By; IBRAHIM ADAMU, Kaduna
Barring any last minute change in plans, this year’s Ham Week Cultural Festival has been slated to hold between March 22 to 31, 2024 in Kwoi, Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State after an absence of six years.
According to a statement from Chairman Organizing Committee of the festival, Ambassador Bulus Lolo, the week-long cultural display would be marked by various activities such as; free medical outreach, symposium, football tournament, beauty pageant, talent hunt, traditional dances, art and cultural displays among others.
The statement further indicated that there would also be a site visit to historic places in Nok Village, a hub of one of the most ancient World civilizations.
Ambassador Lolo explained that the Nok people, predominantly farmers with a long history of monotheism reserved the period for thanksgiving and showing gratitude to God for bountiful harvest season and to seek the blessings of the Creator for yet another bumper period of crops.
He said the Nok people known by their firm belief in one deity, including Muslims, Christians and traditional adherents have universal commitment to peaceful coexistence wherever they live around the world.
He disclosed that Muslims would on March 29 use the auspicious occasion of Jumma’at prayer to mark the 2024 Ham Week Festival in various Friday mosques while the Christian faithful of Nok extraction would use Sunday service of March 31 for thanksgiving and supplication to God for all His abundantly grace for mankind.
“Our people as custodians of renowned Nok Civilization and the famous Terracotta dates back to 500BC are known for their chivalry, valour, confidence, innovation, hard-work, resilience,trust, vision among other commendable attributes.
“It doesn’t mean we don’t have history beyond this ancient period mentioned above, a visit to Nok will convince one via the relics of the old iron civilization and tantalizing sculptures.
“The whole essence of marking the festival is for sober retrospection on God’s favours for mankind vis-a-vis our relationship with one another as it affects our environment and all other creatures around us and beyond,” he pointed out.
Ambassador Lolo stated that the highpoint of the weeklong festival would be a convergence on Kwoi of all invitees from within and outside Nigeria for the grand finale on Saturday March 30 for unique cultural displays of the Nok people.
