Queen Moremi Ajasoro, Oluwabukunmi Akinwale, on Friday urged parents and schools to instil good cultural practices, norms and values in children from tender age to avoid extinction.
Akinwale gave the advice at a cultural fiesta organised by Holy Family School, Ijegun, Lagos.
The Queen was represented at the event by Prince Adekunle Adeyemo, Principal Consultant to Queen Moremi Ajasoro Initiative.
She urged parents and school managers to embrace and respect culture.
According to her, the place of culture is important in the history of any society, its sustainability depends on how early we teach our children our culture.
Akinwale urged parents to ensure that their children understood their culture and its uniqueness.
“I want to applaud the organisers of this beautiful cultural day, this day will help remind our children of who they are and what they represent.
“It is important that parents teach their children about culture which we say is the way of life of a particular group of people to avoid losing it.
“It will help them not to feel inferior to other foreign culture, which they see everyday on the television and various social media.
“As Africans, we should see our culture as beautiful, it is lack of knowledge that allows religion to creep into our culture; culture is our identity and we shouldn’t lose our identity,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the school Head Prefect, Esther Orji and Social Prefect, Favour Ekenze, both beautiful dressed in their traditional attire gave presentations on uniqueness of culture.
Speaking with NAN on the sideline, Adeyemo urged Nigerians not to mix culture with religion, stressing that both were distinct.
“Our culture is unique and should not be mistaken or mixed up with religion.
“We need to identify with our culture in all we do, especially by encouraging our children to speak our local dialects, know our attire and food.
“Nigerian culture is very rich and attractive, we must not allow our children lose touch with it,” he said.
The Social Prefect, Favour Ekenze, who also spoke with NAN urged parents to insist that their children speak their indigenous languages at home and as well eat their food.
NAN reports that highlights of the event include cultural presentations by both nursery, primary and secondary levels as well as parents and teachers.
The winners for the best dressed were Princess Daniel, Victoria Oladunjoye and Favour Ekenze, while Mrs Ifemi Wale and Mrs Amaka Oladunjoye, won the best teacher and parent awards, respectively.
The Queen Moremi cultural annual pageant is an initiative of the Ooni of Ife under the leadership of Princess Ronke Ademiluyi.
