A Member House of Representatives (APC, Akwanga/Nassarawa-Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency), Jeremiah Umaru, has called on Nigerians to use cultural carnivals as variable platforms to promote peace and unity.
The lawmaker made the call on Wednesday at the 2023 North-Central Cultural Carnival of Peace held in Sisinbaki, Wamba Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State.
Umaru who initiated the carnival, said that it was aimed at bringing people of diverse culture within the North-Central and beyond together to promote a sense of peace, unity, and progress.
He added apart from bringing people from different cultures together, the platform also brought the sons and daughters of the area working in other states home.
He explained that cultural troops from Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa as well as Taraba and Kaduna states had graced the carnival and showcased their dance and customs.
“Carnival such as this is indeed a strong instrument of unity at this time that there is suspicion among different groups in the country.
“In a country with such a rich diversity as ours, When you understand each other culture, you respect them more, thus reducing the areas of friction,” the lawmaker noted.
He also called on parents to always speak their languages with their children and among themselves to prevent local languages from going into extinction.
Umaru therefore promised to continue to promote the cultural carnival as his contribution to preserve the rich material and non-material culture of people in the North-Central Geo political zone.
Speaking, the Chairman Traditional Council of Chiefs of Kokona LGA, the Abaga Toni, Mr Lawrence Ayi, lauded the lawmaker for organizing the carnival aimed at promoting peace and unity.
The traditional ruler said different cultural troops that performed at the carnival forgot about their differences and the challenges confronting them and socialized together.
He, therefore, encouraged that carnivals such as this be organized often to bring people of different backgrounds together and give them a sense of belonging.
Also, some visitors who spoke to journalists said the carnival had reminded them about the way the country was peaceful and united in the past.
Mrs. Theresa Tenza, National President of Rindre Women, and Dobagari Abisabo from Obi LGA both commended the lawmaker for the initiative and prayed to God to give him the ability to sustain it.
The duo said that the peaceful atmosphere at the venue of the carnival should be replicated in any setting where people from different backgrounds coexist for the overall development of the country.
Some of the cultural troops that participated in the carnival include, Eggon, Rindre, Nada, Tiv, and Idoma.
Others are Lantana, Angas, Ninzo, Gwandara, Jarawa, Jukun, Igala, Gbagi, and Nupe, among others.
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