The Chief Servant of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, OON, CON, has said that, the present high level of moral decadence and lack of service to humanity in our society today are as a result of neglect of our cherished culture.
The Chief Servant stated this during the conferment of the chieftaincy title of Onunaekwuruora 1 (literarily meaning, “the spokesman of the people”) of Ibagwa on him by HRM Igwe Dr. Emmanuel O. Ugwu (Eze Okwe of Okwe kingdom), the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Nike, Enugu State.
During this epoch-making occasion, culture was identified as a universal language with a common purpose to unite people from different backgrounds to achieve a common goal; and history was made as traditional rulers from the Northern and Eastern Nigeria spoke with one accord on the need to go back to our roots to solve Nigeria’s challenges as no amount of cosmetic treatment will yield the desired result.
They opined that government should look inward and utilize cultural workers to have the necessary result of the desired change in a heterogeneous country like Nigeria, just as the Awardee, who is also the chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum, also re-iterated the need for cross-cultural pollination of ideas and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians for national unity.
Contributing, the Emir of Lapai, Alhaji Umaru Bago Tafida III, CON, representing the Niger State traditional rulers’ council, added his royal voice to the call for culture to be given its pride of place to restore the dignity of our cherished values.
On his part, the traditional ruler of Obige Obukpa in Nsukka LGA and first Deputy Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Barr. Ralph Ezeh, concurred with the Emir of Lapai and solicited for the teaching of value re-orientation in schools through the establishment of Cultural Club in schools as exemplified by National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), further observing that the Nigerian Indigenous Language Programme (NILP) has also helped public servants in the assimilation of other people language and culture.
Earlier, the host and chief celebrant, Igwe Dr. Emmanuel Ugwu, expressed his profound gratitude to the invited guests and thanked God for restoring the culture of love in our country, especially with the successful conduct of 2015 elections in the country.
In his good will message, NICO Enugu boss, Mr. Nwajagu Nnaemeka, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Prof. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, thanked God for the life and the achievements of such a quintessential detribalized man like Igwe Dr. Emmanuel Ugwu, and prayed for more royal wisdom for him to rule his kingdom effectively.
The occasion featured cultural dances and music renditions by Venetian Singers; and it was also spiced by inter-tribal exchange of gifts by the royal fathers.
Ngoka Kingsley
Corp. Affair Unit
NICO Enugu State Office