On December 12, 2025, the historic town of Abagana in Anambra State, Nigeria became the heart of a powerful cultural homecoming. CISA-FEST 2025, organized by the Council of Igbo States in the Americas (CISA), was far more than a festival — it was a global reunion of African descendants, many tracing their roots back to ancestors torn from their homelands during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The event’s mission: to honor that past while strengthening present-day connections across continents and cultures.
Visionary Leadership at the Helm
At the forefront of this transformative gathering was Dr. (Mrs.) Uzoamaka Josephine Aguoji, President of CISA and the first female president in the organization’s history. With her deep commitment to cultural unity and heritage preservation, Dr. Aguoji has steered CISA toward meaningful global engagement, emphasizing reunion, recognition, and celebration of African cultural identity.
Working alongside her was Onowu Chief Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Regent and traditional leader of Abagana and Chair of the CISA Governing Council. His role as chief host helped anchor the festival in the spiritual and historical soil of Nigeria, creating a powerful homecoming experience for diaspora visitors. Facebook
Dignitaries and Cultural Champions
CISA-FEST brought together an inspiring lineup of leaders and cultural influencers:
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Dr. (Mrs.) Uzoamaka Aguoji – President, CISA and principal host, whose vision has united communities across the Americas and Africa.
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Onowu Chief Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze – Chair of the CISA Governing Council and Chief Host in Abagana.
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Vice Board Chairman Onye Nze Amadiebube Mbama, who helped open the festival and support organizational leadership.
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Dr. Juan Avila Abrahams, featured as a special guest and expert in law and human rights — bringing a global perspective to discussions of identity and justice.
Their presence, alongside community elders, cultural custodians, and diaspora representatives, underscored the festival’s significance as both cultural celebration and reclaiming of heritage.
A Festival of Reconnection and Celebration
The theme of the day — “Oganiru Ifediiche (Positive Impact)” — captured the festival’s deeper purpose: to create a lasting, uplifting connection between African descendants and the land, culture, and people of their ancestors. Attendees from across the globe gathered under bright skies to celebrate music, dance, ritual, storytelling, and tradition, all woven with the shared threads of identity and resilience.
For many participants, this wasn’t just a festival — it was a homecoming with emotional weight. Families reconnected with long-lost roots, discovered ancestral ties, and stood on Nigerian soil with reverence. It was a chapter of healing and reclamation, echoing the journeys of those before them whose stories were marked by displacement but whose legacies endure.
Why It Matters
CISA-FEST 2025 aligns with a broader movement of cultural reunification — similar in spirit to initiatives like Nigeria’s Door of Return, which invites African descendants back to the continent in recognition of shared history and heritage. Events like these transcend celebration; they promote identity affirmation, historical consciousness, and global community building.
Under the leadership of women and men committed to cultural unity, CISA-FEST has become more than a festival — it is a living testament to the power of heritage to bind families, communities, and continents. As attendees depart with memories, friendships, and deeply felt connections, the legacy of this homecoming will continue to grow, inspiring future generations to honor the paths of their ancestors and carry forward their stories into tomorrow.
