The Ekiti State Government has restated its disapproval of a planned kissing marathon tagged kiss-a-thon slated to commence on Friday (today) in the state.
OsunDailyNG earlier reported that the Ekiti State government banned the planned 72-hour kissing marathon to set the Guinness World Record in the state.
Ekiti government in a letter dated July 3, 2023, from the Ministry of Arts and Culture addressed to the Ekiti State Hoteliers Association warned that any facility that hosted the event would be severely sanctioned.
It was however learnt by this platform that the Kiss-a-thon is being organised by a group identified as Sugartee in an advert making around in the state and social media.
However, in its reaction to the issue, the Ekiti government in the letter signed by the Director of Tourism Adebanji Adelusi on behalf of the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dele Ogunsemoyin, noted that the planned event tagged ‘Kiss-a-thon ‘ was capable of denigrating the image of the state.
Restating its disapproval of the event, the Ekiti government has on Thursday said organisers and promoters of the kiss-a-thon risk three-year jail term.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata, said the same fate awaited proprietors or owners of any facility used for the hosting of such an event in the state apart from closing it down.
Apata, who spoke in a prohibition notice of the kiss-a-thon, which he signed, said the Ekiti State government considered the proposed programme as an indecent act, absurd, unhealthy and capable of denigrating the image of Ekiti State.
He advanced that “Pursuant to the provisions of the law and any other relevant laws applicable in Ekiti State, the proposed programme tagged kiss-a-thon is hereby prohibited throughout the length and breadth of Ekiti State.
“The planned kiss-a-thon programme is contrary to sections 148 and 150 of the Criminal Law (2021) which prohibits indecent acts and practices in the state, and anyone who violates the law is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.
“Any person or corporate body that allows himself/herself and facilities to be used in executing the proposed programme in the state would be prosecuted before an appropriate court.
“The state government has considered the proposed event as an indecent act, absurd, unhealthy and capable of denigrating the image of Ekiti State and same is contrary to the law of Ekiti State, particularly sections 148 and 150 Criminal Law no 21 of 2021 which prohibits indecent acts and practices in Ekiti State.
“Consequently, no individual or corporate body is allowed to embark upon and/or execute the proposed kiss-a-thon in Ekiti State. Any person and/or corporate body that allows himself or herself and /or facilities to be used in executing/ propagating the proposed programme in Ekiti State will be prosecuted before the appropriate court and dealt with according to the law.”
