Argungu town agog as President Buhari graces fishing festival

By BRIDGET CHIEDO ONOCHIE, Argungu

The Argungu community of Kebbi State is agog Thursday as President Muhammadu Buhari is awaited to grace the 2020 edition of the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had artived lthe town Wednesday after declaring open the Motor Rally in Abuja.

Currently, the Agric Arena, venue of the Agric exhibition is fully prepared with the traditional authorities and the people highly expectant of the President.

The people have defied the early morning dust to celebrate a cultural tourism even that put the community in the global tourism calendar.

Argungu Fishing Festival began in 1934 in honour of the visiting Sultan of Sokoto, Late Malam Hassan Dan Mu’azu, to mark an end of hostility between the Jihadists and the Kabawa.

Since then, it was observed annually until 2010, when it was put on hold due to security challenges confronting the Northern part of the country.

The arena is decorated at both ends with a Rice Pyramids as an evidence of a milestone achieved by the state in the field of agriculture.

The year’s festival kicked off in Abuja with the revival of Argungu Motor Rally, one of the major events in the festival syllabus.

The Information and Culture Minister who performed the opening ceremony, described it as a testimony to the current administration’s efforts at restoring peace and security in the country.

The Minister, who represented Mr. President at the event noted that the participation of only made in Nigeria

vehicles at the rally buttressed government’s commitment to building local capacity and diversifying the economy through manufacturing.

He added that another attribute of Argungu Motor Rally is its tendency towards tourism promotion in the country.

Alhaji Mohammed used the occasion to congratulate the government and people of Kebbi State for reviving the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival after 10 years.

He stated that the Motor Rally, one of the many events slated for the 11-14 March Festival, was unique since unlike other events which are domiciled in Argungu, the rally began in Abuja and crisscrossed four states of Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto before arriving in Kebbi State.

“You can now see that the Argungu Fishing and Cultral Festival is not just a local or state festival, but a national festival of unity.

This is why the federal government will continue to provide all necessary support for the Festival, and indeed for all the festivals on our national calendar”, the Minister said.

The flag-off ceremony was attended by Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami as well as the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo. (The Guardian)