The chairman of Enugu East Council Area, Beloved-Dan Anike, has renamed Ezeokwe Palace, Ibagwa Nike and its adjoining artefacts as the Centre for Cultural Heritage and Tourism.

The council boss disclosed this during the Ofala Festival of Ibagwa Nike Ancient Kingdom, Enugu State, on Sunday in Enugu.

The chairman said: “As part of our efforts to preserve and celebrate our cultural heritage, I am pleased to announce that the Ezeokwe Palace and its adjoining area are now designated as A Center for Cultural Heritage and Tourism.”

According to him, the renaming aligned with his administration’s determination to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the Nike people and the entire council area.

“This designation comes with the recognition that this site holds immense historical, cultural, and symbolic value, not only to the people of Nike but to the broader Enugu community and beyond.

“To support this vision, the Enugu East Local Government, in collaboration with the Enugu State government, will ensure that this heritage site receives the support it deserves,” he said.

He added, “From this moment forward, the Ezeokwe Palace will receive a monthly subvention to sustain its operations and activities related to heritage promotion.”

Mr Anike stressed that the government would fully sponsor the annual Ofala Festival to ensure its continuity, expansion and alignment with local, national and international cultural tourism standards.

The chairman stated that momentous occasions like the Ofala Festival were more than a spectacle but instruments of peace, social integration, and sustainable development.

“They provide a platform for indigenous and non-indigenous communities to come together in mutual respect and understanding. They remind us that, though we may have diverse origins, we are bound together in a shared destiny,” the chairman said.

He, however, urged residents to take ownership of the vision of an inclusive, united, and culturally enriched Enugu East to promote peace, uphold the dignity, and preserve the shared heritage for generations yet unborn.

(NAN)