Argungu Fishing Festival

De **Argungu Fishing Festival** anaa **Argungu Dance Festival** be sam annual four-day festival for Kebbi State insyd den oda northern states like Niger wey dey north-western part of Northern Nigeria insyd. De region be made up of fertile river areas of (matanfada, mala plus much irrigation den orchards (lambu in Hausa). De majority of inhabitants be fishermen wey be practitioners of Isla religion. Dem sana get Kanta Museum. De Museum be de main historical centre for Argungu insyd give visitors across de globe. People from around de world dey travel go Argungu just say dem go witness de occasion. De main purpose of de Argungu fishing festival be for fishing den unity. De festival usually be sam 4-days cultural event.

## Ein History

De festival start for de year 1934 insyd, as sam mark of de end of de centuries-old hostility between de Sokoto Caliphate den de Kebbi Kingdom. Dis festival bring chaw progress give de development of de state as a whole.

Dem usually dey bell am Fishing-Frenzy Festival. Dem dey celebrate de festival den take mark de beginning of de fishing season for Argungu insyd, sam river-side town wey dey Kebbi State insyd. Dem dey celebrate am between February den March every year.

For 2005 insyd, na de winning fish dey weigh 75kg, wey na edey hia four men make dem hoist am for de scales top. For 2006 insyd, de festival ban fishing secof safety concerns wey dey relate plus low water levels. De importance of de festival give de economy lead de government make dem conserve fish stock by say dem prohibit de use of gill nets den cast nets. De Zauro polder project, sam irrigation scheme for de Rima River insyd floodplain go de south of Argungu, dem criticize am secof de reservoir dey threaten go flood de traditional site of de festival.

Activities dey include:

* Craft showcases
* Canoe races
* Agricultural showcases
* Cultural activities
* Wrestling matches
* Musical performances
* A Grand Fishing conquest
* Swimming contest

## Competition
For de final day of de festival, dem dey hold sam competition wey thousands of men dey line up along de river wey for de sound of sam gunshot, all of dem jump go de river insyd den get one hour go catch de largest fish. De winner go fi take home as much as $7,500 US dollars. Dem only dey allow competitors allowed say make dem use traditional fishing tools den chaw dey prefer say dem go catch fish entirely by hand (sam practice wey esana be popular elsewer wey be known as "noodling") so say ego demonstrate demma prowess.

Purpose: De festival get chaw purposes wey dey include: fishing, promoting unity, fun, den entertainment.

## 2020 Argungu Fishing Festival

For 2020 Argungu Fishing Festival insyd, dem award de individual wey bab de fish wey ebola weigh about 78 kilograms plus N10 million, two new cars dden two Hajj seats, dem sana award second position, den third positions. Ova 50,000 fishermen participate for de annual festival wey dem hold for Kebbi State insyd wey dem grade de winners based on de weight of de fish wey dem bab. De President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari visit de 2020 Argungu Fishing Festival Na de festival for 2020 be de 60th edition afta 10 years of being on hold according to de governor of de state Abubakar Bagudu.

## Make you sana see

* Festivals in Nigeria

## References