To encourage tourism, the Katsina State Government has restated its total commitment to promoting the state’s cultural heritage and traditions.
The Katsina State Commissioner for Information and Culture Bala Zango disclosed this to reporters on Sunday at the sideline of the Season 3 Dambe Warriors Circuit Fight 11 Competition, otherwise known as traditional boxing held at the Katsina Open Air Theatre.
According to him, Katsina is a culture-friendly state, thus assuring the state government’s readiness, to organise inter-local government’s traditional boxing competition.
On his part, the Co-founder of Dambe Warriors Chidi Anyina described Dambe as a new structure of attracting more funding from investors within and outside Nigeria, which he said will, in turn, implate the economy.
He described the power of Dambe entertainment as one that can not be overstated, saying that the narrative can be changed through such sports as the Dambe.
Dambe Going ‘International’
“It’s just a league. In each category, each fighter will fight in different cities starting from Katsina, Niger, Abuja, and Kano among other participating states.
“We have light weight, middle weight and heavy weight categories. The last two will be disqualified and will leave the league and we will recruit new fighters as promotional for a competition. The third group will now fight at the finals to determine the king of Dambe in that category.
“We sign the best fighters and pay them a good fee, monthly salaries, and appearance bonuses. For those that win at the finals, we give them one million naira each and N500,000 for the new fighters.
“This is a new structure of attracting more funding from investment within and outside the country.
“The locals are sleeping on this, we can take it to the international league. This will also impact the economy because the power of entertainment can not be overstated. Narrative can be changed through sports like this,” Anyina added.
Earlier, three rounds of Dambe competition were conducted between Autan Kudawa from Kano State who eventually got 88 points, and Manu Shagon Garkuwar Cindo from Kebbi State who in the end scored 87 points.
During the competition, a Nasarawa fighter Aljanin Bahagon defeated Dan Bahagon Zayyanu after scoring 87 points. His rival scored 86 points.