Preparations are underway for the 2025 edition of Bit Gamai, the annual cultural festival of the Gamai Nation, scheduled to take place on December 31, 2025, in Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Widely regarded as one of the most significant cultural gatherings of the Gamai people, the festival will feature traditional dances, indigenous cuisine, cultural exhibitions, language-preservation efforts and performances designed to strengthen identity and promote intergenerational knowledge transfer.
Addressing journalists at the NUJ Secretariat in Jos on Friday, the National President of the Gamai Nation, Miskoom Albert Alkali, confirmed that this year’s event will be hosted at the traditional headquarters of the Gamai Nation in Shendam.
Alkali explained that Bit Gamai has become an important platform for preserving the cultural identity, historical memory and values of the Gamai people, whose ancestral roots and communities spread across Plateau and Nasarawa States.
“Our people are predominantly found in Shendam, Quan Pan and Langtang South LGAs of Plateau State, as well as Awe and Lafia LGAs in neighbouring Nasarawa State. We have an estimated population of about 1.1 million people across major chiefdoms including Duut, Dorok, Derteng, Kwo, Jakhattoe, Namu (Japjan), Kwalla-Moeda and Abakwariga,” he said.
According to him, plans for the festival are being coordinated by a committee chaired by respected Gamai elder and former Head of Service of Plateau State, Miskoom Camillus Tsemwan.
He revealed that the event will feature over twenty cultural dance performances from various communities, alongside displays of indigenous food, arts and traditional dressing.
“As a people, our culture is our identity. Bit Gamai is not just a festival—it is a reminder of who we are, where we come from, and the values we must preserve for the generations coming after us,” he stated.
Alkali added that invitations will be extended to government officials, traditional rulers, Gamai indigenes in the diaspora, other ethnic nationalities in Plateau State, tourism stakeholders, the media, cultural enthusiasts and visitors from across Nigeria
.“This year’s edition promises to be memorable. We are opening our doors to Nigerians and the world to experience the richness and dignity of Gamai culture,” he added.
Over the years, the Bit Gamai Festival has grown into a powerful symbol of unity, cultural continuity and pride, fostering social cohesion and strengthening heritage among the Gamai people.
