By Friday Obande
Proprietess of Nudiven Group of schools, Gishiri, Abuja, Mrs. Ngozi Uchey has made a call on government and the general public to uphold cultural activities as a strong tool for unification of children across the country.
She made the call during the school’s Cultural Day as part of the build up to its Inter-house sports competition over the weekend.
Mrs. Uchey noted that the cultural day is annually meant to appreciate and celebrate Nigeria’s cultural diversities which cut across different tribes and cosmology of the country.
“Our aim is to ensure that we strengthen parents to make sure foreign cultures do not override ours.
“We want the children to know some of the things that their cultures appreciate or abhor but are part of other people’s cosmology from eating, dressing amongst other aspects of life,” she said.
She also stated that though the English language has been the general Lingual Franca of the country, the child needs to be trained in their local languages at home in order to further boost their sense of identity like other climes.
The educationist called on the government to encourage this feat, as well as sister private schools, so as to strengthen the inculcation of local cultures amongst the children.
Also, Proprietor of the school, Mr. Uchey Egejuru, spoke about the challenges the school is currently facing after the trauma of the demolition exercise, leading to massive exit of many families but maintained that despite the tempest, “we have been holding head above water and sailing through.
In her welcome note during the school’s 5th annual Inter-house sport games, Chairlady of the event, Mrs. Esther Ibeh, appreciated the efforts of both teachers and the parents for their immense contributions to the lives of the pupils and students of the school, she described them as true epitome of future leaders of the society.
Highlights of the event were 100m races featuring Junior Secondary School boys and girls Categories, as well as the senior categories too, which was also replicated in the relay races, Sack race threading and needles, filling in the bottles, Egg races.
It was followed by other fun filling Track events like the male parents and female 150m races and that of the teachers in another category.
During the cultural day ceremony, the Igbo pupils and students took the day from the display of their rich displays of dances, recitations and traditional food presentations.
Red House came first in the match, followed by Green House and White House, out of six houses that contested in the Inter-house sports games.
The overall winners of all the activities at the field and track events were: White House in the first position, followed by Green and Blue houses in second and third positions, respectively.
Chairman of the occasions (Cultural Day/Inter-house sports) was Mr. Chukwu Odirii while the chairlady was Mrs. Esther Ibeh and the father of the occasion was
Others were: Mother of the day, Lolo B.A Ibeh, Mrs. Mercy Christian.
