Helpline empowers 200 Abuja indigenes with traditional attire weaving skills

By Stanley Onyekwere

As part of initiatives to encourage the preservation of cultural heritage, Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Abuja, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has empowered about two hundred FCT original inhabitants mainly women with varing traditional attires weaving skills.
Speaking during the presentation of graduation certificates to the trainees, yesterday, Helpline’s Project Manager, Onoja Arome, who spoke on behalf of the Foundation’s President, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, reiterated that its project was to transfer the Abuja natives’ endangered traditional skills to the next generation for continuous preservation of their cultural heritage.
Arome added that the aim of the project was to “improve local economic development practise and enhance livelihood of the people, which has been challenged by loss of economic trees and lands to the urbanisation, along the line of cultural preservation.”
He however called on the original inhabitants themselves to, even as he tasked them to create platforms that will enable them engage with governments to resolve their plights and preserve their culture.
Arome also urged institutions of higher learning in and around the FCT to incorporate the cultures of all the original tribes in Abuja in their curriculum and programmes especially during cultural exhibition.
It was observed that most of the stakeholders, who also spoke at the event encouraged the original inhabitants not to be ashamed of their culture but be proud of them and teach their younger ones.
Prof. Muhammed Umar Ndagi, Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Abuja, advised the graduands to have passion for the work, imbibe integrity, set realistic goals for themselves, be confident and be creative in their work.
Similarly, Dr. Mathew Michael, who represented Prof. Adamu Ayuba Binchi, also Dean, Faculty of Arts, Nasarawa University, charged the original inhabitants to collaborate, be committed, creative, have confidence and be critical of negative cultural practices to preserve their cultural identities.
Some of the graduating original inhabitants who spoke to use expressed gratitude to organisers of the skills transfer trainings and appealed for more.