By TAIYE OLAYEMI/MAREEN BADRU

The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Lagos branch, on Monday celebrated and projected the beauty of the Igbo culture in commemoration of the World Culture Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that “The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development” is commemorated every May 21.

It is an opportunity to help communities understand the value of cultural diversity and learn how to live together in harmony.

The event with the theme, “Using Cultural Diversity to Promote Peace and Unity”, held at the NCAC complex in Lagos.

Mr Dotun Omoniyi, Lagos Zonal Director, NCAC, urged Nigerians to take advantage of the nation’s cultural diversities to stay united as a nation.

Omoniyi said people of different ethnic groups should take conscious efforts in understanding other cultures to live peacefully.

He noted that the council had taken out time to celebrate the Igbo culture while other ethnic groups would also be celebrated and projected subsequently.

Mufu Onifade, a renowned poet, author and dramatist, highlighted some of the unique features of the Igbo people.

According to him, Igbos are known for their beautiful fashion sense, enticing cuisines and are enterprising.

Onifade said that these virtues must be further explored by the group for economic benefits.

“Fashion in Igbo is not only enticing and enriching, it is also a proclamation of an authentic cultural identity.

“Their food varietiesis an unparalleled advantage in Igbo clans, their delicacies come in different spices and tastes, and they all taste delicious.

“The Igbos are generally proud of their culture, even among them who are cosmopolitan in nature, they exude their cultural identity in one way or the other. In most cases, language and names do the magic.

Onifade noted that their names had deeper meanings which underscored the African mentality of having a good name, and frowning at a dubious character and disrepute.

He said that another beautiful aspect of the Igbo culture was their various dance forms for different ceremonies.

He noted that the Igbo people are generally known for their financial successes and their economic empowerment was a virtue to be extolled as they were acute in their mercantilistic activities.

“Igbo people have a practicable apprenticeship scheme that often empowers the apprentice as soon as he gains his freedom from his master.

“The scheme sets the apprentice on the path of personal financial stability; and due to the spread of this practice, it provides an impetus for the clime’s economic development, this model is being imitated by other groups,” he said.

Also, Mrs Nneka Akwara, Head of Research and Documentation, NCAC, said that the Igbo language had eight vowel and 30 consonant sounds.

Akwara explained how significant kolanuts were to the Igbo people, even though it was well grown in the northern and western regions of the country.

NAN reports that there were series of display of cultural dances, drama, tongue twisters, cuisines peculiar with the Igbos, like ofe owerri, achara, ogbonu, aki na ukwa and more. (NAN)

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