In order to revive Nigeria’s cultural heritages focusing on moral values, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria has given support to the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, Development and Sustainability (CIKDAS), which recently organised a one-day event, the “Indigenous Women as a Catalyst for Good Governance”.
At the well attended event in Ado-Ekiti, the convener, Princess Jumoke Owoola, who also doubles as the CIKDAS Project Director, said that the need to constantly reawaken the interest and ensure compliance gave birth to the event.
“Our culture is dying here at home, but foreigners in developed countries are tapping into the positive aspects of our culture and making use of it for their own developmental goals. We need to brazen up “, she said.
Owoola further said that the theme of the event was targeted at women in order to make it more accepted, as well as having more positive impacts from the home front to the larger populace.
“Women has a grip on the populace. They have dominance in the house. They have on the society too. Even where men call the shots, women have a way of making positive impacts. They are multitasking naturally, and this they can do without complaints.
“We know that when a woman is coming to such an event, men and children will be invited along. And where men are not coming along , the men will still ask about the outcome of the event upon getting home. And this method has greatly made the event a sought-after. In fact, participants were begging us to come again. The believe is that cultural revival will surely restore normalcy in our society, be it kidnapping, rape, violence, cultural norms, up to organic or indigenous foods which can aid our health and body systems”, she said.
One of the participants, Christiana Afe called on federal and state governments to make the issue of cultural values revival a must in Nigerian schools. This, she explained, “will allow positive norms be in the veins of the youngsters in order to grow with it. It can never be too much. Constant reminder will pave the way for better results”, she said.
A Junior Secondary School 1 student, Odunayo Odunola said that cultural values revival must start from the cradle. “The way we greet, the way we show respect to elders both at home and in schools; even also the way we reason amongst our peers. Religion and belief might be different, the ability to learn how to tolerate each others matters, irrespective of ones tribe or nationality”, he rationalised.
Another participant, Mr Adubiaran James said that the needs to tolerate each others was paramount in Nigeria decades ago. He said that was why he supported cultural values awareness at any forum.
“We are one. Same blood flows in our veins. Stability will make the country to develop faster. It will make societal ills be reduced in our society”, he said.
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC has been supporting CIKDAS in community development, cultural revival, teachers’ advancement and positive awareness drives targeted at rebuilding the society.
