KANFEST 2025: Governor Yusuf Directs Emirs to Uphold Annual Durbar Celebration

Kano, Nigeria – October 25, 2025

In a bid to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of Kano State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has directed all Emirs in the state to uphold the annual Durbar (traditional horse riding) festival.
Governor Yusuf also pledged the full support of the Kano State Government to the Emirates to ensure that the centuries-old tradition of horsemanship is preserved, strengthened, and showcased to the world.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor gave the directive during the opening ceremony of KANFEST (Kalankuwa) 2025—an event organized to celebrate Kano’s cultural diversity, empower creatives, engage youth and women, and foster global partnerships that place the state on the world’s cultural map.

Governor Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in the promotion of arts, culture, and tourism as vital instruments of social cohesion, youth engagement, and economic diversification.
In his remarks, the Emir of Kano and Chairman of the State Council of Emirates, Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II, commended the foresight of the Kano State Government in restoring the diminished yet invaluable traditions of the Kano people.
The three-day event features a wide range of activities, including cultural and local cuisine exhibitions, performances, traditional games, drama, crafts, fabrics, pottery displays, and paper presentations by resource persons, among others.

KANFEST 2025 has attracted a diverse audience comprising traditional title holders, members of the diplomatic corps, artisans, cultural groups, investors, youth, artists, and other key stakeholders in the culture and tourism industry.