African Drums Festival: Kwara Troupe Shines Again

The troupe of the Kwara State Council for Arts and Culture again shone like a stellar at the just concluded African Drum Festival 2019 in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.

After emerging winners of the 2018 edition, the Kwara State Troupe had entered the 2019 edition of the festival as defending champions.

At the end of the festival, which was witnessed by the State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr (Mrs) Amina Suduade Ahmed from the opening to the closing, the State troupe came second  behind Gombe State and ahead of Ondo State that clinched 3rd position.

By this feat, the Kwara Troupe clinched the cash prize of one million naira for the 2nd position.

The 2019 edition of the festival with the theme ‘Drumming the Future’ held at The Amphitheatre, City Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State, had the chief host, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka and many dignitaries in attendance.

Competing troupes came from States in Nigeria and many African countries.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Kwara State Council for Arts and Culture, Comrade Bisi Oyewole has rated the performance of his troupe at the just concluded Africa Drum Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun state as deserving of a gold medal.

Speaking with this reporter in a telephone interview yesterday, Comrade Oyewole commended members of his troupe for a job well done stressing that, “their performance was top notch. They gave it their best as the defending champions and I believe coming second was as a result of a technical glitch.

“The performance of the Kwara Troupe deserved a gold medal and I believe that was why even the state announced as winner didn’t celebrate. The gold eluded us this year but I can assure you that with support from relevant stakeholders we will bounce back in next year’s competition, God willing.”

Speaking further, Comrade Oyewole disclosed that the hard work and dedication of his troupe was boosted with the presence of the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr (Mrs) Amina Suduade Ahmed.

In his words, “immediately after we won the last year edition we went back to work, we didn’t let the victory enter our heads. We have since been practicing but I believe what motivated us further was the presence of the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr (Mrs) Amina Suduade Ahmed who witnessed the program from beginning to end. Her presence was a good moral booster for the Troupe.”