Cultural Tourism And Its Imperativeness Of Achieving Sustainable Development: A Case Study Of Uzoiyi Masquerade Festival In Umuoji, Anambra State.

Abstract

This article seeks to evaluate and document the Uzoiyi Festival; one of the renowned festivals in Anambra State, Nigeria. An attempt to bring to highlight the imperativeness and relevance of the festival towards sustainable tourism development is the main focal point. The Festival, as the roadmap to cultural tourism showcases the rich cultural heritage of the people. The Uzoiyi Festival exhibits different kind of masquerades using both animal and human motifs and, displaying the artistic ingenuity and innovation of the communities.  It is a festival that would be well cherished by tourists because it creates an avenue to display African art and modernize African tradition. Margaret (1970) observed “African art to be a great art, worthy of a place among the other great arts of the world; yet it is not easy to study it for neither actual materials or comprehensive books on the subject are easily accessible to the students”. Imonikebe (2008:112) views African traditional festivals to be relevant mostly in their aesthetic arts. Christianity seems to have had a negative influence on the rich cultural value of this Festival. The relevant of the Uzoiyi Festival is in the display of African aesthetics, the showcasing of the rich and dynamic African culture and for the correction of societal ills. There is need to create awareness to the Christendom. The work centred on the use of descriptive survey method and written document. Based on the findings, the study recommend that the State and Federal tourism board takes over the featuring so as to have international standard.

Keywords: Uzoiyi, Festival, Masquerade, Tourism, Sustainable.