Argungu is famous for its annual fishing festival that takes place on the Sokoto river. The origin of the Argungu fishing festival is shrouded in some confusion. The most widespread view is that it began in 1934 and was used to mark peace between the former Sokoto Caliphate and the Kebbi kingdom. According to an article written by Shyllon Folarin in the International Journal it originated when the Sultan of Sokoto, made a historic visit to Argungu. In honor of his visit, a grand fishing festival was organized; and since then it has become a yearly event held between Februrary and March (Aig-Imoukhuede, 1991). It started as one of the steps towards mending the relations between Argungu and the Sokoto people due to the historical significance for the people between the two towns.
The book, The past is the Present; The evolution of the Argungu Fishing Festival, written by Yusuf Baite suggests that Fashion Ruwa started approximately seventy years ago when Sarkin Kebbi Muhummadu II allowed his people to fish in the Sokoto river that was only reserved for personal use (Yusuf, 1982 ). The most probable explanation is that it is approximately seventy years since the festival began to attract visitors, and that it dates back to the sixteenth century. The 1934 visit of the sultan of Sokoto merely gave the little local event a wide dimension.
Sokoto Sultan Abubakar attends the fishing festival. Photo by Akintunde Akinleye, 2006
Adeniyi Olangunju, 2008
Therefore, one can conclude that the fishing festival dates back to the 16th century and that the its origins is in one of the local fishing festivals called Su (Su, 1957).
Video by the Federal Ministry Of Tourism
Bibliography
Aig-Imoukhuede, Frank, ed. A Handbook of Nigerian Culture. Lagos, Nigeria: Federal Ministry of Culture, 1991.
Yusuf, A.B. (1982). The Past in the Present: Evolution of the Argungu Fishing Festival. John Okwesa Limited, Yaba Lagos.
Su: Argungu Fishing Festival” Nigeria Magazine 55 (1957)
Argungu Fishing Festival 