*As Ekiti prohibits event
Ekiti State Government has announced prohibition of a planned three-day kissing marathon event to break Guinness World Record billed for the state.
Flyers in town announcing the planned kiss-a-thon organised by Sugartee billed to hold between July 7 and July 10, 2023, stated that the three-day kissing marathon is “attempt to break the GWR for the longest kissing marathon”.
But the Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Dele Ogunsemoyin, who said the kiss-a-thon had been slated for one of the hospitality outlets in the state, threatened to close down any facility where such event held in the state.
Ogunsemoyin gave the directive in a letter titled, “Hosting of a three-day kissing marathon tagged kiss-a-thon in Ekiti State,” addressed to the Secretary, Ekiti State Hoteliers Association, signed on his behalf by the Director of Tourism, Adebanji Adelusi.
Ogunsemoyin said, “Kiss-a-thon as an event is not only absurd, unhealthy, immoral and capable of denigrating the image of the state, it is a programme that runs counter to the values of the people of the state and therefore capable of plunging our youths morally backward.
“In view of the foregoing, the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism hereby prohibits the hosting of such event or any other events like it in any facility that wishes to continue to operate lawfully in Ekiti State.”
“Sequel to the above, you are hereby requested to convey the content of this notice to the members of Ekiti State Hoteliers’ Association to effectively monitor their outlets against being used negatively to cause embarrassment to the government and people of Ekiti State”.
