Recently, the rustic town of Shao in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State came alive, when indigenes and residents rolled out the drums to mark the 4th Shao Awon-Ga Day.

It was a lively event and it was an occasion to celebrate and felicitate. This was a day to reconnect with the love binding them, and to relish the beauty of their cultural heritage.

This is the story of the Shao Awon-ga festival, an annual event which is an occasion to revive and protect the heritage bequeathed them by their forefathers.

In Kwara State, Shao town stands out as a classical tourist community owing to the popular Awon Mass Wedding marked in the town annually, where all adults or brides to be, are simultaneously given to their heartthrobs. Apart from the popular mass wedding, the Shao Awon-ga day also show-cases the community's rich cultural heritage.

Apart from cultural displays, one of the major features of the celebration was to solicit for N150 million from benevolent individuals, for the completion of the ultra-modern hall project being embarked upon by the community.

Although the celebration is coming within the festive season, the venue of the yet to be completed ultra-modern hall project, was filled to the brim. The turnout was impressive as members of the community and spectators were held spell-bound with the enchanting cultural displays at the ceremony. Most thrilling was the "Ekun Iyawo" (bridal chants) rendered by a group of women in the community, even as drummers entertained the people to the fullest.

Speaking with Daily Trust reporter on the occasion, the Ohoro of Shao, Oba Bamidele Alabi Adegbite Ilufemiloye Oyerinde III, explained that the celebration was a call to reawaken the cultural heritage of the people of Shao Awon-Ga.

"The people of Shao Awon-Ga have a very rich heritage , and as you can see we protect this heritage from going extinct, by coming together to remind ourselves of our identity, and also to display it and rejoice with one another," he said.

The monarch agreed that civilization had impacted greatly on the people, but stressed that the town had not lost its identity. He said the town cherishes its cultural heritage, and despite the intrusion of civilization, the community is doing everything within its power to preserve its identity.

On the ultra-modern town hall under construction, and the 150 million appeal fund, the royal father pointed out that apart from jealously guarding its cultural heritage, "the people of Shao are hardworking entrepreneurs, renowned for their community self-efforts."

"We are aware that government cannot do everything for us. So we have resorted to community based efforts to put some basic things in place, like the completion of the Shao police station, civil defence post and the renovation of some schools in the ancient town. We have also started work on our ultramodern town hall. As you can see it is nearing completion, but there is still much to be done there. This launching is therefore to assist the community in the completion of the ongoing project," he added.

The visibly over-joyed royal father, who could not hide his feelings over the turnout of the indigenes of Shao Awon-Ga town as well as invited guests, specifically thanked the State government for honouring the invitation of the people of the town, and donating handsomely to its development.

He affirmed that "the state government has shown by this singular gesture that they mean well for us in Shao Awon-Ga, and we are very grateful." He also expressed optimism that other requests of the town which are before the state government, would receive the same speedy attention.

Earlier in his welcome address on the occasion, the Asiwaju of Shao, Chief J.O. Olarogun, affirmed that the celebration was aimed at keeping the cultural heritage of the people alive.

He pointed out that the Shao Awon-Ga Day is a rich cultural heritage of the people, which must not be allowed to die.