The Federal Government has said the Argungu festival has the potential of fostering unity, brotherhood in Nigeria and the globe at large.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this on Thursday while declaring the polo race and camel race open in Kebbi state.
He said the competitors were drawn from neighboring countries to give the festival international status.
“What is significant is that these competitions are not just among the Emirates in Argungu and Kebbi state alone but there are competitors from Niger and other neighbouring countries which gives the festival an international status. This gives the festival the potential of a unifying factor between Nigeria, other West African countries and the globe at large,” he said.
“When you have people competing from other parts of Africa, it fosters unity and brotherhood,” he added.
The Minister noted that the festival was packed with interesting events, saying the festival was back, after 11 years, with a big bang.
“With the enthusiasm of the people of Argungu and Nigeria as a whole, I can assure you that the festival has come back to stay. I congratulate the government and the people of Kebbi for the efforts they put in organising the events.
“With the return of the festival, we can assure that peace has returned to Nigeria because over 10 years back, the festival could not hold because of security concerns. The festival is link to agriculture, creative industry and cultural heritage which are key sectors to diversifying our economy,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
