ActionAid Nigeria has attributed the abandonment of culture as reason for the increasing rate of violent extremism in the country.
ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Mrs Ene Obi who was represented by ActionAid Social Mobilization Manage, Adewale Adedotan, made the appeal at the Cultural Peace Fiesta in Commemoration of the 2021 Global Peace Day.
The Cultural Peace Fiesta is in commemoration of the 2021 Global Peace Day
organized by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with Participation Initiative for Behavioral Change in Development, (PIBCID), is funded by Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, (GCERF).
The theme of this year’s Cultural Peace Fiesta is Promoting Harmonious Cohabitation Through Culture is an activity in pursuance of the “System and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalization to Violent Extremism (SARVE II) in Kogi State Project Phase II”.
The Country Director lamented that owing to modernization, the Cultures of the people that breeds togetherness, Unity, friendliness, and preaches peace were neglected and abandoned, consequently leading to the myriad of issues of insecurity.
While noting that Culture is a strong bridge of cohesion that should not be down played in the nation, urged for the resuscitation of the old values that teaches morals and values.
She described the society where Culture was utilized as one that would discourage kidnapping, banditry, violence, and other anti social vices, insisting that it is a tool for preventing violent extremism.
The throwing away of core values that is inherent in culture, that promotes peace and understanding, ActionAid observed has led to insecurity in our society, said the time to return to those Cultures even with modernity, civilization and technology remains the solution to fighting issues that has today led to insecurity.
Earlier in her welcome remarks, Halima Oiza Sadiq, the Executive Director, Participation Initiative for Behavioral Change in Development, (PIBCID)
described Kogi State as a various Cultures, which of used would better the society.
She lamented that the advent of Western culture, the underplaying of the rich Culture of the people that teaches morals and values, has negatively caused untold challenges on the lives of the people leading to insecurity.
The Executive Director listed greed, insincerity and other anti social vices bedeviling the society as a consequence of abandoning of Culture, said the present time calls for a rethink if the nation is determined in preventing violent extremism.
The highlights of the Cultural Peace Fiesta was different presentation by several communities from around the State, displaying their rich Cultures.
The Kogi State Government and several notable individuals from all works of life graced the 2021 Fiesta.