The chairperson of Omagongo Cultural Festival organising committee, Ananias Nashilongo, says although the annual event has been called off, there will be no monetary refunds to those who made pledges and bought gala dinner tickets.

The chairperson of the festival told New Era this week that the pandemic prompted the organising committee to cancel the event until 2021 and all contributions made toward the event will be carried over to next year.

“Those who bought tickets will not be refunded, we will just renew their tickets next year because we have recorded all the people who bought tickets and those who have made pledges. Everything will be carried over to next year,” explained Nashilongo.

He said although they are concerned about huge financial losses due to the cancellation, they are hopeful in 2021, everything will happen according to plan.

The committee has called on members of the public who enjoy Omagongo to approach Peter Amadhila and purchase some for consumption.

He said more than 30 000 litres were collected and are currently stored in refrigerators at different localities around town. 

“We are now selling all the collected litres of the Omagongoand urge residents to go and buy. If they come with their containers, the prices will be reduced but without containers the price increases with N$50,” he said.

Meanwhile, he apologises to parents who prepared their children to participate in Olufuko, saying this event was also postponed to next year.

Olufuko is an annual festival held in Outapi, in the Omusati region. It was officially opened 23 August 2012 by Founding President Sam Nujoma. It is an initiation where girls between the ages of 15 to 20 are prepared for womanhood.

– ljason@nepc.com.na