By Stanley Onyekwere
About 312 secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), took part in a cultural completion organized by an Abuja based non-governmental organization, Teenz Global Foundation (TGF), aimed at promoting indigenous cultures and values among teenagers in the country.
The students, who were drawn from fourteen secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), took part in drama, cultural, dance presentation and quiz contests.
Students from: Junior Secondary School (JSS), Gwarinpa; JSS Asokoro, Divine Medicine Secondary School, Promise Child Secondary School, and Anglican Girls Grammar School, all in Abuja, actively participated in the competition.
Speaking at the event, TGF founder, IjeomaIdika-Chima said the foundation is committed towards engendering love, peace, respect and harmony among Nigerian teens.
She decried that the influence of Western cultures are eroding the core values of Nigeria’s culture especially among the youths, who are the future leaders of the society.
According to her; “We want to promote indigenous languages among Nigerian teenagers; motivating schools and encouraging the teaching and learning of our local languages.
“Sensitizing parents on their role to ensure children speak and understand their mother tongues and celebrating the Nigerian languages as the symbol of our cultural heritage.
“This is because a river that forgets its source would certainly dry up. This is what might become of us if we allow our culture to fizzle out while proffering other cultures.
“The Teenz Nigeria project is therefore a catalyst to changing the negative trend.”
One of the participants, Jayeola Emanuel, 15, from JSS Gwarinpa, said programmes like the TGF cultural competition for teens would help to preserve indigenous Nigeria cultures and values.
“Our culture is gradually being eroded. But I hope our local languages, cultures and traditions will be added to our curriculum like the French and English Language; so that we can learn more about our values as Nigerians,” the student stressed.
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