The Council of Igbo States in Americas (CISA), a leading Igbo diaspora cultural organisation, under the new leadership of Echiemeze Chizekene Ofili, has announced the 2026 Annual Igbo Worldwide Festival of Arts and Culture, scheduled to hold from Friday, July 31 to Saturday, August 1, 2026, in Brunswick and St. Simons Island, Georgia, United States.

The festival, themed “Global Igbo Unification: Healing the Broken Circle,” will also host His Majesty, Eze Chukwuemeka Eri, Eze Ndi Igbo, Ezeora 34th and Eze Aka Ji Oyo Igbo, as Special Guest.

Ofili, who was elected President of CISA earlier in the year following the expiration of the tenure of Iru-Ugegbu Dr. Mrs. Josephine Uzoamaka Aguoji, said the event will bring together Ndi Igbo from across the Americas, Nigeria and the global diaspora, alongside African descendants, cultural institutions, community leaders, scholars, artists, youth groups and friends of Igbo heritage. “As we gather at St. Simon Island’s historic Igbo Landing on July 31 – August 1, 2026, we reaffirm a timeless truth that though our circle may have been broken by history, the spirit of the Igbo people remains unshaken; through this Festival of Arts and Culture, we come together not only to celebrate our rich heritage, but to heal, reconnect, and restore the bonds that unite us across generations and continents.,” he said.

On the significance of the 2026 festival, Ofili noted that the edition will serve as both a celebration of Igbo civilisation and a solemn call to deepen unity across generations and geographies. “The 2026 Igbo Worldwide Festival of Arts and Culture is not just another cultural gathering. It is a homecoming of memory, identity and purpose,” he said, adding that at a time when the Igbo people are spread across continents, the 2026 theme reminds us that culture is not only what we inherit; it is what we protect, renew and pass on.

The festival will feature a rich programme of Igbo cultural entertainment, traditional dance, masquerade displays, arts and crafts, language and heritage education, youth talent showcases, community networking, cultural exhibitions, reconnection activities, and engagements with Igbo royalty, scholars and cultural custodians.

The CISA describes the Igbo World Festival of Arts and Culture as one of the most prominent African Igbo cultural festivals in the diaspora, featuring dancers, masquerades, arts and crafts, learning programmes for children and adults, talent showcases, reconnection ceremonies, naming ceremonies, discussions with Igbo royalty and scholars, gala activities, networking and cultural exchange.

According to information available on the CISA website, the choice of theme is deeply connected to the historic and symbolic importance of Igbo Landing, a site in USA widely associated with ancestral memory, resistance, dignity and the enduring search for reconnection among people of African descent. The festival is expected to build on CISA’s longstanding work in strengthening cultural pride, reconnecting descendants with their heritage, and preserving the values, language and traditions of Ndi Igbo for future generations.

Ofili brings to the CISA presidency a distinguished record of professional accomplishment and community service. He holds a M.Sc in Economic Crime Management from Utica University, New York, and a B.Sc in Economics from the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. A seasoned audit, risk, compliance and financial crime management professional, he currently serves as Assistant Vice President of Audit at MUFG Bank Ltd. He has also served in key leadership positions across Igbo and diaspora organisations, including as Treasurer of the Igbo World Assembly, Secretary General of the Anioma World Assembly, and Secretary General of Obomkpa Progressive Union America Inc. Within CISA, he previously served as Secretary General from 2010 to 2013 and Financial Secretary from 2020 to 2025.

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Under Ofili’s leadership, CISA says the 2026 festival will renew the organisation’s commitment to cultural preservation, diaspora engagement, intergenerational connection and global Igbo advancement.

“CISA belongs to every Igbo son and daughter who believes that our heritage is a living inheritance. This festival is an invitation to gather, to remember, to celebrate, to heal, and to build a stronger global Igbo community together. Igbo Unification is not just a theme, it is a calling to remember who we are and to rise together as one people,” Ofili said.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC Ltd) and two Chinese companies, Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co Ltd have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to use a Technical Equity Partnership (TEP) for the completion and operation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

The NNPC Ltd made the disclosure on Monday, in a statement signed by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh.

According to the statement, the MoU was signed by the Group CEO, NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari; Chairman, Sanjiang Chemical Company, Guan Jianzhong and Chairman of Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd, Bill Bi, in Jiaxing City, China, on Thursday, April 30, 2026.

“The potential framework would cover completion of outstanding work at the two refineries, together with operating and maintaining both facilities to achieve best-in-class, sustainable performance. Planned expansion and upgrades would elevate both facilities to cleaner, more profitable product standards.

“The potential collaboration also contemplates expanding the refineries’ petrochemical capacities and harnessing gas and downstream opportunities through the development of co-located, gas-based industrial hubs.

“Speaking shortly after signing the dotted lines, the GCEO NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the MoU execution as a significant milestone, following more than six months of concerted engagement between the technical and management teams of NNPC and the two Chinese partners.

“All parties recognise mutually beneficial opportunities for the development and long-term sustainable profitability of NNPC’s refining assets in Nigeria, and the collective weight required for success,” Ojulari noted.

“The GCEO further stated that the MoU is a significant step on the journey towards identifying potential technical equity partner(s) to restart and expand NNPC’s refineries, and to explore opportunities in co-located petrochemicals and gas-based industries.

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“The MoU reflects the parties’ shared intent to progress discussions in good faith, with any definitive arrangements to follow in due course and subject to customary approvals,” the statement noted.

The Dangote Group has dismissed as false and malicious a publication alleging that its President, Aliko Dangote, distanced himself from Tony Elumelu, describing the report as entirely baseless.

This was detailed in a statement issued by its Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, the company said neither Dangote nor the Group made the claims attributed to them, stressing that the publication misrepresents both personal and corporate positions.

The Group also rejected assertions that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery was financed through personal borrowing from friends, describing the claims as inaccurate and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.

“As a matter of principle, Aliko Dangote neither finances his projects through personal borrowing from friends nor engages in lending arrangements of that nature,” the statement said, adding that any such claims must be supported by verifiable evidence.

The Dangote Group further clarified that there is no rift between Dangote and Elumelu, noting that both business leaders maintain a longstanding and cordial relationship.

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The company also raised concern over a growing pattern of fabricated statements and the unauthorised use of Dangote’s name, likeness and image in AI generated advertisements and other misleading content, warning that such actions pose reputational risks and may constitute fraud.

It cautioned individuals and platforms involved in the creation and dissemination of false information to desist immediately, adding that it would pursue appropriate legal action where necessary to protect its reputation and that of its leadership.

The Dangote Group reaffirmed its commitment to the highest standards of integrity while continuing to drive industrialisation, economic self sufficiency, and sustainable development across Africa.