THE CENTRE for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has called on the federal government to revive the annual Abuja Carnival which has not been held for some years now.
Executive Director, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Ms Faith Nwadishi, made the call in Abuja on Saturday during the schools’ cultural competition, season two, on the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition was organised by CTA for schools in the FCT and featured poetry and arts categories.
Nwadishi was represented by CTA’s Programmes and Communication Manager, Mr MacDonald Ekemezie.
She said the first school cultural competition was held in the six Area Councils of the FCT on Dec. 14, 2022.
“This event aligns perfectly with our organisational mission of “Catch them young”.
While urging the Federal Government to fund and encourage such projects in schools, Nwadishi said the Abuja Carnival should be revived to reawaken the cultural creativity of states.
“I pray the new administration, that they should revive the carnival. They should inculcate, as a matter of right and privileges, in the young persons of the original inhabitants and other ethnic groups to showcase their culture.”
She further said that the objective of the school competition was to recognise and preserve the cultural heritage of the indigenes of the FCT.
“In the process of urbanisation and development, historical, cultural, and artistic treasures were lost. But CTA through this project, has continued to amplify the voices of the original inhabitants and their culture.
“This may have been tagged a competition, but truly, it is just a discussion and conversation conveyed through the beautiful lenses of young people – talents and spoken words on canvas.
“These brave young ones are the tomorrow we see today.”
David Jiraji of Mercy Model School Kuje, who emerged winner in the Arts Category, expressed appreciation to CTA.
Jiraji said through the process of the competition, he was able to understand other cultural aspects of the people of the FCT. (NAN)
