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Striving to keep indigenous culture alive

The indigenous tribes living within the Federal Capital Territory seem to be losing their culture and traditions to urbanisation, but there is growing awareness among them to preserve what is left for the future generations. CALEB ONWE reports

Unknown to many, there are nine indigenous ethnic groups in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. These tribes or original inhabitants include the Gbaygi, Gwandara, Gade, Koro, Egbira, Bassa, Gwari, Abawa and Amomoa. Over the years, these indigenous people have expressed concerns that their languages, festivals, native attires and cultures have witnessed a decline and almost gone extinct. In the face of rapid urbanisation, these original inhabitants feel marginalised in the scheme of things. The Land Use Act transfered ownership of their ancestral lands to the Federal Government and has seen indigenous communities relocated to the fringes of the city. Every day, these people feel dislocated from their roots.

Cultural decline

However, they have vowed that no amount of urbanisation and infiltration by people from other cultural backgrounds would be allowed to drown their cultural values. While they admit that urbanisation which led to the taking over of their ancestral lands and homes, have serious consequences, they said their Identities remain a lifewire that must be preserved by all means. Inside Abuja gathered that these distraught people are now fighting like wounded lions to wade off threats of cultural extinction. They are mobilising their younger generation to embrace any policy or programme that is designed to assist them in their fight for existential relevance. It was learnt that the nine indigenous tribes have very unique traditional attires, which also represent their identity. Following their constant efforts, several stakeholders have initiated some projects towards helping them fight the threats to their existence. It would appear that the desire and zeal by these indigenous towards preserving their nearly extinguished culture, has started yielding fruits.

Skill transfer programme

Recently, an Abuja based non -governmental organisation, Helpline Foundation For the Needy in collaboration with the MacArthur Foundation, organised a specialised training for representatives of these ethnic groups. As part of project, the stakeholders unveiled a traditional Skill Transfer programme. Founder of Helpline Foundation, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, said the initiative was conceived to help in preserving the indigenous peoples cultural heritage and empower their youths. Ahmadu noted that the first batch of the training produced about 300 youths and other people who gained special skills on how to develop the different traditional attires of the nine tribes. According to her, the training was for economic empowerment on traditional skill that will also improve the living standards of the people. She explained that the exercise is aimed at helping the natives language and culture not to go into extinction in the nearest future. Ahmadu noted that the second batch of the training would consolidate on the successes achieved in the previous one. The second batch, she said will bring about sensitization of the people on economic path ways to enhance cultural practices and annex benefits of cultural preservation. According to her, the programme

flagged off

local economic development projects for original inhabitants of the FCT to strengthen the livelihood of the people, create jobs and reduce inequalities. “At the end of this project, our sustainability plans would be to monitor progress, and commitments by the agency responsible and to make our self available to their call anytime for mentorship,” he said.

Voices

At the graduation and exhibition ceremony, representatives of the nine tribes spoke about the cultural reawakening. They said that even the spirit of their ancestors would be glad in eternity, seeing that interest in traditional attires is been renewed. Some of them also expressed the hope that other organisations, and even governments will further help in advertising them to the world. Solomon Garda who spoke on behalf of the Gbaygi tribe, said the Ajesinda attire of the indigenous Gbaygi people represents their ancestral strength for war. He noted that whenever a Gbaygi person puts on the attire, it was a sign of preparedness for warfare. Abubakar Yahuza who represented the Gwandara tribe, was thankful to the organisers of the program, as he adorned himself with Gwandara’s traditional attires. Yahuza said he was particularly excited because the younger generation showed interest in learning the skills that aided their ancestors greatness.

Partnerships

Inside Abuja gathered that more or-ganisations have also shown interest in helping the indigenous peoples bridge the cultural gaps. Helpline Foundation Founder, disclosed that, the partnership between her and the MacArthur Foundation through the Resource Center For Human Right And Civic Education ( CHRICED) was a rescue mission for the benefit of the people and posterity.

“The Helpline Foundation with support from MacArthur Foundation through the CHRICED engaged the Original inhabitants of the FCT in traditional skill transfer, the traditional attires, which is the obvious means of identifying the people, a skill which almost went on extinction before the coming of this rescue mission project under the subtitle; Revamping The Original Inhabitants Culture Through Economic Empowerment And Cultural Preservation. “We have proudly engaged 300 vulnerable and marginalized women and youth in the traditional skill transfer program, part of whom shall be graduating today the first batch.

We are sure that this skill so far gained will not only revamp their cultures but will serve as a veritable means of livelihood. “As part of the program, there will be an exhibition to showcase what our participants have produced this is to show you how prepared the Ol are to continue to preserve and sustain their culture via the display of their traditional Identification.

“To the participants graduating today, I want to welcome you to a new world because this is a new thing happening to you today. The certificate that will be presented to you today is a prove of your resilience and determination to preserve your culture, apart from that, the skill is for you to gain two things number one, to preserve your culture in the midst of rapid urban progress and then sustenance if livelihood. “It is on this note I will advise as a mother that you should not put this knowledge under the carpet but go and make profit from this vocation you have acquired so cheap”, she said.

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