Festival
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Abuja, May 21, 2018 (NAN) Songs of Nigeria Festival (SONIFES), is to promote national unity, and complement government’s efforts at moving Nigeria forward, Mr Chuks Akamadu, its Executive Secretary, has said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event is slated for May 24 in Abuja.
Akamadu siad in an interview with NAN on Monday that overcoming the various challenges in Nigeria should not be the responsibility of the government alone.
“SONIFES is a festival to celebrate Nigerian songs with strong native flavour, which has the ability to promote our diversity and enhance national unity”.
According to Akamadu, the 2018 edition, which holds at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, has the theme: “Harnessing the Beauty of Our Diversity”.
“In line with SONIFES tradition, this edition is designed primarily to promote Nigeria’s diverse culture, unity in diversity and peaceful coexistence through drama, music, dance and among others.
“The 2018 SONIFES stands on three distinctive limbs namely: Nigeria Diversity Cultural Expo; Diversity Champion Awards and People’s Diversity Centre.
“However, it is in tune with the country’s prevailing reality and it serves as an antidote to the message of hate, fear and division, being spread by insurgency, herders and farmers clashes and others,’’ he said.
According to him, Nigerians will see the wisdom in appreciating our diversity as our most important asset.
He noted that Nigeria was not as plural as nations as America, India and Israel, but Nigerians had been able to realise that their diversity was their greatest strength.
“We have failed to appreciate the fundamental fact that our diversity is our strength; our differences should not be our limitation.
“A lot of citizens expect government at all levels to perform magic, to end the challenges bedeviling the country.
Akamadu said that every citizen had a duty to ensure that the efforts of government to stabilise this country must not go in vain.
“For us to turn Nigeria into the nation of our dreams, there must be synergy and collaboration between the leadership and the followers,” Akamadu said. (NAN)
CMY/FLP/YEMI
Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Yemi Idris-Aduloju
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