LEADERSHIP Director Urges Africans To Embrace Cultural Diversity

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

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

He mentioned Africa’s cultural variations ought to be thought to be a supply of energy reasonably than division, urging mother and father, lecturers and youngsters to advertise understanding and peaceable coexistence amongst individuals from totally different ethnic and nationwide backgrounds.

“The true success of as we speak’s celebration won’t be measured by how fantastically we symbolize one other tradition. It might be measured by how respectfully we deal with individuals from totally 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 mentioned.

He illustrated the facility of cultural variety with the story of his marriage to an Ibibio girl from Akwa Ibom State, regardless of being a proud Nupe man from Niger State.

“I’m that proud Nupe man from Niger State, and my lovely spouse, an Ibibio girl from Akwa Ibom State, is sitting proper right here with me.

God has blessed our union with two lovely daughters who carry the heritage of two nice 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 mentioned.

The media government famous that Africa’s cultural variety predated the nationwide boundaries established throughout colonial rule, explaining that communities throughout the continent had traded, travelled, celebrated and maintained relationships lengthy earlier than lots of the borders had been 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 towards tribal discrimination, cultural mockery and prejudice, urging them to deal with their friends with dignity no matter 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 importance of the occasion, the Principal of the college, Mr Sunday Ekunke, mentioned the Cultural Day celebration was designed to show pupils to the wealthy heritage of African nations and broaden their understanding of various traditions.

Ekunke mentioned the college mixed tutorial excellence with extracurricular actions to advertise the all-round improvement of its pupils, noting that it additionally organised inter-house sports activities competitions and different actions to supply college students with alternatives to show their abilities past the classroom.

He mentioned, “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.”