2 days ago
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A United Kingdom-based Nigerian, Lekan Okanlawon, has decried the last-minute cancellation of the Sallah Durbar in Kano, which he said disrupted plans to secure a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of horse riders.
Okanlawon, who arrived in Kano with a team of over 160 enthusiasts, including polo players and cultural tourists from various countries, said the cancellation was a huge letdown, especially after months of meticulous planning.
He said many in his team had hoped to ride in the historic procession, with some importing their horses from the UK specifically for the event.
“Our objective was to put Kano on the global map by securing a Guinness World Record.
“The Durbar has over 5,000 horses, which is unmatched anywhere in the world. But to be told on arrival that the event had been cancelled was heartbreaking,” he told journalists in Kano.
Okanlawon said his group’s interest in the Durbar was further inspired by its recognition by UNESCO as a cultural heritage event.
He urged the Kano State History and Culture Bureau to collaborate with the Ministry of Creative Economy to harness the Durbar’s global tourism potential.
“There’s no event like the Kano Durbar.
“With better planning and coordination, this celebration of heritage can draw global attention and international recognition,” he said.
Also speaking, an American tourist, Virgil Taylor, said he was “deeply disappointed” by the development.
Taylor, who had planned his visit for over a year, said witnessing the Durbar was on his bucket list.
He said, “As a black man from the United States, it meant a lot to see African culture on such a majestic scale.
“It was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and to find it cancelled after all that travel was devastating.”
Responding to the concerns, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State History and Culture Bureau, Ahmad Yusuf, acknowledged the emotional and economic impact of the cancellation.
He assured all that efforts would be made to avoid such disruptions in the future and called for greater synergy among cultural stakeholders to ensure Kano’s heritage events meet international expectations.
