Celebrating Kagoro’s festival of hunters

Every New Year’s day, the people of Kagoro in Kaduna State, reenacts the exploits of ancient times in a festival of hunters.

The Afan Cultural Festival, which takes place every year in Kagoro is not only for showcasing the rich culture of its people, but by extension, the people of Southern Kaduna and even beyond.

The festival is celebrated every first day of January in the Chief of Kagoro’s palace in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State. On January 1, 2020, witnessed yet another annual Cultural Festival of the Oegworok community of Kagoro.

It was a dance of brave and a display of gallant hunters to mark the popular festival and also various traditional dances participated. Such hunting festival, observed yearly, has its origin from Katagwan, one of the founding fathers of the community. Katagwan was said to be a great hunter, renowned for his great skills and bravery.

Over the years, the festival is mainly reenactments. This year, a group of hunters, mainly elders, adorned in their hunting garbs with locally fabricated guns slung over their shoulders, stomping their feet on the dusty ground as they proudly displayed their spoils. It was a brave display of gallant hunters to mark the popular Afan Hunting Festival which has since been merged with New Year celebration. Various hunter groups dressed in traditional hunting attires and weapons entertain spectators.

This year’s celebration, witnessed a group of traditional dancers from Bauchi and Plateau states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Afan originally means mountain or hill, and the festival’s first intent, was to mark the end of the annual harvest of grains and the onset of the hunting expeditions. The undulating Kagoro hills have a great significance as the people share a common belief that it protected them from their adversaries in the olden days. On foot of the Kagoro Hill there exist a footprint and a grave of the Kagoro great legend, Katagwan, who was a giant, hunter and a warrior.

The 2020 festival commenced with a match past of cultural groups, hunters, Boys Brigade, Boys Scout, and Vigilantes among others.

Chairman of the occasion, Ambassador Bulus Lolo said the festival was one that had come at the right time as it recognized the uniqueness of cultural diversity.

He said the occasion provided the opportunity to give thanks to God for the past years and urged the people to remain resolute in pursuing peace in the present year for meaningful development.

The Guest Speaker, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Abuja, Professor Suleiman Bogoro represented by Professor Andrew Haruna, encouraged the Kagoro community to keep believing in the great opportunities in Nigeria to actualize the dream of the nation.

He advised all those in authority in the country to be fair to all in the discharge of their functions.

In his speech, the Chief of Kagoro who is also the royal host, as the Oegwam Oegworok, Ufuwai Bonet, commended the partnership, the community and indeed the festival that had endured over the years.

The traditional ruler urged the government to promote policies that would impact on the lives of the people commending the efforts in the area of security of lives and property.

The monarch urged the sons and daughters of the community to unite and forge a common front and also support government’s plans to move the state forward.

Chief Bonet, however, urged the communities to put aside their differences and embrace peace.

The Sole Administrator of Kaura Local Government Area, Dr. Katuka Bege Ayuba noted that the Afan festival connects Kagoro community with its past and called on the people to sustain the cultural heritage for the good of all.

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufa’I, represented by his Special Assistant on Political Matters, Ben Kure, urged the Kagoro community to shun primordial sentiments which hampered development in any society.

He said: “Today, we have yet another opportunity to start right and do right as we will always need each other to make things possible.

“It is time we draw the lines beyond our rhetoric to make conscious and deliberate efforts to make things right,” he said.

The Governor said the government would not relent in addressing especially issues raised on the need to meet security, educational and health challenges.

He, then, commended the traditional leaders over the roles they played in bringing about peaceful coexistence in their respective communities.

The occasion, aside from rich cultural display also featured award presentation to prominent sons and daughters of the Kagoro Chiefdom who distinguished themselves in rendering meaningful contribution to development.

Traditional title holders from within and outside the Chiefdom also graced the occasion. The chiefs of Moro’a, Kagoma, Nkyob, Atyap and Takad were in attendance. The Emirs of Zazzau and Jama’a Emirates were represented by Kuyambanan Zazzau and Fagachin Jama’a respectively.  Also in attendance were district, village, ward heads and clergymen in the chiefdom, all adorned in splendid traditional attires.