The popular Khituk Gwong annual cultural festival has made its return after being suspended for the last three years due to security challenges.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Khituk Gwong is an annual cultural festival of the Gwong people in Jema’a Local Government of Kaduna State.
Speaking at the festival, the Kpop Gwong, Paul Nyom, said the event served as a platform for promoting unity and preserving the Gwong culture for future generations.
Nyom stated that the cultural day was also an opportunity for the Gwong Chiefdom to celebrate the achievements of its sons and daughters in the last year.
“It is our custom to dedicate our cultural day to celebrate achievements within the preceding year.
“There are many sons and daughters of Gwong land who have excelled in their various fields of endeavor, and we are celebrating them today,” he added
Nyom called on the people of the area to embrace the spirit of unity and respect for one another.
The traditional ruler commended Gov. Uba Sani for his developmental strides and urged him to rehabilitate the feeder roads in Gwong Land as a way of boosting agricultural productivity.
In his remarks, the President of the Gwong Development Association (GDA), Prof. Ishaya Auta, expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Gwong people after a three-year break.
Auta said that the association has identified educational and skills-set gaps amongst the youths and has concluded arrangements to launch an empowerment programme aimed at addressing the challenge.
“GDA has identified educational and skills-set gaps amongst our youths as an area that requires urgent and critical intervention.
“In our efforts at finding a lasting solution to some of these challenges, we have concluded plans to launch the Gwong Education Development and Youth Empowerment Foundation.
“This foundation will work to address this challenge through awards of scholarship to deserving but qualified indigent students,” he stated
Auta thanked Sani, the sons and daughters of Gwong Land, as well as other well-meaning individuals who supported the association in successfully hosting the festival.
Also speaking, Mr. Yunana Barde extolled the exhibition and display of the rich cultural heritage of the Gwong people.
Barde called on the prominent sons and daughters of Gwong Land to complement the government’s efforts by investing in the development of the area.
He enjoined the people to continue to live in peace with one another, as there can be no development without peace.
NAN reports that the festival also featured the presentation of awards to some sons and daughters of Gwong Land who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour. (NAN)
