Proprietor of a private school in Kaduna, Malam Ismail Muhammad-Idris, has advocated the inclusion of cultural display as part of extra-curricula activities in schools.
Muhammad-Idris, who is the Director of Mondrian Learning Centre, Rigasa, Kaduna, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Friday that this measure would enable the understanding of divergent cultures, thereby promoting unity among students and pupils.
He said it was for this reason that his school organised cultural display, adding that it was very important for the young generation to learn the various cultures of different tribes.
“Some of us are very myopic; we hardly take or accept other people’s cultures.
“If you look at Rigasa as a case study, many of the students do not understand that there are other cultures,apart from Hausa.
“Events like this would make pupils and students understand the various tribes and cultures we have in Nigeria,” he said.
The proprietor said that the school had engaged students to represent the three major languages in Nigeria, namely Hausa,Yoruba and Igbo, as well as other minority tribes like Nupe and Gbagyi.
Muhammad-Idris observed that during the cultural show in his school, the children were very excited to partake in the activities as they were seen imitating the dance and language of some of the tribes.
Similarly, Abdullahi Gambo, a teacher in the school, stated that the pupils had learned the names of the three major ethnic groups in class, and had experienced the culture of those tribes.
“This experience will stick to their memory for a long time; they would be able to identify an Igbo, Yoruba or Fulani man by the mode of dressing, and they will also identify the traditional meal of the Gbagyi people whenever they come across it.
“At this time, when some unpatriotic elements want to divide us on the tribal line, we must ensure that our children, who are the leaders of tomorrow, learn and understand our differences so that they can appreciate our diversity and uphold unity”, he said.
