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.

Monthly Sanitation Exercise     Suleman Abubakar     Flights To Ilorin     Bola Olukoju     Baba Issa Awoye     Ibikunle Ogunleye     Salau Kabiru Abdullahi     SARS     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Onikijipa     Trade Lenda SME Fair     Matthew Babaoye     Bayo Lawal     Azeez Salawu     AGILE Programme     Jebba     Hassan Taiye Salam     Hakeem Lawal     Yusuf Aiyedun     Gbenga Adebayo     Ibrahim Sulu Gambari     New Naira Notes     Busari Toyin Isiaka     Saidu Isa     Emir Of Shonga     Mary Arinde     Taofeeq Olateju     Abdulwahab Oba     Lithium Deposit     Idiagbon     Maryam A. Garuba     Bilikisu Oniyangi     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Galadiman Ngeri     Young Progressives Party     Taofik Abdulkareem Babaita     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Overland     Kola Bukoye     Firdaos Amasa     Shehu Adaramaja     Modibbo Kawu     Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board     Saad Omo\'ya     Oba Of Jebba     Valsolar-Kwara Company Limited     Kawu     Abdulrazaq Sanni     Olanrewju Okanlawon Musa     Rebecca Olanrewaju     Nigerian Medical Association     Atunwa     Babaloja-General     Abdulwahab Ololele     Pakata Development Association     Ilorin Airport     Age AbdulKareem     Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja     Olomu     Akanbi-Oke     Kawu Baraje     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Ilorin Water Reticulation     AGM Professional Services     Abdulkareem Alabi     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Akanji     SAPZ Project     Taofeek Ibraheem     First Lady     PAACO-PCL Consortium     Centre For Digital Economy     Rabiu Kwankwaso     Amina Susa\'a De Ahmed     Trader Moni     Erin-ile    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Ibrahim Taiwo     Obuh     Oye Tinuoye     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Moses Adekanye     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     All Peoples Party     Yakubu Mohammed Abdullahi     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Mary Kemi Adeosun     Read With Me     YAKOOYO     Gobir Organization Foundation     Suleiman Ajadi     Tayo Alao     Sobi Hill     Isiaq Khadeejah     Jumoke Gafar     Police Commissioner     Kayode Issa     Siddiq Adebayo Idowu Salawu     Adedeji Onimago     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     Folaranmi Aro     Senate Presidency     Smart School     Amule Elementary School     Atiku Abubakar     Ibrahim Abiodun     Atiku     Soffiyyallah Kamaldeen     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     Fareedah Dankaka     Oko-Olowo     TIC     Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab     TIIDELab     Mike Omotosho     Kwara 2019     Tafida Of Kaiama     Mohammed Ibrahim     Orisa Bridge     Ilorin South Constituency     Mubarak Oladosu     Amusement Park     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Gabriel Fashanu     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Abubakar Atiku     Ben Duntoye     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Micheal Imoudu     Ilorin Anchor Men And Women     Shettima     Aliyu Kora-Sabi     Bilikisu Gambari     Maja     Ajuloopin     Erin-ile     Bola Olukoju     Gbugbu     Amusa Bello     Convocation Ceremonies     Ibrahim Sulu Gambari     Yahaya A Paniyaro     Saraki     Ahmed Bayero     Bello Taoheed Abubakar     Kolawole Akande     Emir Of Shonga     Trader Moni     Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Lotus Bank     Ramadhan     Osinbajo     Muritala Awodun