Nigeria’s iconic Argungu fishing festival has returned after years of interruption, drawing thousands of competitors to the Matan Fada River, a UNESCO Heritage site. The cultural spectacle, the culmination of a festival that included traditional wrestling and musical performances, saw fishermen using traditional hand-woven nets, calabash gourds, and even bare hands in pursuit of the biggest catch. The winner landed a massive 59-kilogram croaker fish, driving home two new cars and a cash prize of $739. The festival originated in 1934 to celebrate peace between the Sokoto Caliphate and the resistant Argungu emirate. It ran continuously for decades until infrastructure problems and deadly regional violence forced its suspension in 2010, with only brief resumptions since. President Bola Tinubu attended the event, framing its return as evidence of improving stability. However, organizers acknowledge fear still deters many would-be attendees from what was once Nigeria’s premier cultural celebration.
Al Jazeera
