Another historic Argungu International Fishing Festival Held

By Lucky Onoriode George

Argungu International Fishing Festival that was cancelled last year because of political uncertainty in the country has come and gone, but the echo from the 2008 edition which was held between March 12th-15th will lingers on.

Like as in the tradition and the highlight of the festival, thousands of local fishermen men hurled themselves into the river to catch the supposed big catch of the day with their hand-held nets in a manic contest.

The hour-long fishing frenzy, in a shallow stretch of river so crowded that the brown water was barely visible, marked the high point of a four-day extravaganza that also featured wild duck-catching and blindfolded swimming contests.

At the end, 28 year old Malam Bello Ya'u Argungu came first in this year's Argungu fishing festival with his biggest catch weighing 65.95 kilogrammes and winning the grand 4 million naira ($34,200) that includes; a Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB), makers of Maltina donated new Honda civic bus, while the state government gave him a Hajji Seat and fishing equipment. MTN gave him a colour television set, while Virgin Air promised to take care of his medical expenses for one year.

Tungai Zazzakawa came second with his catch weighing 43.25 kilogrammes and also got a reward of Keke Napep and a generating set from NB Plc, Hajji seat and fishing equipment from the state government.

The third winner, Malam Abdullahi Gummi from Zamfara State, with a catch weighing 38.95 kilogrammes received a motorcycle and a generating set from NB Plc while state government gave him a Hajji Seat and fishing equipment.

This years’ edition that happened to be the 50th editions did not witnessed high power government attendance unlike in the past except for the wife of the President, Hajia Turai YarÁdua represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan expressed happiness with the performance of this year's fishing festival, which involved about 1000 fishermen.

She said the festival will continue to be used as a weapon among fishermen in the country and neighboring countries like Niger and Benin Republics and thanked the fishermen and sponsors of the event.

Another major event that took place during the festival was the commissioning of a

Fish House which was donation by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode and the installation of Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director-General, NTDC, as the DanBuran Kabi, Argungu, added colour of value to the fishing festival.

The Fish House was a source of attraction at the fishing village because of the ingenuity employed in its design, painting and location. One needs no optometrist to be able to know that it was a fish house, which has its lower part painted in blue colour as if the fish is inside the water. And the commissioning kicked-started the elaborate ceremony of 2008 edition of Argungu Fishing Festival. Speaking during the commissioning which was witnessed by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Mohammed Mera, the state governor, Alhaji Usman N. Dakagari, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode commended the efforts of the Argungu Emirate Council for enhancing the fish festival from a local affair to an international event.

Prince Adetokunbo Kayode who commended the Director-General, NTDC, Otunba Runsewe for being proactive and innovative at thinking that such a symbolic representation of the festival was necessary, assured the Argungu Emirate Council of support for the festival. “In his own remark, the Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Usman N. Dakingari lauded the tourism vision of the federal government and noted that “there has been a tremendous improvement in gearing up of efforts since the present democratic experience at exploring the social and economic advantages of our cultural and tourism assets.”

Alhaji Dankingari lauded the agility and drive with which while Otunba Olusegun Runsewe drives the tourism vision and policy of the President Umar Musa Yar’Adua. He said that since the commencement of the fishing festival, no one has thought it fit to build a structure that resemble a fish, “we have the Grand Fishing Hotel, we have the Fishing Village and now the Fish House inside the Fishing Village. This is very thoughtful of Otunba Runsewe. Otunba Runsewe who conducted dignitaries on the tour of the Fish House praised the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode for the support as seeing that the Fish House became a reality.

“Your Excellency, our royal fathers, this structure, which represent a fish inside a blue water and equipped with ultra-modern communication gadgets and equipment with internet facilities where our media practitioners could carried out their assignment, a functional clinic, two standard studio, and functional rooms, may not have become a reality, if the Minister had refused to buy the idea.” Bringing the reality of the functionality and import of the Fish House to the fore was the stream of journalists who immediately swarmed on the communication room sending their stories to their various media houses.

The Argungu festival commemorates a 1934 visit by the Sultan of Sokoto, who came to celebrate peace between his Fulani ethnic group and the rival Kabawa, the main group in the Argungu area.