Kogi unbans Igala cultural festivals 63 years after

 

The Attah of Igalaland, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Micheal Ameh Oboni II, has described the Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello as a leader with great vision, ideas and dedication despite his young age.
The monarch gave the remark yesterday, when he led a delegation of his people to express their appreciation to the governor for all he had done, and for reviving their lost culture by lifting the ban on some cultural festivals hitherto banned since 1956.
He said: “Due to some overzealousness by some people, certain Igala festivals were banned over 65 years ago.
To my surprise, despite the state being led by three former governors, who came from the Igala region of the state, none of them did anything to revive the festivals.
“Governor Yahaya Bello is one that understands the value of culture and when he came, he felt something was missing and chose to act, culture is everything.
Our language, attitude, proverbs, way of cultivating farms are all ways of expressing culture.
Some of our cultures lost potency and became adulterated.
“We are happy someone has come to wipe our tears.
Our festivals were erroneously proscribed and we pray for those who did it to be forgiven.
We are here to show our appreciation to the governor for lifting the ban.
“The development he has started in our area is unparalleled in the annals of the history of that area.
Even if he stops there today, you have done more than any other person who has come before.
We should be grateful.
He is a very young man.
Some of them are old enough to be his father but what did they do? “For bringing us out of the dungeon and into the light, forever and ever, the Igala people will never forget you.
” Responding, the governor said he was happy that his dream to unite Kogites across religious and ethnic lines was yielding result.
Governor Bello said the various projects embarked upon by his government were ongoing despite the paucity of funds.
“I am not here to play politics with the lives of the citizens of Kogi State,, given what we have done in two years, we have been getting good results.
But, we felt something fundamental was missing.
“We identified that thing as the core value of our identity.
We have concluded that whatever landmark achievements we have in terms of projects, programmes and policies, we would not have desired results unless we revive our cultures and traditions,” he said.

 

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