Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has commended the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, Onitsha people and the sponsors of the annual Ofala festival, Globacom, for their efforts in promoting the annual festival.
The Governor who was a special guest at the 2023 Ofala festival in Onitsha over the weekend said the huge success of the festival and its tourism potentials would complement his government’s efforts in bringing development to the state.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, paid glowing tribute to digital solutions provider, Globacom, and other sponsors for their relentless support for the Ofala Festival of Onitsha Kingdom.
The Obi who thanked the telecommunications company for consistently sponsoring the festival for the past twelve years, explained that Globacom had helped to project it as a tourism destination.
He said, “Globacom as our principal partner has remained steadfast with us even with the present economic challenges. We thank them exceedingly and trust that our mutually beneficial partnership will continue to grow”,
Also at the festival on Sunday, Globacom’s Retail Sales Chief, South East and South South, Augustine-ndu Offor, explained that the sustained support of cultural festivals such as Ofala has added economic value to the surrounding region by leading to the development of tourism. He added that it is in line with the vision of empowerment that MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank (MMPSB), a subsidiary of Globacom, was launched this year. MMPSB, through its G-kala wallet enables the unbanked and underbanked to use their mobile phones to send, save, collect and deposit their money, thereby empowering the financially excluded in the society. The 8% interest rate per annum on the G Kala savings account is a good demonstration of the added value the company provides its customers.
The sponsorship agreement between Globacom and Ofala Festival started in 2011 for an initial period of three years. The partnership is now in its 12th year with a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the palace in 2022 to extend the deal to 2025.
