Annual cultural festivals which hold every end of year to first week of the New Year in the Southern part of Kaduna State have been suspended due to the prevailing security situation in the State.
Announcing the suspension, Chairman, Zango Kataf Local government Area, Mr. Gambo Yahaya Dominic told LEADERSHIP that the reason for the suspension had to do with the security situation in parts of the State.
He said that “there is no other reason for the suspension of the annual festivals apart from the prevailing security situation in the State, we just want people to be security conscious and always on the alert.”
Also speaking to our correspondent on phone, the Chairperson of Kaura local government, Mrs. Flowrence Aya said, “we have discussed with the Traditional rulers the danger of holding any festival in view of the security challenges in our area and they have all accepted to suspend the cultural festivities.”
“Kagoro, Marwa and Atakar which celebrate their festivals have all accepted to do so, we cannot go ahead to celebrate any festivals when our people are lying ill on hospitals as a result of the recent attacks in our communities. Instead, we have agreed to embark on praying and fasting for the security situation in the State and the country to improve.”
In a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP, the Kagoro Traditional Council in Kaura local government, said that “the annual Afan festival celebrated at every first day of January would be observed in a solemn manner in all the churches, praising and thanking God for the all the blessings of the passing year and praying for peace, perfection, unity and more blessings for the chiefdom.”