......Fatimah Adamu of College of Health Keffi emerges Miss Irehwa.
From Our Correspondent
It was a great display of cultural heritage today Tuesday at Shafa Abakpa in Toto LG as Egbira community observed this year's Irehwa Cultural and Hunting Festival amidst pumps and pageantry.
The people of the area both high and low within and outside the country visit home to be part of the historic event.
No year passes by without Egbira speaking people of Nasarawa State observing the popular Irehwa hunting festival, an event oral tradition proclaimed was instituted by a war lord and king of hunters popularly called Adugbe who died decades ago with proclamation before his death that for his people to continue to enjoy peace, unity and prosperity the Irehwa Hunting Festival most be sustained and kept alive.
This believe has sustained the unity of Egbra people as they once again converged on Shafa Abakpa in Toto local government popularly called Sofiyo, a town that drives its name from the wrong pronunciation of "survey" by the white settlers who resided in the area to conduct survey of the entire region.
And one after the other, in their hunting regalia, the hunters who had gone hunting at night arrived with different catches and not minding this year's low catch due to weather condition, they were led in a procession by the chief Hunter, Alhasssan Obata.
With the dignitaries from different works of life seated in an opening square, the Hunters arrived amidst pumps and pageantry being the essence of the festival, leaving masquerades and traditional dancers resonating the ancient Egbira songs as Tiv and Gade people also added glamour to the event in solidarity.
The occasion which brought Egbira people within and outside the state had in attendance, member, representing Toto-Gadabuke constituency at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly Hon. Mohammed Garba Isimbabi and his counterpart of Umashia-Ugya, Hon. Ibrahim Abdullahi Sa'ad who called on the state government to take over the Irehwa hunting festival as a way to attracting development to Toto local government.
This appeal according to the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Barr. Labaran Magaji who represented the State Governor at the event is feasible just as the executive chairman of Toto Local Government, Hon. Abdullahi Aliyu Tasha called on politicians in the locality to set aside their political differences and champion the development of the area.
Even though it was a moment to celebrate cultural heritage, the National President, Shafa Abakpa Cultural Association, SACA, Usman Adams who are the organizers Called on the authorities of Toto Local Government to provide boreholes to address water scarcity in Shafa Abakpa.
At the event, this year's Miss Irehwa, Fatima Adamu who emerged victorious at the beauty pageant held at the eve of the event was awarded with scholarship, N100. and 12 months sets of cloth among others, which 2nd and 3rd positions going home with their cash prices also, all courtesy, member representing Toto-Gadabuke, Hon. Mohammed Garba Isimbabi.
