Ijakadi Festival: Lai Mohammed hails revival of centuries-old festival, promises support

Date: 2016-11-17

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has hailed the revival of the centuries-old ''Ijakadi Festival'' by the Offa Kingdom in Kwara State, assuring that the festival will be one of the beneficiaries of the training for festival managers being planned by the Ministry in collaboration with its partners.

The Minister gave the assurance in Abuja on Wednesday when he received a delegation of the Offa Descendants Union (ODU), which came to formally invite him to the festival, scheduled for Offa 29 Dec. 2016, on behalf of the town's monarch.

He said the decision to revive the traditional wrestling festival, which dates back to the 14th century, is in line with the ongoing efforts by the present administration to leverage on the creative industries in the diversification of the nation's economy.

Alhaji Mohammed said the festival has the potentials to attract domestic and international tourists to Offa, thus impacting positively on the economy of the town and the state.

''We will provide the enabling environment for the festival, as well as similar ones across the country, to achieve their full potentials,'' the Minister said, adding that he was ''humbled and honoured'' to receive the delegation that was led by ODU President, Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin.

While accepting the invitation to attend the festival, he commended the ''resilience, honour, principle and industry'' of the Offa people, saying the qualities are responsible for the uniqueness of the town.

Speaking earlier, the ODU President urged the federal government to support the festival to enable it achieve its full potentials and boost culture and tourism in the community as well as the entire Kwara State.

''We want the Ijakadi Festival to be included in the list of festivals being promoted by the Ministry because of its rich cultural content,'' said Alhaji Yasin, who noted that his delegation came to invite the Minister as a Special Guest of Honour.

While congratulating the Minister on the first anniversary of his assumption of office, the ODU President commended him for bringing to his new assignment the same passion with which he successfully carried out his responsibility as the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Ijakadi Festival, which was revived in 2012 after a three-decades lull, reinforces a tradition that encourages strength and determination, in addition to addressing the notion of equality among the indigenes of Offa.

Also on the ODU delegation were the 1st Vice President of ODU, Alhaji Bashir Adetokun Adepoju; the ODU Treasurer, Mrs. Mulikat Aliyu, and the ODU Secretary-General, Chief (Mrs) Wasilat Tinuke Macarthy,

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Florence Saraki     Ahmad Lawan     Khadijat Ayoola Yusuf     Kpotum Mohammed Baba     Jelili Yusuf     Ileloke     Alaaya     Musa Aibinu     Kwara Liberation Group     Muhammad Fawaz Abubakar     Hassan A. Saliu     Abiodun Musa Aibinu     Saheed Popoola     Dairo Kunle Paul     Millennium Development Goals     Joseph Daudu     Islamic Development Bank     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Moses Afolayan     Oke-Ero     NAWOJ     Arca Santa     Aliyu Umar     Agbarere     Abdulrauf Yusuf     Lotus Bank     Ado Ibrahim     Ilorin.Info     Aisha Ahman Pategi     Yusuf Lanre Badmus     Post-utme     Bisi Oyeleke     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     Ibrahim Akaje     Oniye     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     KWTV     Oba Sulaiman Asude     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Sola Saraki University     Ilorin Like-Minds     Yakubu Mohammed Abdullahi     Iyabo Adewuyi     Abubakar Aliagan     Mohammed Abduraheem     Mohammed Kamaludeen     Bilikis Oladimeji     A.O. Belgore     Modupe Oluwole     Mustapha AbdulGaniyu     Isiaka Saka Opobiyi     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Esinrogunjo     Olomu     Abubakar Usman Jos     Fatimoh Lawal     UITH     Akeem Lawal     Taofeek Ibraheem     Diagnostic Centre     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Shehu Salau     Face Masks     Frootify     Olayinka Olaogun     Busari Alabi Alausa     Matthew Babaoye     Omoniyi M. Ayinla     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye     Ridwan Agboola     Unilorin FM     Amada Jidda     Na\'Allah     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Mohammed Alabi Lawal    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Abdulrahman Iliasu     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     Bello Oyebanji     Iyabo Adewuyi     Women Radio     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     Tunji Ajanaku     Kulende     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Tunde Oyawoye     NFAI     Kwara State Television     Tafidan Kaiama     Toun Okewale-Sonaiya     Ademola Kiyesola     Ballah     Kwara State Fire Service     Hausa     Aliyu Muhammed     Balogin Alanamu     Eleja Taiwo Banu     International Vocational Centre     Ogbondoroko     Facebook     Abubakar Usman Jos     Fatima Abolore Jimoh     Moses Salami     Bukola Ajikobi     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     UNILORIN Alumni     Galland Marcias     Ibrahim Taiwo Road     Akom Construction And Engineering Synergy Ltd     Aliyu Umar     Paul Odama     Kwara Metro Park     Kumbi Titilope     Post Utme     Abdul Jimoh Mohammed     Ndakene     Okin Biscuit     Al-Hikmah University     Oko     EFCC     Ilorin Like-Minds     Kwara South     Afonja     Chief Of Staff     Kale Belgore     NITDA     Ibrahim Sulu Gambari     IHS     Code Of Conduct     Asa LGEA School     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Oke Sunna     Council Of The Wise     Unicontinental Construction Company     Jimba Babatunde     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     SSUCOEN     Ilorin Talaka Parapo     Issa Memunat Moyosore     Yaru     Tanke Road     Ronke Adeyemi     NYSC     Aro Yahaya     Economic And Financial Crimes Commission     Sunday Otokiti     Aliyu Muhammad Saifudeen     Lola Ashiru     Aishat Sulu-Gambari     Muhammadu Gobir     Alfa Belgore     Senior Special Assistant On Student Affairs