Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, Deputy, flanked by dignitaries cutting the cake to mark the inauguration of Twin festival in Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday 2nd December, 2021.
By Contributor
An annual twin festival tagged “TWINFEST” has been inaugurated in Akwa Ibom State.
The event which took place at Ibom Unity Park, Udo Udoma Avenue on Wednesday December 2, was performed by the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.
Presenting his address during the event, the managing director of Kendou Nig. Ltd. and the progenitor of “TWINFEST’ in the state Mr. Offiong Edet Akpan, said the event is predicated on the need to eradicate all forms of discrimination against twins and multiple births and bring them at par with others in the society.
Mr. Offiong noted that Mary Mitchell Slessor, a Scottish decent neither married nor had a child but was so passionate for souls and this, accounting to Mr. Akpan instigated her to save the society from inhuman and traumatized activities occasioned by what he described as genocidal culture of killing of twins and multiple birth babies, while their mothers were banished to unknown ebbs.
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“Mary Slessor was moved by the trepidation surrounding the killing of twins and multiple births and so she sacrificed everything she had including her life to save humanity from the unfortunate carnage ‘
Mr. Akpan said her exceptional work in this regard resonates now with the United Nations ‘goal of wiping off all forms of discrimination against man irrespective of circumstances of birth. The managing director of Kendou Nig. Ltd called on the state government to provide enabling environment for a successful implementation of the annual celebration of twins in the state .
Earlier, Mr Offiong Akpan while interacting with media men in his office said ‘Twinfest’ is just an aspect of Ibom Tourism Village project which he said would soon come into operation in Akwa Ibom State.
Mr. Akpan said plans have been concluded with investors to acquire a vast expand of land in Ibiono Ibom and Itu local government areas for the Tourism Village Project which he said will promote several tourism activities in the state including Wild Life Reserve.
On short and long term benefits of the project, Mr. Akpan said not less than one million twins and other tourists are expected across the globe to grace the TWINFEST event annually saying, this will generate enormous revenue for government and provide employment opportunities to the teaming youths in the state.
Mr. Akpan used the occasion to commend the state governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel for his industrialization drive and his open door policy on investment in the state.
He described Governor Emmanuel as a man of peace with honest attributes which he said has translated to the prosperity which the state is currently witnessing in all facets of her socio-economic endeavours.
Meanwhile, Christmas activities have commenced at Ibom Christmas Village following cutting of Christmas Cake by the State Governor, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel to set the tone for this year’s Christmas activities in the state.
