The 2025 Edmonton Heritage Festival witnessed vibrant cultural representation by Nigerian residents, who proudly shared their rich heritage with the Canadian community.
Speaking to Voice of Nigeria, the President of the Nigerian Canadian Association of Edmonton (NCAE), Dr Chris Chukwuma, described the event as a platform for cultural exchange, promotion, and integration.
“Nigeria participates because we showcase our culture there. We bring our music, we bring dance, and we bring our variety of foods. We have found out in the last several years that more and more people love Nigerian food, more and more people come to watch Nigerian dance,” he stated.
Ojeleye, General Secretary of NCAE, expressed excitement over the turnout of Nigerians at the annual festival, which celebrates music, arts, and cuisines from diverse nations.
“It is really an honour to see Nigerians coming around to showcase what we have and to see what we cook.
For our food, we have the jollof rice, which is not comparable to any other jollof rice. We have suya, which is our special, also pepper soup, fried fish, puff-puff, and plantain. It’s nice when you have people coming around and celebrating,” he said.
Kufre Akpan, an oilfield welding inspection and quality control expert who has lived in Canada for two decades, praised Nigerians for their laudable contributions to Canadian society, noting that they are known “for hard work, natural endowment with intelligence, creativity, and skills.”
“Most of us are job producers. We have attained a level of academic excellence in everything. In Alberta, we walk with our heads held high and we’re so proud of what we have contributed to this province, the city, and the country as a whole. We are very proud to be Nigerians here,” he said.
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The Nigerian presence at the festival showcased the community’s creativity, talent, and commitment to preserving cultural identity through music, dance, cuisine, and traditional attire. It reflected the beauty of diversity and promoted the festival’s spirit of cultural exchange and celebration.
Uduak Akpan, a nuclear physicist and General Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Association of Nigeria, Edmonton, said the festival is a platform through which the Canadian Government recognises citizens from diverse heritages and backgrounds.
“The government of Canada completely understands the value that people from different cultures, countries, and continents bring to Canada. In Canada, we say that people have come from different seas and from different ships in different seasons.
So whatever sea you came from, whatever season you came in, the Canadian Government embraces you, welcomes you, and recognises you. The Heritage Festival is an opportunity for the Canadian Government, especially here in Alberta, to showcase the different cultures in Canada and in Alberta,” she said.
She added that the festival is also a “veritable platform to foster cultural diplomacy.”
“One of the avenues where all citizens from different heritages and backgrounds are recognised is the Heritage Festival, which is why Nigeria has a perfectly beautiful pavilion and displays its culture, its heritage, its music, its food, its dance, its people, its clothing everything authentically Nigerian at the Heritage Festival.”
Dr Uwem Okome, a Child, Youth, and Family Counsellor and President of the Akwa Ibom State Association of Nigeria, Edmonton, noted that the cultural imprints shared by Nigerians fostered cross-cultural understanding and helped other communities gain deeper insight into Nigeria’s rich traditions.
“It helps people to understand Nigerians. It showcases the unity that exists within the Nigerian community, the values of coming together, and it kind of helps other cultures respect us because it shows that we have a rich culture and we are proud of our culture,” she affirmed.
Overview
The 2025 Edmonton Heritage Festival featured participation from 66 countries, with Nigeria’s colourful pavilion providing a vibrant centre for cultural exchange, integration, and entertainment.
Cultural diplomacy is a key component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, part of Nigeria’s foreign strategy to enhance its global image and foster stronger international relations.
Implementation strategies include promoting Nigerian culture abroad, engaging with the diaspora, and encouraging partnerships in tourism and culinary arts.
NCAE’s bold participation in the heritage festival aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda’s emphasis on showcasing Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage to build positive global perceptions and strengthen ties with other nations through cross-cultural understanding.
The cultural diplomacy demonstrated by NCAE further supports President Tinubu’s efforts to reposition Nigeria as a viable global investment destination fostering cultural relations, enhancing Nigeria’s soft power, and promoting peaceful integration.
The Nigerian Canadian Association of Edmonton is a nonprofit, community-based organisation fostering peace, harmony, and friendship through social, cultural, and educational activities to promote the greatness of Nigeria within the Canadian community.
Its members actively contribute to nation-building in both Canada and Nigeria, support the social and psychological well-being of NCAE members, and promote Nigerian arts and culture.