By Elizabeth Uwandu

The need to preserve our culture and avoid our local languages going  extinct, formed the basis of Early Life Nursery and Primary School 2016 cultural festival.

While expressing joy on the performance of the children, the Proprietor of Early Life Schools , Chief Innocent Nwokeji , advised parents to ensure that their wards learn Nigerian local languages for the purpose of peaceful co-habitation and cordial relationship.

“Parents should ensure their children learn our local languages so that if one travels anywhere in the world and sees a fellow Nigerian, he can boldly say, ‘This is my brother or sister.”

High points of the festival featured reading of the school’s history by some of the children in the three major languages – Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, including Efik. Other performances by the children included: March past by the cultural groups, fashion parade, cultural dances, arts exhibition and unveiling of traditional dishes.

Nwokeji applauded the children’s performances, promising to pay 50% of the tuition fees of five of pupils who  read a two-page history of the school in the local languages, come next academic session. Chairman of the event, Engr. Benjamin Ibezim said a cultural event such as this should be a continuous activity so that our norms, values and local languages would not go into extinction.

“If we don’t continue in these activities of teaching our children the norms and values, especially the local languages; our culture will soon go into extinction. Learn folklores, values and also interact with their kinsmen,” he said.

The headmistress of the school, Mrs Ezinne Ibeabuchi said the school has contributed its quota in promoting the Nigerian cultural heritage of unity in diversity.

She used the occasion to thank the proprietor, his family,  staff and parents for their time and resources in making the festival a success.