By Amaka Ifeakandu
Lagos
Heritage Bank Plc has partnered with the organizers of the International Festival of Contemporary Dance (IFCOD) to host the second edition of One Language, a musical production of intrigue, dance and drama.
The partnership according to the bank is part of the Bank’s commitment to the growth and socio-economic development of Nigeria’s creative industry,
The essence of the musical production is to unite humanity across the world and it was staged at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos over the weekend following its successful debut in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital in 2016.
Heritage Bank is supporting the creative industry because of its significant contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the country. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said recently that the industry contributed more than $16 billion to the newly rebased GDP of the country in 2016.
Head of Content and Digital, Heritage Bank, Mr. Chibuike Agu, said the bank partnered with the organisers of IFCOD because dance and drama connect with the heritage of the Nigerian people, remarking that dance is one of the diverse ways of reflecting the culture of a people and depicts culture in its entirety.
In her welcome address, the Convener of IFOCD, Mrs. Elo Inyeinengi-Etomi, said “IFCOD is you and I, it is our shared pain and joy. It is our struggle to be heard and seen. It is the realization of our dreams. It is the realization of kindred spirit. It is us speaking one language.”
She said IFOCD as a platform meant different things to different people, adding that “it is a means to empower youths, a medium to share our story, a haven for talent, a place for rehabilitation and social integration, a connection hub, an interdisciplinary melting pot and pure gift of life.”
Etomi said IFCOD came into being because of her aspiration for people to appreciate the performing arts not only as a form of entertainment but also as a tool of socio-economic development.
In a goodwill message, Mr. George Etomi, said IFCOD has continued to raise the level of cultural awareness through dance and drama by presenting ‘One Language’ and ‘Dance of the Rivers’ in Lagos at a time when the ‘centre of excellence’ was celebrating its 50 years of existence.
