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.

Gbenga Awoyale     Umar Sanda Yusuf     IEDPU     Oluranti Idowu     Kayode Laro     Col. Adedipe     Firdaos Amasa     TESCOM     Abubakar Aliagan     Olayinka Oladapo Jogunola     Bello Bature     Jeunkunu-Malete-Bani     JSSCE     Alaaya     Ndama Al-hassan     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Idi-Ape     Bello John Olanrewaju     Ajase-Ipo     Aiyedun     Shero     Bello Oyedepo     Tayo Alao     College Of Health     Adisa Logun     Ibrahim Orire     Elewu     Gbemi Saraki     Hajj     Wahab Femi Agbaje     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Kwara 2015     Lawal Jimoh     Abdulwahab Olarewaju Issa     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Congress For National Consensus     Gbugbu     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Ibraheem Abdullateef     Ajidagba     Kayode Issa     Mufutau Olatinwo     Oke-Ero     Salman Alada     Crystal Corner Shops     College Of Arabic And Islamic Legal Studies     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Federal Allocation     Muftau Akanbi Oke     Temi Kolawole     Iyabo Adisa Ibiyeye     Ilorin East     Ahmad Lawan     Shuaib Jawondo     Kehinde Boyede     Oba-Solagberu     Abdulrazaq Solihudeen     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     Abdulraufu Mustapha     Yusuf Amuda Aluko     Bureau Of Lands     Olabode Towoju     Ayobola Ipinlaiye     CACOVID     Jamila Bio Ibrahim     Agbarere     Valsolar     KWSIEC     Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs     Abubakar Abdulraheem     Magaji Nda     Muhammed Abdullahi     Kolade Solagberu     Baboko     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Taofik Abdulkareem     Yahaya Abdulkareem    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Garba Dogo     Abubakar Lah     Abubakar Aliagan     Stephen Fasakin     Suleiman Mora Omar     Opobiyi     Logun     Ghali Alaaya     Alapansapa     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Ben Duntoye     Abubakar Usman Jos     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Ajibola Saliu Ajia     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     Face Masks     Ahman Pategi University     ER-KANG Mining Nigeria Company Limited     Samuel Elizabeth Keatswa     Maryam Ado Bayero     ASMAU PLAZA     Arca Santa     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Idi-Ape     Bareke     Saka Onimago     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     Fatimat Saliu     Kayode Laro     Orire     Abdullahi Adisa Akodudu     Matthew Babaoye     John Mayokun Dada     Ibrahim Abikan     Esuwoye     Omoniyi Ayinla     Toyosi Thomas     Mamatu Abdullahi     FERMA     Prince Sunday Fagbemi     Gbenga Awoyale     Bankole Omishore     Kwara United     Bankole Omisore     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     Abioye Bello     Kwara Polytechnic     Olusola Saraki     Fareedah Dankaka     Islamiya Abdulraheem     Agboola Babatunde     Femi Oladiji     Jimoh Lambe Abdulkareem     Illyasu Abdullahi     Oke-opin     SWAN     Maimunat Oloriegbe     Salihu Ajia     Oba Abdulraheem     Alliance For Democracy     Balikis Jawondo     Owode Market     JSSCE     Simeon Ajibola     Adamu Jemilat-Baki     Musa Yeketi     Mohammed Kamaludeen     Alao Ayotunde     Oba Mogaji Abdulkadir     Micheal Imoudu     Yakub Ali-Agan     Third Estate     Yusuf Abdulraheem     JAMB     M.Y. Abdulrahaman     Nagode     Students Union Government