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Abia Rising Festival A Celebration of Creativity & Entertainment
Abia Rising Festival 2026 Emblem
OCTOBER 2026 ABA, ABIA STATE
Marcus Events Place Limited

About Abia Rising
Festival 2026

10+Years
50+Artists
10K+Attendees
5+Days
Who We Are
Our Mission, Mandate & Values

Our Mission

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At Marcus Place Events, our mission is to elevate African culture, arts, and music onto global stages- creating unforgettable experiences that celebrate our heritage, empower creatives, and connect the African diaspora worldwide.

Our Mandate

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To discover and promote authentic African talent in music, art, dance, and fashion. To produce World-class culture events, concerts, festivals and exhibitions in the US, Africa and beyond. To create commercial platforms and sponsorship opportunities for African creatives to earn and grow. To bridge Africa and the diaspora through cultural exchange and collaboration To preserve African heritage while presenting it in a modern, profitable and global format

Our Values

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The MARCUS Way M-Mastery: We deliver excellence in every event production. A-Authenticity: We showcase real African culture with pride and integrity R- Respect: We respect every culture, artist, and audience C- Community: We build community, not just crowds U- Unity: We unite Africans at home and abroad through arts S- Success: We make sure our artists, partners, and sponsors succeed

Our Vision
Where We're Going
Marcus Events Place Limited, Founding Charter
The Road Ahead
What We Aim to Achieve
01

Pan-Nigerian Presence

Expand the Abia Rising Festival to three additional states by 2028, making it a truly national cultural celebration.

02

Digital & Hybrid Events

Build world-class live-streaming infrastructure to reach 500,000+ virtual attendees globally by 2027.

03

Corporate Partnerships

Establish 20+ tier-one corporate sponsor relationships to fund free community events and youth talent programmes.

04

Youth Empowerment

Launch the Marcus Rising Youth Initiative — skills training, mentorship, and funding for 1,000 young creatives annually.

05

Permanent Festival Centre

Develop a dedicated 5,000-capacity Festival Centre in Aba, Abia State, as the permanent home of the festival.

06

Sustainable Productions

Achieve carbon-neutral event production across all programmes by 2027 through green vendor policies and zero-waste initiatives.

Our Journey
A Decade of Excellence
2015

Founded

Marcus Events Place Limited established in Aba, Abia State, with a bold vision to celebrate culture through world-class events.

2017

First Major Festival

The inaugural Abia Rising Festival draws over 3,000 attendees and earns national media coverage for its cultural depth and organisation.

2019

Corporate Sponsorship

First tier-one corporate sponsors signed, enabling free community concerts and expanded award categories for cultural excellence.

2021

Going Digital

Launched hybrid streaming, bringing Abia Rising to 20,000+ virtual attendees across Nigeria and the diaspora.

2023

Record Attendance

The 2023 edition sets a record with 8,000 on-ground attendees, 15 award categories, and performances from 30+ artists.

2026

Grand Anniversary

The 2026 edition marks over a decade of excellence — our biggest, boldest festival yet, with international artists and global live-streaming.

Leadership
The Board & Our Team
Prince Oliver Nkuku
Chief Executive Officer
Prince Oliver Nkuku
Chief Executive Officer

Prince Oliver Nkuku, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Place Events, a dynamic cultural enterprise dedicated to promoting African culture, arts, and music through world-class festivals, concerts, and creative experiences. A respected business leader and community advocate, Prince Nkuku previously served as Vice President of Tri-County Regional Chamber of Commerce Texas where he championed business growth, entrepreneurship, community development. He is an accomplished business Owner with a strong background in management, leadership, and strategic partnerships.

Mrs Ajoke Flora Oni
Managing Director
Mrs Ajoke Flora Oni

Mrs Ajoke Flora Oni is a highly respected Tourism professional with a career spanning over three decades in public service. She retired as Director of Tourism, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Art & Culture. Having contributed immensely to tourism policy, development and promotion in Lagos State

Mr. Marcus Nkuku
Executive Director
Mr. Marcus Nkuku

Mr. Marcus Nkuku heads programming, artist relations, and festival logistics. His meticulous attention to details in the entertainment space in Texas ensures every production meets the highest standards.

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General Manager
Miss Chidinma Obi

Miss Chidinma Obi manages vendor relations, operations coordination, and on-ground logistics across all festival sites. Her background in project management ensures seamless delivery from setup to strike.

David Ukemena
Technology Lead
David Ukemena

David Ukemena, an IT Engineer has driven Technology and Innovative narrative of Marcus Events Place across the internet and other digital platform.

Team
Partners
Team

Team VVS Lagos (Creative & Fashion Direction) and ImagiNation Agency (Festival Operations & Logistics)