The State Ministry Of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy has bestowed the honour of Cultural Ambassador on the president of Ehizoya Golden Entertainment e.V, based in Frankfurt, Germany Ambassador Isaac Izoya.
Presenting the award to Ambassador Izoya in his office, the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hon. Chris Okaeben, said the award was in recognition of Izoya ‘s unalloyed commitment to promoting Edo culture and values to the world, saying that his antecedence has been inspiring and worthy of emulation.
Responding, the elated awardee, Ambassador Isaac Izoya, said, the award was a lifetime blessing he would never forget in a hurry because it was coming from home of culture and land of his birth.
He maintained that the gesture had sent a message to others in the diaspora on the need to promote the good sides of Nigeria, as no stranger knows our story more than us, so, Nigerians shouldn’t let strangers tell our stories wrongly.
The Cultural Ambassador further said, the award had shown that what they have been doing Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG) and the Nollywood Europe Golden Awards (NEGA) is recognized and have been able to counter the narrative of people in the diaspora concerning how good works were being viewed with neglects by leaders at home.
Ambassador Izoya expressed profound appreciation to the Honourable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Chris Okaeben, for considering him worthy of the honour. He noted that the recognition has further motivated him to continue projecting the positive image of the people of Nigeria and Africa at large.
Speaking about his work in cultural entertainment, Ambassador Izoya, described his efforts as part of an “image cleansing” initiative carried out through the annual Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG) and the Nollywood Europe Golden Awards (NEGA). Both platforms are organized by Ehizoya Golden Entertainment e.V., the cultural organization he leads as President. Reaffirming the organization’s motto, “The Show Must Go On,” he stressed his unwavering commitment to promoting Nigerian culture and enhancing the country’s global image.
Izoya further described the honour from his home state, Edo State, Nigeria, as a renewed source of energy and inspiration. He assured stakeholders and supporters that his best contributions are still ahead.
The major highlight of the occasion was the presentation of the award to Ambassador Isaac Izoya by the Honourable Commissioner of the State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Chris Okaeben. The impromptu ceremony was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Iryn Omorogiuwa, Esq., and Prince Patrick Oronsaye—an art historian and researcher who commented on the potential in Isaac Izoya and endorsed him as the State’s cultural ambassador to represent the state across the Schengen nations after listening to his presentation.
Commissioner Okaeben noted that just few minutes of Izoya’s presentation convinced him of the Cultural ambassadors preparedness to project the Edo culture to the world
This recent development is a dream come true for Ambassador Izoya marking the beginning of a new chapter in Edo State’s cultural diplomacy and diaspora engagement.
