We Need More Empowerment for Communities at Festivals Than Just Entertainment — Sede

Sylvester Sede and a colleague in UK

By Prosper Okoye

Sylvester Sede, founder of the Bayelsa Food and Art Festival, has stated that festivals should be more than mere entertainment.

According to him, festivals should serve to empower local communities and create opportunities for growth.

Sede made this remark after participating in the Festival of Making in Blackburn, United Kingdom, where he joined organizers, artists, and volunteers in planning and running one of the UK’s leading cultural events.

“Festivals can help people earn a living, learn new skills, and feel proud of who they are,” “We need to start seeing them as part of development, not just shows or parties.”Sede said.

At the UK festival, Sede collaborated with other creatives, gaining insight into how logistics, programming, and community partnerships come together to make an event successful.

He also shared the story of the Bayelsa Food and Art Festival with the organizers, presenting a festival-branded T-shirt to Director Lauren Zawadzki as a gesture of friendship and potential collaboration.

He believes Nigerian festivals can become platforms for real impact if properly supported.

“In places like Bayelsa, where jobs are scarce, festivals can support small businesses, promote tourism, and offer young people something positive to engage with,” he said.

Sede noted that his experience in the UK has inspired new ideas to improve the Bayelsa festival, especially regarding planning, engaging diverse groups, and enhancing sustainability.

Plans are now underway to strengthen the Bayelsa Food and Art Festival and explore future collaborations with international partners.