My Culture, my Identity’ was the theme at this year’s edition of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization’s Children’s Cultural Festival.
The annual event, which took place December 9 at the National Theatre in Lagos, saw scores of school children turn out in their uniforms and in cultural attires. The students were billed to stage various cultural performances during the event, and they did not disappoint.
Dignitaries expected at the event included: Abimbola Fashola, the first Lady of Lagos State who was to chair the event; Senator Grace Folashade Bent; and Abubakar Sadiq Muhammed, minister of tourism, culture and national orientation, among others. All were however, unavoidably absent, and sent in representatives.
“CBAAC is statutorily entrusted with the responsibility of promoting, propagating, and preserving African cultural values,” said Tunde Babawale, director general of the centre, as he began his welcome address.
Speaking about cultural continuity, he stated that children deserve much focus because they represent continuity and are the link between today, tomorrow, and the future. It was therefore, appropriate that CBAAC was placing its focus on children.
According to Mr. Babawale, “This is being done because of the realisation that the ideals which CBAAC represents are better inculcated in youth early. Our interest in children is further strengthened by the fact that children learn easily, and very fast too.
“It is in recognition of these that we are investing in children in the belief that they will assimilate the cultural values we represent, promote, and propagate,” he added.
Mr. Babawale decried the pervading influence of Western values upon the nation’s youth, to the detriment of indigenous languages and cultures.
“Central to our quest for cultural continuity is the need to restore and promote interest in cultural values, which are continuously ebbed by the impact of exposure to Western norms and values,” he stated.
He blamed the tide of rapid urbanisation and changing economic situations for the inability of parents and the elderly to impact African cultural values on their children. He further explained that the theme of this year’s festival, ‘My Culture, my Identity’, is the organisation’s way of redirecting children’s attention to the beauty of African culture.
The chairman of CBAAC governing board, Semiu Adesina Barkinson, echoed similar sentiments in his speech at the event. According to him, “the deterioration in our social values informed CBAAC’s decision to organise this programme which targets younger members of our society.”
“This programme, I am sure, will encourage children to showcase our rich culture in all its ramifications,” Mr. Barkinson added.
The children’s efforts did not go unrewarded as the stage of the main Exhibition Hall of the National Theatre was arranged with various gift items which the winning schools and their pupils went home with.
The minister of tourism, represented by Gambo Doris, director general of the National Orientation Agency, in his address, lauded CBAAC for the initiative of the festival. He observed that the festival would make the children good cultural ambassadors.
“Our continent and country is richly blessed culturally. We can derive huge economic benefits from our cultural diversity. These gains are only possible when we identify with our culture,” he pointed out, underscoring the benefits of culture to economic growth.
Zachary Madayi, representing Folasade Bent, brought goodwill messages from the senator for the children. She advised them to obey and respect their parents, and also emphasised the importance of indigenous languages.
The consular general of Ghana High Commission in Nigeria, Sylvester Parker-Allotey, in his own remarks stated that culture goes beyond dressing. “When we talk about culture, we see attitudes and ways of life,” he asserted.
He went on to task parents on what he described as the dying reading culture among children.
“Parents, outside of school textbooks, how many of you have bought a book for your children? We have to address the dearth of reading among our children in Africa,” Mr. Parker-Allotey said.Source:http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/ArtsandCulture/index.csp
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