Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

To mark 2018 World Culture Day, Governor Abiola Ajimobi has approved that residents in the state, especially students in private and public schools as well as workers, turn out in their traditional attire on Monday, May 21.

The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, who made the disclosure in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ibadan, said it is the collective responsibility of all and sundry to promote the country’s cultural norms, heritage and values in order to change the paradigm of culture being seen as inferior, primitive, irrelevant and something to be transformed.

He said May 21 is set aside by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to celebrate and promote our culture in diversity, stating that schools’ authorities, civil/public servants, private business owners, corporate organisations as well as other culture related organization are enjoined to wear indigenous attires throughout the day and make the day an indigenous language day.

He said World Culture day is a platform with an opportunity to understand diverse culture and values, saying that the theme of this year’s celebration is tagged, "Enhancing our Understanding and Acceptance of Different Cultures."

Arulogun said the occasion will be used to launch a quarterly cultural magazine tagged "Dundun" produced by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism to promote and document our cultural values, historical sites, among others.

He said "Dundun" will serve as reference document for this generation and generations yet unborn, stressing that there will be cultural activities by Yoruba, Efik, Igbo, Hausa, Ebira and all ethnic groups that reside in Ibadan from their local government areas on the day.

Arulogun added that there will be parade and performances of each ethnic group, arts and crafts exhibition and schools’ cultural performances noting that there will also be food court exhibition of our traditional cuisines such as ‘egbo ati ewa, mosa, moinmoin, ojoo, abari’, among others.

He said all the activities lined up to celebrate the World Culture Day will hold at the Cultural Centre, Mokola Hill, Ibadan, stressing that stakeholders expected to participate in the programmes include the Hunters Association, Tie and Dye Fabric Sellers, Arts and Crafts groups, Traditional Foods cuisines sellers, Aso Ofi Weavers and Marketers Association and Association of Hair Dressers among others.

He urged schools leadership as well as workers in the state to ensure that various forms of cultural activities take place on that day.