NAFEST: Bayelsa emerges overall winner

Bayelsa State at the weekend emerged champion of the 30th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) which held in Kaduna.

The festival which opened on October 31, 2017 with durbar ended with a colourful closing ceremony on Saturday, November 4, 2017.

The host Kaduna state emerged second and Lagos State contingent took the third place.

The event themed, ‘Nigerian Unity and Peace Our Pride’ brought alive the trade fair complex, venue of the festival with rich cultural presence of different states and ethnic groups from across Nigeria.

Kaduna State had earlier emerged winner of the traditional wrestling competition that held on Friday.

The Kaduna wrestler, Ibrahim Shehu overpowered his Kano state counterpart, Mujiheed Mohammed to emerge champion in the final round of the competition.

For the 3rd and 4th place matches, Katsina state wrestler, Salau Umar won his Lagos counterpart, Oke Akinbowa in another keen wrestling.

The Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe commended the athletes for their sportsmanship; urging them to continue to demonstrate such spirit in every competition they find themselves.

He also stressed that NAFEST had given priority attention to accelerating the commercial and economic contents of cultural assets identifiable in each state of the federation.