Nassarawa Community hosts Hunting Festival Amid Pomp and Pageantry
Amina Mohammed, Lafia
The ancient town of Sofiyo in Toto Local Government Area of Nassarawa state, Central Nigeria, was agog as prominent Egbira sons and daughters both at home and in the diaspora, young and old, converged to witness this year’s Irehwa hunting festival which was held in grand style at GSS Shafan Abakpa playground.
It was a display of cultural heritage at its Peak in Shafan Abakpa also known as Sofiyo a name derived and originated from the English word Survey where the white settlers resided during the colonial Era and carried out a survey of the entire area.
The popular annual Irehwa Hunting Festival was a unifying avenue for the people as history has it that the Lord of Hunters called “Ade- Ugbeh” had proclaimed before his death that for his people to continue to enjoy peace, unity, and development among them the Irehwa Festival must be sustained.
However, the festival hasn’t held in the past three years due to insecurity in the area and the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The last festival was held in 2017 and 3 years after the people resumed their festival activities where various neighboring tribes of Gbagi, Gade, Tiv, Hausa Fulani among others joined the host, the Egbira people to display their cultural heritage with different dance groups and masquerades.
Being a festival of hunting, the festival climaxed when the hunters who spent the last three days in the bush hunting arrived at the venue of the occasion with their game, comprising of different animals and of different shapes and sizes
As a mark of honor, the animals caught were presented as gifts to visitors and personalities that graced the event.
Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly Balarabe Abdullahi who is the Chairman of the event spoke extensively on the significance of sustenance of the cultural heritage of the people as an instrument for peace, unity, and speedy growth of the society.
The Speaker was represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Pharm. Ahmed Baba Yahaya who commended the people of the area for sustaining their culture and called on others to do the same just as he commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for his security and development efforts in the area and the State at large.
On their parts Hon. Usman Labaran Shafa Member Representing Toto/Gadabuke at the State Assembly, Abdulmalik Usman FCT APC Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Aliyu Tashas Chairman Toto LG, Muhammed Musa Maikaya, and Usman Adams Shaba the President Shafan Abakpa Community Association SACA as well as APC Chairman Toto LG said the return of Irehwa signifies the return of peace in the area.
They emphasised the need for sustainable peace in the area for development to thrive.
The occasion which had in attendance Retired Justice of Supreme Court Suleiman Galadima, representatives of Ohimege Opanda, and that of Ona of Abaji among other traditional leaders also featured the presentation of prices to outstanding hunters.
Hauwa Abu
