Over 10,000 Onitsha Youths Turn Culture Into Celebration As Golibe Festival Closes Christmas
As the last echoes of Christmas celebrations faded, Onitsha came alive with colour, rhythm and youthful energy, proving that culture remains a powerful unifying force for the city’s young population.
No fewer than 10,000 youths participated in the 2025 edition of the Golibe Festival, a five-day cultural fiesta that rounded off the Yuletide season in grand style.
Beginning on December 26, the festival featured the finals of the Ado Football League, vibrant street carnivals, music showcases and captivating masquerade displays.
The celebration peaked with a crossover night concert at the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium, where popular indigenous rapper, Jeremiah Ani, popularly known as Jeriq, thrilled thousands with an electrifying performance.
Earlier, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, commended the organisers and youths during a reception at his Ime-Obi Palace, describing Golibe as a heritage jointly sustained by elders and young people to preserve Onitsha’s cultural identity.
He noted that the festival, regarded as the second most important in the city after Ofala, provides a platform for youth engagement, creativity and positive social interaction, while helping to curb crime during the festive period.
A member of the Golibe Festival Board, Brenda Nwagwu, said the event showcased music, masquerades, handcrafted artworks, culinary exhibitions and street pageantry, with all 16 villages in Onitsha actively participating.
She disclosed that Ogbeoza won the carnival competition, followed by Umuikem and Odoje.
Nwagwu added that the 2025 edition recorded participation from over 10,000 performers, artists and spectators, reinforcing Golibe’s role in fostering unity, celebrating culture and passing traditions to younger generations.
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