ATPN Southeast Unveils 2025 Face of Umuahia South/Cultural Festival — Calls for Collaboration and Community Participation
The Southeast chapter of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) has announced the upcoming 2025 edition of the Face of Umuahia South and Cultural Festival, themed “Our Tradition, Our Pride.”
At a media briefing held in Umuahia, Abia State, the ATPN Southeast Vice President, Amb. Onyedikachi Atulomah-Loveday, revealed that the two-day cultural event will take place on December 28 and 29, 2025, at Apumiri Ubakala, the headquarters of Umuahia South Local Government Area.
Amb. Atulomah-Loveday stated that the festival is designed to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Umuahia South through local cuisine, traditional displays, and talent showcases.
She noted that the event will also serve as a platform to identify and empower individuals of representing the LGA and Abia State in regional and national pageantry.
Organized in partnership with the Mayor of Umuahia South, Engr. Chinedu Enwereuzo, and his council, the festival will kick off on December 28 with a roadshow and an all-night beauty pageant. This will be followed by a cultural carnival on December 29. Attendees are encouraged to wear traditional attire as a symbol of cultural pride and community identity.
Sharing her personal connection to the initiative, Amb. Atulomah-Loveday — an Abia-born, bred, and married indigene described the project as a reflection of her passion for promoting tourism and cultural awareness in her home state.
The pageants will receive cash prizes of ₦500,000 for the winner, ₦400,000 for the first runner-up, and ₦300,000 for the second runner-up, along with other consolation prizes.
The competition is open to all indigenes and residents of Umuahia South, with a registration fee of ₦2,000 per contestant. Each clan and community within the LGA is encouraged to present a representative.
Looking to the future, she hinted at plans to expand the festival across all 17 local government areas in Abia State in subsequent editions.
“I cannot be a face of tourism nationally and regionally without investing my creativity at home,” she said. “This festival is a step toward illuminating our local communities and showcasing their potential.”
Amb. Atulomah-Loveday concluded by calling for widespread public participation and support, expressing optimism for a strong turnout and robust collaboration from stakeholders, communities, and cultural advocates.
