Check out TOP 10 Famous Festivals in Nigeria

9. SHARO/SHADI FESTIVAL

The Sharo (also called Shadi) Festival is celebrated among the Jafun Fulani. Referred to as the Flogging Competition, it is a traditional rite for young men. The participants are escorted by girls to the event venue and led into a ring formed by spectators, their chests exposed. They are not allowed to wear shirts or cover the upper part of their bodies. The drumming, singing and cheers of the crowd combine to create an atmosphere of excitement.

Each participant is flogged by another and they are expected to endure the pain for as long as the exercise lasts, to demonstrate and prove their manhood. However, not all the young men are able to endure the excruciating pain; which at times leaves permanent scars on their bodies. Those who do endure to the end are certified mature and free to choose a girl to marry.