Several tourists have expressed disappointment over the abrupt cancellation of the 2025 Eid-el-Fitr Durbar, a popular traditional horse-riding festival, in Kano State.

More than 160 tourists had traveled to Kano to witness the annual Sallah Durbar, which is renowned for its grandeur and cultural significance. The cancellation, announced shortly before the event, left many visitors disheartened.

Speaking at a press briefing in Kano, Mr. Virgil Taylor, a tourist from the United States who spent a year planning his trip, described the experience as disheartening. He arrived in Nigeria on March 28, 2025, only to learn of the Durbar’s cancellation.

“Kano Durbar, as I understood from my research, was the biggest Durbar to visit. I only learned that the Durbar was canceled when I arrived in Kano. I was terribly disappointed because I had made significant financial commitments to the trip, arranging everything in advance,” Taylor said.

The first-time visitor to Nigeria noted that the Durbar represented a unique and historic opportunity for him, one he had long anticipated. Despite the setback, he appreciated the efforts of the Executive Secretary of the Kano State History and Culture Bureau, Mr. Ahmad Yusuf, and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, for providing alternative experiences for tourists.

Taylor, however, urged the Federal Government to minimize the issuance of security threats that could deter investors and tourists from visiting Nigeria. “Despite the financial cost, I consider my visit a blessing and would consider returning, hoping not to be disappointed again,” he added.

Similarly, Lekan Yusha’u, a UK-based Nigerian and polo agent, expressed frustration over the cancellation. He noted that his visit, along with the invitation extended to his friends, was largely inspired by UNESCO’s recognition of the Durbar as part of its heritage program.

“They have never ridden a horse in such a long procession. My goal, along with a couple of friends, was to ensure that within the next year, we put the Kano Durbar procession in the Guinness World Records. Kano Durbar has the largest gathering of horses in the world, with over 4,000 horses participating in a single procession,” Yusha’u said.

He revealed that he had spent over £6,000 on his flight alone, excluding other expenses, and had met over 160 foreign tourists who had come for the same event.

Yusha’u urged the Kano State Government to capitalize on the event’s global appeal, emphasizing that the Kano Durbar is unique to northern Nigeria.

“Both the state and federal government should not disappoint us again by canceling the Kano Durbar,” he said.

The annual Durbar festival in Kano is a cultural showcase that attracts visitors from around the world, featuring colorful horse parades, traditional dances, and displays of local heritage.

Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama has admitted that Barack Obama was “not financially sound” when she met him.

The couple met in 1988 when Barack took a job at a law firm in Chicago where Michelle was already working.

Speaking on the podcast she hosts with her brother, Craig, Michelle spent much of their most recent episode discussing the importance of having a partner with financial stability.

Talking with British author Jay Shetty, Craig put the question directly to his famous sister.

He asked, “Would you be attracted to a guy who’s not financially sound when you meet him?”

Michelle immediately responded, “Uh, I married one.”

Craig then laughed and admitted to his sister that he’d set her up.

“Don’t you like that alley-oop I just threw you? In basketball, you just point—you don’t even have to say it,” he said.

Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has reacted to the comment by the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, that Nigerians should defend themselves.

Ejimakor said Kanu was detained and is being prosecuted for making the same comment Ajayi made.

He disclosed that the same remark from Kanu led to the proscription of IPOB and hounding of Igbos as terrorists.

On Tuesday, the DSS DG said Nigerians must take responsibility for their own security, as the military, police, and intelligence agencies do not have the capacity to protect every community from terrorist attacks in Nigeria.

Speaking at a public engagement, the DSS DG made reference to past incidents in Bauchi State, where local communities successfully fought off Boko Haram insurgents without waiting for security forces.

Ajayi urged Nigerians to rethink their approach to self-defence, emphasising that communities must serve as the “first line of defence” against terrorists and other criminals

Reacting, Ejimakor posted on X: “Defend yourselves” is the same thing MAZI NNAMDI KANU said that was twisted to justify his extraordinary rendition & charging him for ‘incitement of violence.’

“It’s also the same thing that led to the proscription of IPOB & the hounding of young Igbos as terrorists. #Injustice.”