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.

Theophilus Oyebiyi     Omotosho     Budo Egba     TVC Female National Debate     Kwara State Fish Farmers Association     Atiku     Ophthalmological Society Of Nigeria     Olokoba     Benin Republic     Ramadhan     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     Kayode Ogunlowo     Durosinlohun Kawu     Plat Technologies     Olatunji Ayeni     Yekeen Alabi     Samuel Adedoyin     Idowu Aremu     Gbenga Awoyale     Edu     Maigida Soludero Transit     Iyeru Grammar School     Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Afolasade Opeyemi Kemi     Abdulazeez Uthman     Yemi Sanni     Kayode Bankole     Abubakar B.M     Abdulbaqi Jimoh     Mohammed Haruna     Abdulkadir Jimoh     Kehinde Baale     Sulyman Age AbdulKareem     Rashidi Yekini     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Abdulfatai Ahmed     Aisha Gobir     Toyin Falola     Babaloja-General     Abdulganiyu Salahudeen     HICA     Michael Nzwekwe     Mustapha Olanipekun     Dan-Kazeem     Kwara Metro Park     Sulyman Buhari     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Ayobami Seriki     Bureau Of Lands     KWSIEC     Nagode     Eleyele     Kola Olota     Summit University     Yakubu Shaaba     Government High School Adeta     Abiodun Oyedepo     Habeeb Saidu     Yakubu Danladi     Nigerian Correctional Service     Yahaya Seriki     Vasolar-Kwara Company Ltd     Omotoso     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Garba Dogo     ER-KANG Mining     Taofeek Ibraheem     Haruna Tambiri Mohammed     Ope Saraki     Ubandoma     Sobi FM     Aminat Omodara     Hydro-electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission     Lawal Arinola Kudirat     Quran    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Wale Oladepo     Alfa Belgore     Ijagbo Health Centre     Saad Belgore     Yekini Adio     Charcoal     Abubakar Imam     TVC Female National Debate     Yahaya Abdulkareem     Face Masks     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     Pakata Patriots     Abdul Jimoh Mohammed     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Folaranmi Aro     Onilupeju Of Ilupeju     Gbemi Saraki     Abdullateef Abdussalam     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Olabode Towoju     Afetu Of Alabe     Muslim Cementary     Sidikat Akaje     Abubakar Usman Jos     Post-utme     Yusuf Badmus     Sabitiyu Grillo     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Memunat Monsuma     Kwara 2019     UNILORIN Alumni     Lanre Issa-Onilu     Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari     Oluranti Idowu     Musbau A. Akanji     Ilorin Amusement Park     Oyedepo     Ejidongari     Ayinde Oki     Elerin Of Adanla     Split Diamond Interchange     Kwara Metro Park     Oba-Solagberu     Nigerian Correctional Service     Musa Ayinla Yeketi     AGILE Programme     Okedare     Mamman Saba Jibril     Teachers Specific Allowance     Vasolar     Volunteers Of Ilorin Community And The Emirate     Mufutau Olatinwo     Innocent Okoye     Mutawali     Dele Belgore     NURTW     Lafia Aliyu Korasabi     Abdulrazaq Magaji     Tunde Yusuf     March 28     Yusuf Zulu-Gambari     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Y.A. Abdulkareem     Taiwo Joseph     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     Kemi Adeosun     Abdulrosheed Okiki     A.E. Afolabi     Danladi     S.O. Opowoye     Charles Ibitoye     Olatunji Bamgbola     Monthly Sanitation Exercise     Gurei     Suleiman Alege Kuranga