Awarawari’rawa … performing statehood for unity in the Nigerian National Festival of Arts and Culture

In 1970, when the first edition of the Nigerian National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) was organized, the primary aim was to provide a platform to stimulate national healing and unity for a country that had just emerged from a civil war. The festival is one of the mechanisms which the Federal Government of Nigeria devised to combat the challenges that cultural diversity poses to the country. The primary aim of NAFEST is to nurture a sense of belonging among Nigerians, through a showcase of the diverse arts and culture of Nigeria. In agreement with the argument of some scholars that mere celebration of festivals is inadequate to promote national unity among citizens, this article connects to the Yoruba Awarawari’rawa concept and the theory of statehood to seek the negotiation of unity in NAFEST activities. The paper establishes the NAFEST ideology and classifies the contents of the festival. It also identifies the channels through which the festival drives its set goal of national cohesion. The study employs the participant-observation and interview techniques as instruments for the harvest of data. It is our finding that the NAFEST ideology of statehood and national unity is consciously manifested in the various activities of the festival. The paper concludes by advocating for intensified collective actions of the festival organizers and participants, to increase grassroot participation at the festival, so as to ensure a wider reach for the NAFEST message of national unity.