Bianca Iboma
Cultural diversity is not necessarily an impediment to national unity, the Principal of Ronik Comprehensive School, Ejigbo, Lagos, Mrs. Vitoria Duru has stated.
Addressing parents, staff and students during the biennial cultural festival of the school, Mrs. Duru noted that “the history of all the ethnic nationalities in the country is replete with astonishing breakthroughs that have become cynosure to visitors who come to Nigeria from different parts of the world”.
Duru called on government to strengthen institutions that will promote national unity despite the existence of over 200 languages and cultural practices.
She added that” it is true that in a multi-ethnic society, national cohesion may be a little difficult to attain, it is however not an impossible task if the will is there. Though the greatest challenge facing Nigeria is the threat to its national unity, there have been many institutions promoting values which continued to keep the nation united such as Unity Schools, National Youth Service Corps and the National Theatre, cultural sites and monuments, drama, music, festivals, foods and varieties of social interactions like marriage and business engagements.’’
She also appealed to government to work harder to develop our indigenous languages, stressing “the place of language as a unifying factor cannot be over emphasised. Language as a component of culture is a means of communication which reflects the thoughts, feelings, values, beliefs and the experiences of a people”.
The principal added that cultural development will invariably include effective use and promotion of our indigenous languages.
The cultural day featured fashion parade by various cultural groups which includes Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa-Fulani cultural groups as well as cultural dance and drama.