By Imelda Osayande
Benin – The Otaru of Igarra, Oba Emmanue Saiki II, on Thursday invited the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, as Special Guest at the 2017 Aba Cultural Festival in Igarra.
Saiki announced this in Benin during his visit to the Palace of the Oba of Benin.
He said that the main event would hold on Friday, Aug. 25.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Igarra is the headquarters of the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo.
The Otaru also informed the Oba about his 20th Coronation Anniversary, which he said, would hold in October, this year.
Oba Ewuare expressed delight that both of them had something in common, as they were coronated in the month of October.
He, therefore, assured the Otaru that a high-powered delegation would represent the Palace at the event, and wished him a successful anniversary celebration.
In a related development, the Speaker, Edo House of Assembly, Mr Kabiru Adjoto (Akoko-Edo I), who is an indigene of Igarra, urged all lawmakers in the House to attend the 2017 Aba festival.
Also, Mr Emmanuel Agbaje(APC-Akoko-Edo II), said the Aba festival was a colourful ceremony to honour and reward distinguished personalities in Igarra.
According to Agbaje, it takes place every six years.
Aliu Allemma, an indigene of Igarra, said the festival was usually celebrated with the new yam festival of the same year, in the month of August.
The festival also marks the graduation of some age groups to the highly revered Council of Elders in the town.
On the day of the event, no other person is allowed to wear any white attire, except the celebrants (the graduating age groups), who would all climb a sacred hill in the town, which houses the community’s cultural headquarters. (NAN)
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