More than 50,000 fishermen on Saturday surged into the historic Matan Fada River ahead of the scheduled arrival of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the grand finale of the 2026 Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival (AIFCF).
The early arrival of the enthusiastic fishermen disrupted the established ceremonial protocol.
Dressed in traditional fishing attire and armed with nets and calabashes, they entered the river in anticipation of the highly anticipated fishing competition.
Some competitors had been waiting at designated competition points since 5:00 a.m.
As of 12:45 p.m., President Tinubu, alongside Nasir Idris and other high-profile dignitaries, had not yet arrived at the venue.
According to the event programme, the grand fishing competition and prize distribution were scheduled to run from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Efforts by security personnel and festival officials to manage the early start were unsuccessful, with the fishermen beginning the contest ahead of the arrival of special guests.
Despite this, the festival proceeded, drawing amazement from thousands of spectators who lined the riverbank to witness the action.
The 61st edition of the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival attracted participants and tourists from across Nigeria and neighbouring countries, cementing its status as one of Africa’s premier cultural tourism events.
Dignitaries expected included senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional rulers, and captains of industry.
