FCT: GBAGYIS DECRIES CULTURAL EXTINCTION OVER FCT DEVELOPMENT
***SAYS ETHNIC MUSEUM UNDERWAY
By Jude Idu, Abuja.
The ethnic majority in the federal capital territory, has cried out to the leadership of the Federal Capital Territory, to help protect its ethnic culture by providing schools for the teaching of its languages and museums for its preservation.
This call, was however, made Thursday, in Abuja, when the Miss Faith Adayilo Philips, the reigning miss Gbagyi Queen paid a courtesy call to the founder of Helpline Foundation Mrs Jumai Amodu.
Miss Faith while condemning the way culture of the people is being overtaken by the massive development projects, which have encroached on the peoples existence.
In her words, “The Abuja is our village and we must not let our traditions and rich cultural values go into extinction.”
Miss Faith Adayilo Philips who used the occasion to announce 2016 edition of the its beauty pageant, note that the aim is to preserve the peoples’ culture, develop and empower the Gbagyi girl child through social, educational and intellectual projects. Also he said is to groom Gbagyi girl child to be more acquainted with cultural values and norms.
commenting on how to preserve the culture for next generation as against the fast growing development in the Nigerian capital city, she revealed that the organizers of the Miss Gbagyi beauty pageant, has determined to use the industry to build and furnish a Gbagyi traditional museum, where its culture and traditions would be preserved and showcased to the world.
She however, called all the Gbagyi citizens scattered all over the country, to join the call for preservation of the culture.
Responding to the visitors, the Founder of Helpline Foundation, a non governmental organisation with the aim of empowering the low trodden, Mrs Jumai Amodu, said that her foundation, with the aim of collaboration, is offering the training of fifty local Gbagyi women, on different empowerment programmes to help alleviate their sufferings as part of her contribution to the programme.
According to Mrs Amodu, the Gbagyi girl child, should be taken beyond just facial built but should be seen as a model in all round of human existence, she observed that education, if well given to a child would provide every empowerment she or he needs to help the community.
She noted that the girl child, should not just be reduced to second fiddle in the society but should also be seen as leaders.
