The Government of Ekiti state has directed traditional rulers in towns and villages to either postpone or cancel for the rest of the year, all pending local festivals in their domains to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The State Coordinator of COVID-19 Task Force Response Team, Prof Bolaji Aluko, made the announcement in a statement in Ado Ekiti.
He disclosed that Ekiti State had cumulatively recorded 78 positive Coronavirus cases, with 29 active, 2 deaths and 47 discharged, warning that the cases can rise dramatically if public assemblies continued unchecked.
He said as the state was gradually entering the full blown season of Traditional Festival, therefore, travels from within Ekiti State and various parts of Nigeria by indigenes and visitors to the various towns and villages during this period of the pandemic, had started to occur.
According to him, the attendant incidents of virus transmission in these crowded and boisterous situations, where social distancing is practically impossible, and mask wearing, which is also required, may be impractical for prolonged times.
“Consequently, the wise course is to seriously discourage these festivals at this time.
“In fact, they are effectively banned by current government guidelines requiring social distancing and limited-number assemblies.”
Source: TodayNG
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