Kwara Emir urges unity, peace for development

The Emir of Gwanara, in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, Abdullahi Sabi Idris Kotokogi II, has urged the Baruten people to sustain peace and unity.

The monarch said peaceful coexistence remained essential to the development and progress of the community as traditional rulers, government officials, community leaders, indigenes, and tourists gathered to celebrate the cultural heritage of the Baruba people.

Speaking while receiving celebrants and guests into the ancient city of Gwanara, which came alive on Saturday as dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria gathered for the annual Gaani Festival, with the Emir of Gwanara, Abdullahi Sabi Idris Kotokogi II, urged the people to sustain peace and unity of the community and their neighbouring communities at all costs.

Arewa PUNCH reports that the community is incidentally the home of the Speaker of the Kwara State Assembly, who also doubles as the All Progressives Congress Governorship candidate for the state, Salihu Yakubu-Danladi.

Welcoming guests to the festival, the Emir appreciated the dignitaries who attended the event, describing their presence as a demonstration of support for the culture and traditions of Gwanara.

According to our correspondent, the festival provided an opportunity for political and community leaders to interact with residents, even as Salihu Yakubu-Danladi received a warm reception from attendees.

Amid drumming and cultural performances, supporters and other attendees welcomed Danladi to the festival, adding a political dimension to the annual cultural celebration.

Speaking with journalists at the event, the Chairman of Offa Local Government Area, Suleiman Olatunji Omituntun, stated that political leadership should be determined by performance, capability, and capacity to deliver rather than age.

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He declared his support for Danladi, describing him as his preferred candidate to sustain the development strides of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Baruten Local Government Area, Issa Jibrin, described the Gaani Festival as an event of profound regional and global importance to the Baruba people.

Jibrin noted that the peaceful celebration had continued to promote unity among the people across different regions.

The festival was attended by members of the Kwara State House of Assembly and the State Executive Council, all the Emirs in Baruten, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Umar Danladi Shero, local government chairmen, and other dignitaries.

The annual festival, regarded as a major cultural event for the Baruba people across Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, featured traditional displays, cultural performances, royal rites, and dances.

The celebration also featured the initiation and conferment of traditional titles on young princes and princesses, marking an important rite of passage within the traditional institution.

The Gaani Festival is an ancient annual socio-cultural and religious celebration celebrated predominantly by the Bariba/Baruba people across Kwara and Niger states in Nigeria, as well as parts of northern Benin Republic, marking the birth of Prophet Muhammad and highlighting cultural heritage, horse riding displays, and royal rites.