers, who, for the second time, are sponsoring the insurance of the entirety of works on display. Their renewed partnership underscores their position as a leading brokerage provider for the arts in Nigeria, with a longstanding commitment to supporting culture and creativity alongside their broader insurance expertise.

“Our partnership with YSMA for Collecting Now reflects our enduring belief that Nigerian art is a national treasure worthy of world-class protection,” remarked Kayode Awogboro, Managing Director of Ark Insurance Group. “As a trusted name in insurance, we take pride in safeguarding collections of immense cultural value, while affirming our commitment to the arts as part of the fabric of society.”

Through this initiative, YSMA affirms its position as a pioneering institution dedicated to advancing cultural scholarship, deepening public access to art, and celebrating the vision of Nigerian collectors as curators and preservers of history and heritage. The general public is invited to see Collecting Now II between October 11, 2025 to February 9, 2026 at the Olori Funmilayo Shyllon Exhibition Gallery of the YSMA at Pan-Atlantic University.

The Oko Community in Orumba North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State has finalised arrangements for the official burial and final rites of passage for its traditional ruler, Onowu Oko, Ichie Martin Ezeosim, on Thursday, next week.

The demise of late Onowu was jointly announced by His Royal Highness, Igwe Prof. Laz Ekwueme, Eze Ijikala II and his cabinet; the Oko People’s Union, (OPU); and the family who have fixed his burial for October 9, 2025.

The late Onowu  Oko – the traditional Prime Minister, who is the second in Command to Igwe of Oko, died at the age of 78, with a string of remarkable contributions to the development of the community. 

A statement signed by Chief (Sir) Reuben Muoka, chairman, Publicity Sub-Committee, Onowu Oko Burial Committee indicates that the funeral rites for a befitting burial of Onowu Oko have been set for the Alex Ekwueme Civic Centre, Oko, after a Christian burial ceremony in his country home in Eziabo Village in Oko.

A committee for the official burial of the late Onowu, led by a member of the Oko Council of Chiefs, Chief Larry Iloh, and other prominent members from all segments of the Oko community, have been set up to oversee a very befitting ceremony that will involve the participation of government officials, the entire Oko community and their friends.

Prof. Ekwueme, who condoled with the entire community, expressed deep sorrow at the loss of an illustrious, reliable and hardworking community leader who contributed immensely in many facets of the community’s development and leadership, urged the committee to ensure that the community hosts befitting rites for the late traditional prime minister.

The President of OPU, Nze Sunday Nwafor, also paid glowing tributes to the late Onowu, whose life, he said, replicated a very simple life of a Christian, with a personae, bravery and carriage that are worthy of emulation in the community.

In his message, Chairman of Onowu Oko Burial Committee, Chief Iloh, said the community, on behalf of Oko community, owes a lot of gratitude to the late Onowu, whose contributions are invaluable.

He promised that the committee will leave no stone unturned to ensure that Oko sons, daughters, and friends of the community, turn up to pay their last respects to the late leader.