The Igala Festival

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The danger of the disappearance of Aboko Ebije Boat Regatta Festival was a subject of VON magazine program recently. Aboko Ebije Boat Regatta festival which takes palce on River Niger is an ancient Igala festival celebrated yearly by the Aboko Ebije clan of Igala Kingdom in Idah. The festival which was started as a regatta in 1956 to commemorate the ascendance of the present Attah of Igala Alhaji Aliyu Obaje is witnessed by sons and daughters of the Great Igala Kingdom and visitors alike. It was gathered that the regatta festival started as a royal naval defense corps of Attah Igala before it was stopped but was however re-introduced as a festival in 2001. The Aboko Ebije Regatta along with other Igala cultural festivals and ceremonies like Egbe (Egume), Organi (Ankpa), Italo (Anyigba) could be very crucial to the development of tourism industry in Igala land as they all showcases different aspects of Igala cultural heritage. However, these festivals have suffered over the years for negligent and lack of funds, the revival and sustenance of these festivals could be a beginning of showcasing the rich Igala culture and tradition to the outside world. Several Governments have paid lip service to the establishment and funding tourist industry in the state but nothing have happened and tourism is yet to take off in Kogi State. Recently, the state government has promised to help provide funds to sustain the hosting of the yearly Aboko Ebije Attah Igala Boat Regatta festival at Idah. If this is fulfilled and coordinated with other festivals and cultural activities in Igala land and in the whole of Kogi State it will help build a viable tourist industry for the state. More so, it can a huge source of income for the state possibly with sponsorship and endorsement deals like the Argungu fishing festival, Osun-Oshogbo festival, and other like festivals allover Nigeria. But for
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