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.

International Public Sector Accounting Standards     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Kolade Solagberu     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Taofeeq Olateju     Mahmud Babatunde Baker     Babata     Danladi     Toyosi Thomas     Babs Iwarere     Buhari     Dele Momodu     Haruna Olawale Sulaiman     Abdulraheem Olesin     Abdulwahab Ololele     CELF     Dorcas Afeniforo     Saka Keji     Neuropsychiatric Hospital     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange     Quareeb     Ayinde Oyepitan     Bisi Oyeleke     Ridwan Agboola     Bukola Ajikobi     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     Mike Omotosho     Folorunsho Alao     IPSAS     New Naira Notes     Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria     Hausa     Oloyede     Omu-aran     Christopher Odetunde     Sanusi Abubakar     Sheikh Ariyibi     Irepodun     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Ishola Abdullahi     Kwha.gov.ng     Kumbi Titiloye     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Mohammed Yahaya Barki     Sidikat Alaya     Amusa Bello     Ganmo     Share/Tsaragi     Emir Of Kano     Radio SBS     Moses Salami     New Model Police Station     Abiodun Oyedepo     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Titus Ashaolu     Lawal Jimoh     Al-Hikmah Radio     Offorjama     Bluenile Associates     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Facemasks     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Ibrahim Sulu Gambari     Tsaragi     Yakubu Shaaba     Femi Ogunsola     Oloriegbe     Rueben Parejo     Funmi Salau     Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah     Mohammed Saidu     Labour Party     Just Event Online     Atiku Abubakar     Abdulquawiy Olododo     Ilorin Like-Minds    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Fatai Adeniyi Garba     Ahmed \'Lateef     Oniye     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Kwara     Balikis Jawondo     Women Radio     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Magaji Erubu     Turaki     Press Release     Toyin Abdullahi     Valsolar Consortium     Sola Saraki University     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Bola Olukoju     Abubakar Suleiman     Segun Ogunsola     Justina Oha     Olabode George Towoju     Abiodun Abdulkareem     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Afin Descendants Union Of Odo-Owa     Muhammed Aliyu     Femi Agbaje     KSIRS     Abubakar Baba     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Gbenga Olawepo     Ibrahim Abdulkadir Abikan     Mahmud Babatunde Baker     IF-K     Rafiu Olasile     Isaac Gbenle     Communication Network Support Services     Amina Susa\'a De Ahmed     Adamu B. Yaqubu     Babatunde Ishola Babaita     Isiaka Abdulrazak     KWIRS     Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani     Students Union Government     Kehinde Boyede     Maryam Nurudeen     Ilorin     RTEAN     Adebara     Ogidi-Oloje     Prince Mahe Abdulkadir     Tunde Oyawoye     John Mayokun Dada     Reuben Paraje     Odogun Olushola Gabriel     Hamza Usman     Ahmad Lawan     2017 Budget     Ilorin International Airport     United Nigeria Congress Party     Public Holiday     Ebola     AbdulKareem Yusuf Danhawa     Alao Ayotunde     Royal FM     John Olajide Adedipe     Kwara TV     Okala Baba     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     Code Of Conduct Tribunal     Okiki     Aremu Bose Deborah     Savannah Centre For Diplomacy, Democracy And Development     Hijaab     March 28     Saliu Mustapha     Olatunde Oyeyiola     Garment Factory     KwaraLearn