From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Director-General, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), Abubakar Gambo Umar has said that reviving nation’s cultural heritage through appropriate civic education and historical trainings will bring lasting solution to problems of insecurity, corruption and other social ills bedeviling the country.
Umar stated thus in a paper he presented at the formal inauguration of the Arewa Cultural Heritage Initiative (ACHI) in Kaduna at the weekend.
In his paper titled; “imperatives of reviving cultural heritage for peace and unity” he said there was the need to go back to the drawing board and revive “our cultural heritage to build a more peaceful and sustainable Arewa of our dream, a region with peace, unity and development in the contest of Nigeria as one nation.
He averred that parents should recognize their parental responsibilities and treat every son in the society as their own child, and give them the standard discipline, respect elders and the authorities without discrimination.
“Leaders should not be elected based on any religious or tribal sentiments. All efforts must be made to encourage cultural bonding particularly among major tribal groups, this will lead to unity of purpose and promote mutual trust and understanding among Nigerians.
” Children in schools, homes and community should be encouraged to learn various Nigerian languages for us to produce de-tribalised Nigerians who can not only speak other people’s languages but will also appreciate them, which promote cultural cooperation” he said.
Earlier, Founder, Arewa Cultural Heritage Initiative, Shehu Musa Suleiman said the Arewa Cultural Heritage was born out of passion to connect the past historical cultural value, present and future generations with a simple mission of ‘Reclaiming our greatness as a People’.
He said, “The society of today is the mirror of our homes where parents no longer pay attention to their wards, out daily lives is the struggle for political and economic advantage, leaving behind our responsibilities of building responsible future generations, we do not know our children and their friends yet we are fathers and mother’s” he stressed.
Suleiman also said, Arewa Cultural Heritage Initiative is a non governmental organization officially established in 2021 was among others to promote the culture and tradition of the entire people of the Northern Nigeria (Arewa) and is determined to revive the decaying cultural values and peaceful coexistence of our people by promoting cultural activities and traditional institutions.
” Our major activities include, organizing annual cultural festival, carry out research. Promotion and preservation of our historical cultures, people and place, organize periodical culture and peace summits for our younger generation, introducing an individual merit award for exemplary leadership in the north and introducing a centre for Arewa cultural research and development”. He said.