By Ifeyinwa Ogwo :
Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment, and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji says that our rich and unique culture which encompasses moral values, hard work, respect for elders, decent dressing, and delicacies, depicts our way of life and identity.
The commissioner said this when he received members of the Ndi Igbo United Forum Worldwide on a courtesy visit in his office at Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka.
He noted that the mandate of the ministry is to promote Igbo’s identity, language, culture, and traditions to the whole world through organizing and supporting programmes that will aid in actualizing the set goals.
“We also regulate activities or programmes performed in the state to ensure they conform to government directives, therefore we call on facilitators of any programme to come and register with the ministry so that we will know what their programme is all about, who they are, when and where they intend to hold it.
“Your idea is good since it is to showcase and sustain the Igbo culture, language, and traditions,” the commissioner said.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Laz Okafor thanked them for the visit noting that their plans to promote the Igbo language and culture are laudable and worthy of emulation.
He added; “this is a new government and anybody who wishes to organize any function that relates to the ministry should register, for the ministry to have their details and whereabouts.”
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the organizing committee of Ada Ndi Igbo 2022 and Board of Trustees of Ndi Igbo United Forum Worldwide, Chief Chinedu Mbah noted that their visit was to inform the commissioner of their upcoming event tagged; “Ada Ndi Igbo 2022” slated to hold on November 27th of this year.
He stated that the programme is a collaboration of the 5 states in the southeast aimed at promoting the Igbo language, culture, traditions, delicacies, and moral values, and registration for the contestants began on Sept 13 to end on October 13.
“Our language is going into extinction and we need to bring up programmes that will sustain it and draw out the importance to teach our children the language.
” We need to teach our girl-child and maidens aright because it is through them we build a good family and society.”
Chief Mbah noted that Enugu State hosted the maiden edition last year and this year’s event will be at Anambra State which automatically makes Mr. Governor the Chief host.
He said that the winners of the events are awarded with gifts items such that the 1st runner-up gets a car with 2 million naira and a month’s trip to the United Kingdom, 2nd runner-up gets a million naira, the 3rd runner-up gets 500,000 naira while consolation prizes go to other participants.
