COVID-19: Ekiti State Bans All Traditional Festivals In The State

Ekiti State Government as on Saturday announced the ban of all traditional festivals within the state, telling all the traditional rulers in towns and villages to either postpone or cancel local festivals for the rest of the year in the state’s bid to curb the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.  Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi

Coordinator of the Ekiti State COVID-19 Task Force Response team, Prof. Bolaji Aluko, made the announcement in a statement in Ado Ekiti. Prof Aluko discloses that the state has had a cumulative of 78 cases, with 29 active, 3 deaths and 47 discharged. He warned that cases could rise dramatically if public assemblies continued unchecked.

He said as the state was gradually entering the full-blown season of Traditional Festival, therefore, travels from within Ekiti State and various parts of Nigeria by indigenes and visitors to the various towns and villages during this period of the pandemic, had started to occur.

According to him, the attendant incidents of virus transmission in these crowded and boisterous situations, where social distancing is practically impossible, and mask-wearing, which is also required, may be impractical for prolonged times.

“Consequently, the wise course is to seriously discourage these festivals at this time.
“In fact, they are effectively banned by current government guidelines requiring social distancing and limited-number assemblies.
“Therefore, we are appealing to all Obas, Council Chairmen, Councillors and community leaders for the cancellation of the public celebration of all upcoming festivals and cessation of ongoing ones in all part of Ekiti until further notice.
” These festivals should be observed in the quietness of homes. Some Obas have already been commendably proactive and announced the cancellation for the rest of the calendar year,”

News Agency of Nigeria reports that prominent among traditional festivals to be affected by the government’s position are: Annual Egungun, (Masquerade) festival, Ogun, (god of Iron) festival and celebration of Annual Cultural Days, by various towns among others.

Photo Credit: Getty

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