The National Youths Service Corps has urged youths in various communities to look at the benefits of Nigerian cultural diversity, harvest them and use them to develop themselves and the society at large.
The Anambra State Coordinator of NYSC, Blessing Iruma, made the call during the 2023 Batch C Stream 1 Corps Members cultural carnival, held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe NYSC Unity Permanent Orientation Camp, Umuawulu/Mbaukwu, Awka Local Government Area, Anambra State, on Sunday.
Iruma explained that the cultural carnival was organised by the NYSC as an avenue to showcase the country’s cultural heritage to highlight the aspects where youths can explore and turn into wealth by exporting them.
She disclosed that 10 tribes were selected to participate in the carnival owing to time constraints in camps.
She said, “This NYSC cultural carnival is a display of cultures of different ethnic nationalities in the country. It is a periodic event which serves as an avenue to showcase the cultural heritage of Nigeria.
“There are some aspects of the country’s culture like music, traditional food, systems of marriage as well as art exhibitions being displayed today that youths could carefully harvest and turn into wealth by exporting them.
“The NYSC cultural carnival exposes Nigerian youths to rich cultural diversities and languages of the country, collapses all forms of social, gender, religious barriers and extends the hands of fellowship across the cultural groups, helps reduce prejudices about certain cultures and boosts economic activities across communities.
“It stimulates in corps members unusual creativities and innovations, promotes local content like local or native fabrics and attires, and is an avenue to learn from different cultures without losing your identity as we stand politically to understand ourselves better.
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who was represented by Chibuzo Udeh from the office of the Commissioner for Youth Development, commended the NYSC for promoting Nigerian culture, adding that the culture of Nigeria is shaped by the country’s multiple ethnic groups.
The governor urged the corps members to embrace one another with love and respect each other’s culture, norms, values and religion.
At the end of the cultural carnival competition, the Fourth Platoon got the first position, the second position went to the Third Platoon and the third position went 10 Platoon.
Corps members from the 10 platoons contested in cultural presentation, best king and queen attire, best creatively decorated canopies, catching the train, knotting of tie, sack race, and egg race, among others.
The Igwe of Umuawulu, Joel Egwuonu appreciated the government, and NYSC management for organising the carnival.
He blessed the corps members and wished them fruitful endeavours in life.
