Argungu: How Nigeria’s biggest fishing festival was born

A peace pact between the Fulani and the Kabawa gave birth to this thrilling fishing festival What is today known as the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival started in 1931 during the visit of Sultan Hassan Dan-Mua’zu to Argungu on the invitation of Emir Muhammadu Sama.  Dan-Mua’zu was the first Sultan of Sokoto to […]

A peace pact between the Fulani and the Kabawa gave birth to this thrilling fishing festival

What is today known as the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival started in 1931 during the visit of Sultan Hassan Dan-Mua’zu to Argungu on the invitation of Emir Muhammadu Sama.  Dan-Mua’zu was the first Sultan of Sokoto to sleep in Argungu to foster strong relationship between the Fulani and Kabawa people. To entertain him, the emir gathered the Kabawa (his people) to enquire from them the best way to make the sultan’s visit a memorable one.  At the meeting it was suggested that they should go to the river to catch fish for him. It was reasoned that since he already knew about traditional boxing, wrestling and other cultural entertainments, a fishing festival would make him happy. 
According to historical accounts, on the day the festival was held to entertain the sultan many big fish were caught within the river. Moved by the spirit of the fishing event, the sultan stood by the river bank and prayed that  the whole world would hear about the place. From that period the emir of Argungu at that time and his council decided to make the festival an annual event. As the years passed by it continued to grow, people heard about it from far and near, and they began to troop to the domain of the Kabawa every year to witness the colourful  fishing event.
Today, the Argungu fishing festival has become an international event. Every year people from Europe, America, Asia and different parts of Africa would converge on the ancient town of Argungu to witness it. However, because of its growing popularity and economic potentials, it was taken over by the State Government. Soon a games  village, the Grand Fishing Hotel, pavilions and other structures were built close to the river to modernize the event, and make it convenient for visitors who gathered in Argungu to be comfortable and well entertained. The Argungu fishing and cultural festival has become a national event. The federal government and other corporate organizations are making inputs into it as part of the process of boosting   the country’s tourism potentials.
Some of the events which used to feature prominently during the yearly fishing and cultural festival include: Local boxing, wrestling, bow and arrow shooting, hunting, songs, dancing, agricultural show and animal racing. Others are the Kabanci display, (Water sports), canoe racing, motorcycle racing, car racing, bicycle racing and  a beauty pageant.
A member of the emirate council in Argungu said the fishing event that was started in 1934 has brought about strong ties and cordial relationship between the Kabawa and Fulani , who were enemies and had fought many wars against each other before the visit of Sultan Hassan. “It has also resulted in inter marriages between the two tribes”    
An indigene of Argungu, Jamilu Muhammed said it was common knowledge among the Kabawa that the river has some ritual powers. “That is why it cannot be left without a custodian who is known as Sarkin Ruwa. He is in charge of its day to day monitoring, control and maintenance. You can see children swimming in the river and playing around its banks, but nothing can happen to them. There are reptiles like alligators, crocodiles and snakes within and outside it. Beings  are there but they cannot harm anybody because they have been taken  care of by the custodian of the river. Sometimes, things happen here but the Sarkin Ruwa always takes care and makes sure whatever happens  at the river is  within his control. His duty is also to make sure that no one carries out fishing activities in it, until people are permitted to fish in the river”.
Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, the custodian of the River Matan Fada, Alhaji Hussani Makwashe (Sarkin Ruwa Kabbi), said “This is my eighth  year now as custodian of this river. My family is its custodian so I inherited it. Yes, it is true that there are powers attached to the river. We have forces in it and there are other dangerous reptiles, but they are under our control and they cannot harm anyone. You can see children swimming and others are playing at the bank of the river. Those animals  cannot harm anybody because we have already taken care of them”.
Alhaji Hussani appealed to the government look into the issue of the festival, and hasten  preparations  for its hosting. “It is a long time now since the festival was held here. We are not happy about that. I want them to help us rehabilitate the place. Look at the whole place it is not looking good. The place they gave me to stay as custodian of the river has collapsed. Look at the pavilions where visitors sit to watch the cultural event.They need to be rehabilitated. We cannot wait till the festival is approaching before putting  the place in shape. Despite the fact that the festival has not held for eight years now people still come to take a look at the river, the games village, pavilions and some of the structures here.      
A fisherman, Ahmad Yusuf said “It has been over eight years now since the festival   held. This is not helping our economy and that of the state. Each time the festival takes place, the entire town would be full of people from different parts of the country and even outside Nigeria. We benefitted a lot from that. Some of us would live throughout the year on what we made from the event, and we would all be happy.  Now, we are going through some hardship because the festival has  not held for some years. I am not the only one that is not happy, majority of other fishermen who make a living through the festival are not happy as well. I don’t think we have any excuse not to hold it at the appropriate time, because that is from where many of us earn our living. Some locals started their businesses from what they earned from the festival. It is from it that some of us got married and even made breakthroughs”.
The Manager of the Grand Fishing Hotel Manager, Oseni  Mudi, who said the hotel used to make profit during the fishing festival, lamented the low patronage it is experiencing, because the fishing festival has  not held. “The structure of the hotel is intact, we are doing everything to maintain it but our only problem now is low patronage. Government is even planning to renovate it to make it a more befitting hotel. The rooms are well taken care of, we have a  restaurant, and other sections that make it a standard hotel, but we are not getting customers. Our major profit comes during the fishing festival. At that time people  converge here and we make more profits. We hope that will happen when the festival comes alive again”.  
Speaking on why the cultural fishing festival has not held for many years now, the Director of Tourism in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperative and Tourism, Alhaji Umar Bena, said it was suspended because of the security challenge in the country.” Argungu fishing festival is an international event. We always have people from different parts  of the world assembled in Argungu, and it would be risky to hold the event given the insurgency attacks”. He said with the improvement in the country’s security situation, the event is likely to hold in the near future. “A proposal has been sent to the State Executive Council for us to organize a mini fishing festival in preparation for the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival next year. The present administration has demonstrated political will towards the event. We hope the council would approve our proposal.”