By Emmanuel Ufon
In its efforts to expose the future leaders on foreign cultures, should they travel out of Nigeria and also to promote, preserve Nigerian rich cultural heritage, the management of Fortune Schools in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Friday, March 13 staged a day long cultural activities for the Pupils and students of the School.
The school cultural day witnessed the Pupils and Students dressed in different cultural attires in accordance with the Country, State of origin and ethnic groups which they represented.
Declaring the event opened, the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Sunday Umana, expressed joy and satisfaction on the turn out for the event , declaring that for the theme of the outing to be successful, all hands must be on deck since it was not the responsibility of the school alone to achieve the much talk about global unity in diversity.
He called on the parents to contribute their quota towards the global unity project.
According to him, “I love the manner the children came out to pray and recite the national anthems of different countries in different dialect.
“After the teachers here in school, the parents should also contribute their quota so that our different cultures will not go extinct.
“It does not matter where you come from, let us try to coexist and bear in mind that the next person around you and his culture is as important as your own because you can as well discover your self or your children in the tribe, state or country you have been looking down on, having said all these, I declare today’s event open for a rewarding impact”, he said.
Similarly, the acting school Principal, Mr. Festus Ekwere, while welcoming parents, guardians and visitors to the school said Fortune Schools set aside the day to celebrate Nigeria and other foreign rich cultural heritage as what is good should be taken to greater heights.
” It is high time we protected what we have in our culture and whatever is good should be taken to greater heights as Fortune Schools do. We should try to eliminate all those practices which are against human rights even if it is practiced in our culture for centuries.
” At this point, please join Fortune Schools to celebrate Nigeria and other foreign rich cultures by encouraging the pupils and students as they thrill you”.
Pupils and Students group of Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Efik/Ibibio, Scotland, Brazil, India and South African origin were richly and colourfully dressed in their cultural attires performaning their cultural display and serving guests with their well – prepared native cusine.
Some of the activities displayed included fashion parade, music and Scout presentation by Fortune Schools, Drama competition, Tug of war final contest, Cultural dance competition by indigenous groups, Food exhibition, foreign cultural dance competition.
On his part, the founding Chairman of the School, Senator Aloysius Etok, expressed joy on the performance of the school teachers, pupils and Students, affirming that the next session planing of the cultural day will begin soon as he will invite other countries’ representatives to attend the function in a bid to create a global community presence in Fortune Schools.
Announcing the results of the competition, the Chairman panel of Judges, Mrs. Oredolapo Kartchner declared Indian cultural group as the winner of the foreign cultural competition, followed by the Brazilian group with second position, Scotland third position and fourth position to South African group.
While the Yoruba cultural group emerge first on the indigenous cultural competition groups, seconded by Hausa/Fulani group, Efik/Ibibio group took the third position while the Ibo group came fourth.
The Pupils and Students, while fielding questions from Journalists at the event acknowledged that the cultural event has exposed them to different traditions and cultures in the world .
“Indeed, the programme was educative and entertaining. It gives us the opportunity to see other tribes and country with their cultural ways of life. Some of the things we are expose to are not what we learned in classroom,”
Good will messages were acknowledged from dignitaries including the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Education, Prof. Nse Essien, represented by the Director of Administration in the Ministry, Mr. Ikpe Effiong ; the Curator, National Commission for Museum and Monuments, Elder Nseobong Ikon; the Head Teacher Fortune Int’l Nursery/Primary School, Mrs. Ndifreke Nduka; The “C” Division, Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Akinade Adebayo, represented by DCO. Ezekwu Victor.
