BREAKING NEWS:
NIGERIANS in AMERICA Celebrates 57th Independence Day Anniversary in Style…Staged A Night of Cultural Elegance & Entertainment in Arizona Sept. 30
*Dress Code: Formal Attire – Elegance with an African Flair
*Buffet Dinner for couple (food and non alcoholic drinks) at $45.00
*Individual pays $25 only with choice food, drinks
* Designed to bring together the diverse Nigerian-American community in the valley to celebrate the diverse and rich Nigerian cultures and ethnicities
*Ceremony had Soccer Match between African Countries from 9.00 Am to 12.00 Noon, Banquet Dinner with lots of Nigerian food, Drinks, entertainment and traditional dances
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES
NIGERIAN COMMUNITY IN ARIZONA (NCA) made history on Saturday, September 30, 2017 as they rolled out drums to celebrate Nigeria’s 57th Independence Day Anniversary which attracted Nigerian-Americans from all diverse backgrounds, ethnicity and provided a platform of rich cultural celebration of Nigeria’s tradition to the world.
As early as 4:00pm (an hour before schedule), the hall of Orange Tree Golf Club, located along 10601 N. 56th Street in Scottsdale, AZ 85254 was already filled to capacity, as Nigerians decked in several Nigerian glowing attires designed in Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo graced the occasion, while evergreen music of top Nigerian musicians played underground.
The 57th Nigerian Independence Day Banquet Dinner titled ‘A Night of Cultural Elegance & Entertainment which kicked off from 5:30 PM to 11:30 PM (MST)
Scottsdale, AZ.
NCA Planning Committee 2017 in a press statement released earlier states that the aim of the celebration was to bring together the diverse Nigerian-American community in the valley to celebrate the diverse and rich Nigerian cultures and ethnicities, “This will benefit of our children and give us the opportunity to socialize with the friends of Nigeria.”
The statement said the celebration earlier had same day Soccer Match between African Countries from 9.00 Am to 12.00 Noon and the Banquet Dinner at the above stated address with lots of Nigerian food, Drinks, entertainment, and traditional dances.
As with past Nigerian Independence Day Celebration since 2010, NCA appealed and solicited for help in ensuring the celebration was a grand success. It reads: “We would like to enlist your support as a donor or sponsor. We would always appreciate your assistance, moral support, financial, donation in kind, and or otherwise, for this annual event. With your sponsorship we intent to post all your products in the event hall, coupled with an entrance table and have your banner with a table and posters at the soccer field.
“It’s pertinent to note, that the attendance at this yearly celebration has steadily grown since the inception of the annual Nigeria Independence Day celebration in 2010. We hosted over 200 attendees in the 2016 event, and we expect attendance at this year’s celebration to double. We also, have it on good authority as we anticipate Nigerian participants coming from Tucson, the whole of Arizona, as well as from neighboring states, such as Nevada, California and New Mexico.”
The historic Independence Anniversary organized by Mr Inyang – 602-740-1279 (Football match inquires), Mrs Nweke – 602-677-0506 that may as well be reached through email at naijaaz2015@gmail.com explained that the vision of NCA incorporation “is to form an umbrella Nigerian Organization in Arizona that caters for the collective interests and represent the single, unified voice of all non-profit Nigerian Organizations in Arizona that cut across community, tribal, ethnic, education, social, political and economic lines.
The mission of the Nigerian Community in Arizona incorporation is to promote the spirit of patriotism, networking, welfare and cooperation among Nigerians in Arizona, and above all, to protect, unify, and empower Nigerians in Arizona towards contributing to the growth and development of Arizona.
Highpoint of the ceremony was when the invitees got up to savor Nigeria’s rich delicacies, native drink (emu in Yoruba language), enjoyed high-networking and danced endlessly to the tune of great Nigerian musician legends like Stephen Osita Osadebe, Orlando Owoh, Sunny Okosuns, Prince Nico Mbarga (Sweet Mother fame), Femi Anikulapo Kuti, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Fatai Rolling Dollar (Won Kere Si Number Wa), Celestine Ukwu, Oliver De Coque and others. Not forgetting danceable music of Flavor, P-Square, Whizkid, Olamide, Tuface Idibia and many more.
The statement concludes: “We the people of Nigeria Living in the state of Arizona, do hereby create and establish for ourselves the Nigerian Community of Arizona incorporation as a non-governmental, non-political, non-religious, and non-tribal association to promoting Nigerian unity and values, and to promoting Nigerian progress, information sharing, advocacy, and Nigerian cultural understanding between Nigerian member Organizations and citizens of Arizona. Join The Nigerian Community in Arizona on Facebook.”
