Pategi
About
Pategi is a town and local government area in Kwara State, Nigeria, with its headquarters in the town. The town is the headquarters of Pategi Emirate and is inhabited mainly by the Nupe people, who speak the Nupe language. The people are farmers, fishers and traders, and are governed by a traditional monarch. The local government area lies on the banks of the Niger River and is one of the largest Fadama lowlands in the state. The town is known for the Pategi Regatta Festival, a biennial event held on the Niger River that features canoe races and Nupe cultural displays, and which attracts many tourists.
History
The settlement of Pategi existed before the founding of Pategi Emirate, but its growth and importance increased when the Edegi ruling house moved from Gbara and Bida to Pategi, forming a new emirate. The emirate's formation came as a result of the British conquest of Bida. After the conquest, the Yissazhi group under Idrissu Gana was allowed to have its own emirate at Pategi. During colonial rule, Pategi was a district within Ilorin province and was the location of the first successful mission of the Sudan Interior Mission. The Pategi Regatta Festival was conceived in 1950 by the traditional council of Pategi Emirate and was inaugurated in 1953.
Source: Wikipedia: Pategi
Key Facts
State
Kwara State
Headquarters
Pategi