… Crave for return of bonding, integration of children of all backgrounds
A multimillion naira event has been lined up in Port Harcourt for children as part of plans by entertainment investors to help create bonding opportunities for young persons in the Garden City.
The funfair is said to target 7,000 children that must come from both the rich and poor to create integration.
Officials and experts behind the Port Harcourt ‘Super Summer Blast’ expected to hold on September 5, 2025, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that those who seek fun in the Garden City these days must go look for it or even create it.
Addressing newsmen, Oby-Ivy Nia-Fakae, director of event (OxygenIvy), explained that the objective is to create a place where children feel accepted, whether from big or small backgrounds. “It is to help them enter next class with enthusiasm and confidence.”
OxygenIvy is said to be a brand positioned in the MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions] sector, committed to producing quality events, providing communications consultancy, and creating learning solutions.
According to the ace broadcaster, the event scheduled to hold at the expansive Polo Club grounds in the New GRA area of Port Harcourt is designed to create inter-family mingling, fun for children, and a huge opportunity for young people.
Most persons in Port Harcourt complain that opportunities no longer exist for children from unequal and varying backgrounds to meet and mix. Instead, the society now seems to create different schools, residential locations, transportation systems, and even churches for the rich and poor. They argue that this seems to have created a society where the have-nots appear to harbour distaste for the haves.
The organisers of the upcoming Port Harcourt Summer Blast however told newsmen that competitions in various games, cooking, spelling, etc, would be staged for children from different backgrounds to test strength.
Nia-Fakae said the event would hold at the close of summer holidays when students would be priming their minds to return to studies.
She commended those organising events and creating content in Port Harcourt, saying they keep the city alive.
She stated: “The society is full of sore losers. We want to create a people that lose but laugh over it.”
She went on to state that the objective is to force families to compete together. “Children want to bond with their families. It will promote unity and interactions between families and children of varying backgrounds without segregation.
“It is sad that children of the rich and poor no longer have opportunities to mix because they live in separate locations based on class, different schools for the rich and the poor, etc. She said these things keep children away from each other and create a system of hate and rejection.
To help create bonding and restore integration, they explained, events need to be frequently organized in the Garden City for children and young people so the city can begin to bubble and show love.
The organisers assured of topnotch security saying where children were to come together, every effort must be made to protect each of them.
She said every child must be under the purview of a guardian, for which reason, accompanying adults would not be required to buy tickets. “We expect up to 7,000 children and about 2000 adults, but we will not admit more than planned for, so, there won’t be stampede.”
Nia’Bari Fakae, the director’s husband, who is the Director of Communications and Event Producer, explained that sponsors have indicated preparedness to pay for children of the less-privileged to participate in the funfair. This is said to be in an effort to promote integration in the city.
He said planning was still in progress and that more partners were still signing on so that the event would deliver value to help restore Port Harcourt to its garden city status.
He explained detailed efforts to make the event a success with experts volunteering to contribute value, and mentioned the likes of Buchi Rafua (Head of Content Team), Victoria Banigo (Project Planner), Ayo Olaoluwa (Head Digital Media), and Darion Dike (assisting in content).
