A former deputy governor of Nasarawa State and current director-general of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mr. Silas Agara, has called for cultural revival in the country through regular shows.
The former deputy governor who decried the declining cultural awareness among the youths and even adults, said revival through periodic cultural engagements was necessary to educate the public on the country’s rich heritage.
He spoke at the 2024 North-Central Sisinbaki Cultural Carnival in Wamba local government area of Nasarawa State yesterday.
Agara commended Hon Jeremiah Umaru (APC, Akwanga/Nassarawa-Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency) for his efforts toward preserving culture and tradition in the area.
He praised the cultural displays by various groups that participated in event, describing the carnival as impressive and called for support to boost and preserve the cultural heritage of each ethnic group in the state and country at large.
Also at the event, the Gum Mama and chairman of Ferin-Ruwa Chiefdom of Wamba LGA, Malam Mustapha Zeberu Adams, commended the legislator for organising the annual festival within the last 10 years.
He said it was a platform where the culture and traditions of the various ethnic groups were showcased and enabled the young generation learn.
He urged parents to always speak their languages to their children and make out time to bring them to cultural activities in order to save their cultures from extinction.
The national president of Rindre Cultural Development Association, Mrs Theresa Tanze, described the 2024 edition of the carnival as the best, given the innovations that were introduced.
She said the event was educative and entertaining and prayed to God to bless all those who are investing in the cultural heritage of the indigenous people in order to preserve it.
In his opening remarks, Rep. Umaru explained that as a young person, he observed that the wall of culture was falling, hence the need for deliberate efforts to revive and promote it.
“It is our collective responsibility to serve the culture from going into extinction and pass it to our children as our parents did it.
“We cannot afford to fail in this responsibility because any man without culture has lost his identity,” the lawmaker said.
Anzanlu Dancers of Nassarawa-Eggon who came first at the event were given N1 million and a cow while Rindre Women Cultural Dancers from Wamba got N700, 000 and one cow for coming second.
