Emeka Anokwuru
The renowned Arguing fishing festival in Kebbi state will receive fresh breath of new life this year after 10 years since it was rested. This was the promise made by Otunba Segun Runsewe while receiving a strong delegation led by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaria Mohammed Mera to the headquarters of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Abuja. Displaying several publicity and promotional materials specially prepared by NCAC to prosecute the 2020 edition of the festival, Runsewe assured that the ‘fish house’ he built in 2010 will also be refurbished and remodelled. “We will use Argungu to make a bold statement that indeed it is a festival that unites and we will continue to support it henceforth because it is arguably the number one in the country with UNESCO endorsement,” Runsewe said. The DG also seized the moment to showcase the prototype of the cultural centre he plans to build in Argungu Emirate saying it is modelled after the best cultural centres in the world.
Speaking as a titled man from Argungu Emirate, (Danburan Kebbi) Runsewe admitted that he was emotionally connected to the festival which according to him, has a long history with a rich cultural content that remains unraveled globally. Delivering his address during the visit, Alhaji Mera thanked Runsewe for identifying with the festival which is not only symbolic but serves as a platform for projecting Nigeria’s rich cultural endowments. While lamenting the decade-long abandonment of the festival, he was however delighted that the new impetus injected by the cultural chief, Argungu Fishing Festival will be resuscitated and therefore assume its place of honour among other high profile festivals in Nigeria.