A Naija Day to Remember

On a cool Saturday in a cozy park in the heart of Reisterstown, MD, one could smell the spicy aroma of beef sizzling on a grill, hear the rhythmic melodies of Afro-beat legend Fela Kuti, witness the exquisite display of cultural talent and see blends of vibrant colors and crafts-manship captured in ethnic paintings, jewelry, and attires. These smells, sounds, tastes and sights symbolized a celebration of Nigerian culture and heritage.

This cool Saturday that threatened to rain but actually never quite did was July 24, 2004. This cozy park was the Hannah Moore Park in Reisterstown, Baltimore County. Most importantly, the occasion was NYA’s second annual festival, “Naija Fest 2004.”
The festival was a huge success drawing in over 800 people from all over the Maryland and Washington area, Nigerians, Americans, other Africans, and everyone in between. The festival also gained media attention as it was featured that night on Fox 45 News and ABC 2 News. Naija Fest also received media coverage from Morgan State Radio 88.9 and the Community Times newspaper.

The highlights of the festival were the various performances. The festival officially began when Abiodun Koya sang the Nigerian and American national anthems. Naija Fest really came alive once the Day Springs Band, consisting of several NYA members, performed some popular Nigerian tunes. The festival just got better and better with each exciting and entertaining performance. A highlight that caught everyone’s attention was the fashion show that exhibited traditional attires with a wedding theme. Beautiful black women swished and swayed adorned in gowns of Nigerian fabrics in hopes of being the lucky girl that the chief picked to be his bride. Alas, the chief did choose his bride and everyone rejoiced with the help of Femi Kuti catchy music. The clothes were the designs of Modivah. Guests had a chance to exercise their laughing muscles with comedian Chinedum Nwaneri and with the NYA skit that exposed some funny culture shock experiences that some Nigerians face when in the U.S.

If dance performances had not been in the show, we might as well not have bothered having a so-called Nigerian festival. Thankfully, dances were in the show and they were good. From the dance by the Wazobia dancers to the Akwa Ibom dance by Ima and Uwem Bassey, various Nigerian ethnic dances where covered. Sometimes, members of the crowd joined in the dances especially when the NYA dancers danced to the oh-so popular immortal one-hit-song by Sir Shina Peters. The show also included drumming and story telling by the Ola-Olu Griots and the Nigerian hip-hop/R&B songs of artists Pa J and Damask.

The festival hosted various vendors. The food vendors were restaurants Peju’s Kitchen and Olangela’s and suya entrepreneurs, the Suya Shop owned by NYA members Dami and Tope Akinmade and the other suya stand owned businessmen Olumide Oresegun and Enobong Bassey (also NYA members). These two men spent the day juggling between their suya stand and their T-shirts booth where they sold their Naija shirts.com merchandise (www.nseffect.com). The festival also housed an art exhibit by artists such as Mr. Fola Olumide, Mr. Victor Ehikhamenor and others. Exquisite hand-made jewelry was on sale by Desola and the Umaaja store sold freedom bracelets, t-shirts and other apparels. Attendees young and old visited a game booth by SMILE. Inc. where you could practice your basketball shooting skills or pay to have your age, weight or birth month guessed for a chance to win a prize. The good thing was you won if they guessed right and you won if you they guessed wrong, a real win-win situation.

In fact it seems safe to say that Naija Fest, as a whole, was a win-win event, the attendees won authentic Nigerian food, games and entertainment, the performers won applauses and attention, the vendors won monetary profit and publicity, and NYA members won the satisfaction of knowing their hard work of organizing paid off. It was definitely a memorable day and just imagine there are still many more Naija Fests to come. “Naija Fest 2005”--- the saga continues!