Malam Bello Ya’u, winner of the 2008 Argungu Fishing Festival, is stripped of his title after being found to have achieved victory through fraud
By Ernest Omoarelojie/Argungu
For the organisers of the Argungu Fishing Festival, this year’s edition is better forgotten. Never since it started in 1938 has the festival attracted controversy as it did this year. Yet, everything seemed fine when the festival started.
Argungu, the host town in Kebbi State, brimmed with visitors to its annual cultural showpiece. Even as it ended on 15 March, nothing untoward was noticed.
Malam Bello Ya’u was declared winner of the first prize after catching a fish that weighed 65.95 kilogrammes. His catch, the biggest of about 30,000 competitors, earned him a brand new Honda car, two tickets for pilgrimage to Mecca and a television set.
A few days later, however, the story changed, following a discovery that Ya’u’s success was achieved through fraud.
On discovery, Ya’u, who had become an overnight celebrity, was summoned to the palace of the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Mera. Perhaps thinking that further honour awaited him, he headed for the palace where he was confronted with the details of his scam. The palace had been told that Ya’u sneaked a dead fish into the river a night before the contest and simply went to retrieve it during the contest. The revelation was made by one Zazzagawa, who collaborated with Ya’u. Zazzagawa’s confession was supported by swearing to an oath with the Quran.
But when confronted, Ya’u denied but failed to back his denial with an oath like his accomplice. This forced the palace to hand him over to the police. He was eventually arraigned before a magistrate court and stripped of his title and the prizes that accompanied it.
“We must expose this kind of cheating because our tradition and culture hate cheating, hence we wil not allow this to happen here,” the Emir said.
The Emir added that investigations showed that the gills of the fish indicated that it was long dead.
Speculations were rife even before Ya’u and Zazzagawa confessed smuggling the fish into the Mata Fadan River that some poisonous substances may have been put into the water, a reason for which the fishes, mostly tilapia, emerged from the water looking dead. “The fishermen are simply lifting them out of the river as if they are already dead. Why are the fishes putting up no resistance at all?” Igwe, a correspondent with AFP asked no one in particular.
Igwe’s worry was not without any reason. Before festivities commenced, the Sarkin Ruwa, custodian of the river, sprinkled the water with a substance on which the near-dead condition of the fishes were blamed. An Argungu indigene, however, explained that the Sarkin Ruwa’s action was spiritual in nature.
Beyond the fraud and speculations, the festival was almost marred by inadequate preparations. By 9 am, the venue of the festival was virtually filled up, raising hopes that festivities would commence in less than an hour. That did not happen, as government officials, other guests and tourists endured a long wait for President Umar Yar’Adua, the special guest of honour.
Two hours later, the anxiety deepened, as the fishermen, tired of waiting, reacted to a false alarm and rushed towards the river to commence fishing. Attempts to drive them back by the Sarkin Ruwa and guards on horseback proved abortive, as the fishermen kept pushing forward. Organisers were forced to allow them stay in the water.
The week-long festival also featured attractions like archery, two-man canoeing competition, bare hand fishing and swimming with a calabash balanced on the head. The festival organisers also treated guests to a number of activities including dance drama by cultural troupes from across the country and Niger Republic.
Did you Enjoy this story? you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Random Post
- January 12, 2010 -- Unhappy New Year In Banks (1)
- July 13, 2009 -- Mother Killer (0)
- March 23, 2009 -- Under Siege (0)
- June 29, 2009 -- Fresh Ritual For Rail Transport (0)
- December 14, 2009 -- BIRTHDAYS (15 – 21 Dec. 2009) (0)
- February 16, 2009 -- Yar’Adua’s Anti-Corruption War Doubtful (3)
- March 6, 2009 -- Between Nation Space And Nationhood —Wole Soyinka (1)
- January 25, 2010 -- What Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Taught Me —Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye (0)
- March 17, 2008 -- Knocks For SAP (0)
- November 23, 2009 -- All Promises, No Action (0)
No tags for this post.
Related posts
Comment