Edo pledges security as tourists visit for 288-year-old Aba festival

Edo State government at the weekend promised adequate security for expected tourists as Igarra, Akoko-Edo local council holds its 288-year-old Aba festival, which would draw tourists from across the globe to the community. The Aba festival is celebrated once in six years and it re-establishes the well-knitted age-grade system in the community that sees members of the opoze age-group perform legislative and some executive functions before graduating into the elders council of the community.

The state governor, Godwin Obaseki, stated this when he visited Igarra community to ascertain the level of preparedness for the festival. Represented by the Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora, Osaze Osemwegie-Ero, he told the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Emmanue Adeche Saiki II, Otaru of Igarra, that “we are on this visit to inform your Highness and people of Igarra that indeed Edo is prepared for the seven years and six years calendar celebration. We are aware of the volume of tourists to the town and the potential it would generate. We will do everything to ensure security of lives and property are not breached before, during and after the event.”

Responding, Oba Saiki noted that the visit was timely as it showed the governor cares for the culture of the people. Aba festival is one of the best festivals in Africa. It has the capacity to assemble more than 800,000 participants and was adjudged by Total E and T in 2006 as the sixth most indigenous festival in West Africa