Redirecting Attention of Youths to Eroding Cultural Values

Chiemelie Ezeobi reports that the 2021 Day of African Child Celebration, afforded the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation the opportunity to champion the quest to redirect the attention of youths to eroding cultural values, which is part of its strategic mandate of preserving, presenting and propagating the African Culture in its entirety

For the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), the children and youth constitute a critical aspect of the society, thus, the earlier they are exposed to the cultural beliefs and tradition, the better for the nation. It was in tandem with that belief that the centre recently marked the 2021 Day of the African Child.

Themed “African Culture Fit for Children”, the event held at Testimony Place, Lekki, Lagos and was targeted at restoring a culture on the decline through foreign influence, with calls for cultural reorientation and reintegration.

These days, it is commonplace to see Nigerians, especially youths, who prefer to subject themselves to foreign influence than their culture, deeming the latter as diabolical.

Nothing succinctly captures this best but Barack Obama in his book ‘Dreams from my father’, where he states that ‘For a people already stripped of their history, a people often ill equipped to retrieve that history in any form other than what fluttered across the television screen, the testimony of what we saw every day seemed only to confirm our worst suspicions about ourselves.”

Bringing this home, the Nigerian culture seem to be vastly eroding, giving way to foreign influence, and thus many are of the opinion that nothing short of cultural integration is the way out and that must start from the homes and even absorbed in schools as a subject.

History

The Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the OAU Organisation of African Unity. According to Wikipedia, it honours those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.

In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young students were shot, the most famous of which being Hector Pieterson (see image). More than a hundred people were killed in the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were injured.

Therefore, every June 16 every year, governments, NGOs, international organisations and other stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the full realisation of the rights of children in Africa.

CBAAC’s Role

The strategic mandate of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) is to
preserve, present and propagate the African Culture in its entirety. In line with these factors, the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) recently joined the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s Day of the African Child.

Drawing stakeholders and even school students to the venue, the centre was particular about its stance on the need to raise children that will be a generation of leaders that would accelerate social change.

While the Chairperson of the Occasion was Dr. Olufemi Ogunsanya, founder and managing director, Oxbridge Tutorial College; the speakers were Barr Omoyeni Ayoade, the principal, The Peak Chambers, Ikoyi; and Mr. Taiwo Otegbeye, founder and visioner, Liberation Alliance.

CBAAC recognises the importance of the Day of the African Child (DAC) as an advocacy tool for enhancing the visibility of the African Union (A.U) Charter on the rights of the African Child, which is geared at promoting their welfare issues. Essentially, the Day of the African Child Celebration is one of the standing annual activities of the CBAAC.

At the event, issues concerning the development of the African Child were brought to the fore in order to inspire a sober reflection and action towards addressing the plethora of challenges that they face on a daily basis.

Clarion Call

In her address, the CBAAC Director General, Hon. Oluwabunmi Ayobami Amao, noted that she was glad at the enthusiasm received from the participating schools and invited guests, “whom have been quite elated with the choice of the theme by CBAAC to mark this year’s celebration”.

On the choice of the theme, she said it was “informed by the need to redirect attention to the eroding cultural values being experienced in our society in recent times. The situation has become quite distressing that if urgent actions are not taken, there might be a total erosion of our values and we would have no society to live in.

“There is no gainsaying that culture is a very powerful tool in shaping the upbringing of our children to become responsible adults. The African culture is potent enough to mould our children into what we want them to be.
Regrettably, it is disheartening to note that those good aspects of our cultural values are being lost to the forces of so called civilisation. I recall with nostalgia how we were brought up through values that were rooted in our culture and tradition such as those of respect for elders and constituted authorities, hard work and productivity, honesty and chastity, decency, good neighbourliness and the concepts of Omoluabi, amongst several others.

“Unfortunately these have all become very scarce commodities among our children. The slides that were just displayed illustrate the sharp contrast between what was obtained during our own time and the current generation. There is almost a total collapse of cultural values and morality in our society today. It is lamentable that vices such as indecent dressing, get-rich-quick syndrome, yahoo-yahoo, lack of respect, kidnapping e.t.c. have become the resultant effect of the lack of proper upbringing of our children.

“The advent of social media has also compounded issues. The family culture which was obtained in the past is gradually dying. In fact, most families are now more closer to their phones and other internet gadgets at the expense of their families, thereby neglecting their children.
It is against this backdrop that today’s event is aimed at redirecting attention to the fast disappearing values which are important in moulding the character of our children.

“The onus lies on us parents to ensure that our children and wards are properly nurtured in accordance with our rich cultural values and tradition. Indeed, there are no better ways of projecting our rich cultural heritage, other than carrying the younger generation along, by providing a platform for them such as the one we are witnessing today.

“As a mother and someone who holds the matters of arts and culture very dear to my heart, and particularly as it involves our children, I must say that there is no amount of time and resources that would be considered too much, more so is that the aim is to raise the moral standard of our children. Interestingly, today’s programme is carefully packaged in a manner that will enable schools to compete in different events ranging from Cultural Dance / Drama to Debate, Poetic rendition and Fashion Parade.

” Very important is the debate segment with the topic: “Is African Culture Important in the Upbringing of the African Child? I have no doubt in my mind that today be worthwhile as we keenly await the commencement of the events.”

Appreciation

Expressing her gratitude to all who graced the occasion, she also appreciated “Dr. Olufemi Ogunsanya, Founder and Managing Director, Oxbridge Tutorial College for unreservedly accepting to Chair this event at the shortest notice. Indeed, she has proved that she is mother. My gratitude also goes to our erudite team of Panel of Judges who in spite of their very busy schedules have accepted to honour our invitation for this all important task.

“To all our special guests, permit me to say therefore, that your presence here today, is a clear demonstration of your commitment not only in the promotion of our culture and tradition, but also a mark of honour and your own way of lending your voices to the advocacy for the proper upbringing of our children.”

Charge

Finally, Amao did not drop her microphone without giving a charge to the school studdnts. She said: “For our school children, my charge to you is that do not forget your culture, learn from it and you would all become better persons. Be focused and do not give in to peer pressure.”

Side Attractions

As the event was tailored for children, it was only fitting that they were involved in the entire process. Therefore, the event which attracted pupils from several schools included cultural dance and drama presentations, debate, poetry recitations, art exhibition and an African cultural fashion parade.

For the debate which was between secondary school students, it was titled “Is the African Culture important in the upbringing of the African Child?”

At the end of the whole presentations, Chrisland Schools Limited clinched the first position for the debate competition while Christ Redeemers College and FSTC Yaba clinched the second and third positions respectively.

For the drama/cultural dance,Cannon James Pearce Anglican College, Home Science Association School and STC College clinched the first, second and third positions respectively.

The poetry competition was won by Topgrade Secondary School with Cannon James Pearce Anglican College and Chrisland Schools Limited at the second and third positions respectively.

At the fashion parade, Chrisland Schools Limited won that category, while Home Science Association School and Dowen College were at second and third positions respectively.
Meanwhile, the Best Overall School award was won by Chrisland Schools Limited while the Best Debator was won by Mafeng Gyang, also from Chrisland Schools.

About CBAAC

When the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) was established, it was on the premise that it would promote African heritage and culture. Strategically, as a foremost cultural agency, CBAAC has a key mandate and plays a crucial role in making Nigeria the arrowhead in the presentation, preservation, promotion and propagation of African cultural heritage.