The Ekiti State Government has placed a ban on the proposed three-day kissing marathon to break the Guinness World Record.
Recall that a group simply identified as Sugartee scheduled July 7 for the commencement of the longest world kissing marathon in a popular amusement park in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital.
But the Ekiti Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, in a letter dated July 3, 2023, to the Ekiti State Hoteliers Association, told the organizers to discard their plan to host the kissing marathon in the state.
A copy of the letter that was sighted by our correspondent was signed by the Director in the Ministry, Adebanji Adelusi, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Dele Ogunsemoyin, saying that the planned event tagged ‘Kiss-a-thon’ is capable of denigrating the image of the state.
It further threatened to sanction any facility that hosts the kiss-a-thon event accordingly, stating that the event runs contrary to the values of the State.
The letter reads in part: “Kiss-a-thon” as an event is not only absurd, unhealthy, immoral, and capable of denigrating the image of the state; it is a program that runs counter to the values of the people of the state and therefore capable of plunging our youth morally backward.
“Given the foregoing, the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Tourism hereby prohibits the hosting of such an event or any other event 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 the Ekiti State Hoteliers’ Association to effectively monitor their outlets against being used negatively to cause embarrassment to the Government and People of Ekiti State.”
