Friday 7 June 2013

ROSEP celebrates World Culture Day 2013 *Newswatch wins award


Femi Tade

In celebration of World’s Culture Day 2013 and a way of promoting culture in Nigeria, the Royal Star Entertainment Production (ROSEP), recently organised cultural awareness event and also honoured some individuals who have carried outstanding performances towards promotion of Nigerian and African culture.
The event, which took place on June 1, 2013, at National Library, Yaba, Lagos, kicked off around 3.pm.
One of the speakers, Chief Mrs. Are Abeni Taiwo urged Nigerians to embrace their culture.
The Yeye of Shasha Kingdom narrated how she went to a pastor for prayers and he asked her to be praying while he went to his altar to intercede for her. After waiting for about 15 minutes, she peeped through the pastor’s window and saw him consulting Ifa (Yoruba deity), she marvelled and went home. Few days later, the pastor called her and asked her why she did not continue with the prayer and she told him that she too now consults Ifa to receive answer to prayers.
According to her, “The best philosophy is Ifa’s theology. So let’s look inward and preserve our culture and tradition,” she said.
Also speaking, Chief Tunde Giwa, the Alagbale 111 of Lagos said he travelled to the United Kingdom and found out that most whites don’t go to church. “I also travelled to Mecca and saw what was going on there, compared it with what we are doing here and made up my mind on how I would serve God. In Nigeria, they will stone you if you tie wrapper, knot it on the left and enter a mosque, but that is how they tie it in Mecca. Let’s go back to our root and follow our culture. The Asians did not allow the west to impose their religion on them. We are too religious in Africa but not spiritual, that is our problem.”
In her contribution, culture activist and business woman, Chief Mrs. Kemi Patt stressed that parents should advise their children to imbibe their culture in their dressing, eating, and behaviour. She cited an example of a rebellious child who don’t like African attire but put another cloth inside her bag to change immediately she left home.
When it was the turn of the organiser, Femi Tade to appear on the podium, he was ushered in with a traditional music. After dancing for some minutes, the choreographer, singer and drummer said culture is the way of life of people so it is difficult for a human being to live without it.
The ROSEP leader stressed further that “Our culture and traditions must be respected and promoted for a better society. Many youths no longer show respect to their elders, which is wrong. Let’s go back to our roots and learn the way of life.”
Other highlights that featured in the event are performance by a cultural music group, Adunni & Nifretiti and dirge by some Yoruba culture adherents.
Many people were honoured with various categories of awards including Mrs. Ada Dike of Daily Newswatch who was given an award in recognition of her positive administrative and technical contribution to the development of Nigerian Arts and Culture. Other awards recipients are Adunni & Nefretiti and Chief Mrs, Kemi Pratt, among others.
While expressing appreciation for the award, the leader of Adunni & Nefretiti, Adunni, said “It is not all about the religious aspect of culture and tradition, culture also consists of the way we talk, eat, dress, behave and respect elders. We cannot abandon our culture so we must promote it for posterity sake.”

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