Anambra’s Onwa Dezemba Boosts Tourism Growth With Grand Christmas Cultural Festival

Published on December 15, 2025

As the sun went down on 10 December, Anambra State was vivid with colors, music and the brightness of its Christmas tree lighting at Solution Fun City in Awka, the official kickoff of the first-ever Onwa Dezemba festival, a daring tourism-dependent reimagination of the Christmas and year-end festivities that is sure to turn out as a major attraction in the West African region.

Rooted in deep Igbo cultural meaning, Onwa Dezemba, literally the month of December in the Igbo language builds upon the traditional significance of the yuletide as a time of homecoming and communal celebration for the Igbo people. It is now being framed by the Anambra State government as a unified, highly organised festival that will attract not just locals but domestic and international travellers alike.

A Festival with Purpose: Tourism and Culture at Its Heart

Unlike typical Christmas markets or beach parties in other regions, Onwa Dezemba blends age-old Igbo heritage with contemporary entertainment and tourism opportunities. According to state officials, while the yuletide season has always brought diasporans home, the deliberate branding and structuring of the festivities represent a strategic attempt to position Anambra as a leading destination for cultural tourism.

The festival extends through to January 2026, offering immersive experiences that shout both tradition and festivity. Highlights include masquerade parades, iconic to Igbo cultural expressions, family-friendly carnivals, music events such as the Solution FunCity Christmas Cantata, and shows headlined by notable performers like Flavour N’abania and Friends.

This rich mix of events elevates Onwa Dezemba beyond a seasonal celebration into a tourism engine that showcases the best of Anambra’s culture while supporting local businesses, creative industries and hospitality providers.

Events Spread Across Key Cities

The 2025 edition features a lineup of activities across major hubs such as Awka, Onitsha and Ekwulobia ensuring that visitors exploring the state can experience diverse facets of the festival. These include:

• City Block Music Night: A Gen-Z-focused concert at Awka City Stadium.
• Christmas Carol and Cantata: Traditional and contemporary music performances in Alex Ekwueme Square.
• Children’s Christmas Festival: A vibrant kids’ carnival at Solution Fun City.
• Masquerade Festivals: Cultural celebrations at multiple venues that provide a spectacular window into Igbo heritage.
• Comedy and Wellness Events: From LOL (Laugh Out Loud) Anambra to a Walk-for-Life, blending entertainment with health and community participation.
• All-White Old School Night: A stylish retro-themed party to conclude the festivities.

These activities reflect a thoughtful tourism strategy that caters to a wide range of interests, from culture lovers and families to young travellers seeking vibrant entertainment.

Experience, Explore and Enjoy

For travellers visiting Anambra during Onwa Dezemba, the festival presents more than eye-catching events. It is an opportunity to explore the state’s broader tourism offerings from historical sites like the Ogbunike Caves, a UNESCO-inscribed natural attraction in the region, to local markets, traditional cuisine and community-led art shows that reflect centuries-old Igbo culture.

Visitors will find Anambra’s hospitality sector including hotels, restaurants and guided tours ready to support an enriching travel experience, with an emphasis on safety, cultural immersion and local engagement. The festival also boosts small and medium-sized enterprises by providing a platform for artisans, performers and vendors to showcase their craft to a diverse, international audience.

Strategic Tourism Impact

Onwa Dezemba positions Anambra at the intersection of culture, community and tourism growth. Industry watchers suggest that by institutionalising this seasonal celebration, the state is tapping into the rising global demand for authentic cultural experiences, a sector that has been shown to significantly boost local economies when linked to well-curated festivals and heritage tourism initiatives.

Moreover, the festival aligns with tourism development strategies that prioritise community involvement, sustainable growth and economic diversification, all while creating an engaging travel narrative that can attract repeat visits year after year.

A Warm Invitation to the World

For those seeking a festive travel experience that is both celebratory and culturally enlightening, Onwa Dezemba offers a compelling reason to choose Anambra this Christmas season. Whether it’s dancing at vibrant masquerade parades, savouring local food, or networking with artists and creatives, visitors are likely to leave with a richer understanding of Igbo culture and its contemporary resonance.

In the words of one local tourism official, the festival was all celebration and not even the slightest bit of connection, heritage, and growth. The state’s idea regarding Onwa Dezemba has been laid out very clearly: to turn Anambra not just into a stopover place on a holiday route, but a place of choice for tourists from all over Nigeria and the world.