LEADERSHIP Director Urges Africans To Embrace Cultural Diversity

A director at LEADERSHIP Media Group, Mr Abraham Nda-Isaiah, has urged Africans to embrace cultural diversity, mutual respect, and unity as tools to strengthen relationships and overcome divisions across the continent.

Nda-Isaiah made the call in a speech at the Cultural Day celebration of St Mary and Alfred Group of Schools, Abuja branch, with the theme, “The Beauty of Africa: Celebrating Culture, Unity and Diversity,” over the weekend.

He said Africa’s cultural differences should be regarded as a source of strength rather than division, urging parents, teachers and children to promote understanding and peaceful coexistence among people from different ethnic and national backgrounds.

“The true success of today’s celebration will not be measured by how beautifully we represent another culture. It will be measured by how respectfully we treat people from different cultures afterwards.

“Africa will not become great simply because we all speak one language. Africa will become great when we learn to understand and respect one another, even when we speak different languages,” he said.

He illustrated the power of cultural diversity with the story of his marriage to an Ibibio woman from Akwa Ibom State, despite being a proud Nupe man from Niger State.

“I am that proud Nupe man from Niger State, and my beautiful wife, an Ibibio woman from Akwa Ibom State, is sitting right here with me.

God has blessed our union with two beautiful daughters who carry the heritage of two great Nigerian cultures.

“In our home, two cultures do not compete for supremacy; they complement one another. Our children have the privilege of celebrating both cultures,” he said.

The media executive noted that Africa’s cultural diversity predated the national boundaries established during colonial rule, explaining that communities across the continent had traded, travelled, celebrated and maintained relationships long before many of the borders were drawn.

“Our diversity is not evidence that we cannot live together. It is evidence of how richly endowed our continent is.”

Addressing the pupils, he warned against tribal discrimination, cultural mockery and prejudice, urging them to treat their peers with dignity regardless of their nationality, language or background.

“Never mock another child’s accent. Never laugh at another person’s traditional attire. Never reject friendship simply because someone comes from a different place. Your culture tells the world who you are, but your character tells the world what you stand for.”

Speaking on the significance of the event, the Principal of the school, Mr Sunday Ekunke, said the Cultural Day celebration was designed to expose pupils to the rich heritage of African countries and broaden their understanding of different traditions.

Ekunke said the school combined academic excellence with extracurricular activities to promote the all-round development of its pupils, noting that it also organised inter-house sports competitions and other activities to provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their talents beyond the classroom.

He said, “Cultural Day has a significant impact on students because it exposes them to cultures they may not have known existed. Even some of the parents gathered here today may be unfamiliar with certain cultural practices.”