CBAAC to launch compendium on Nigerian Ethics
NAN-ELS-5
Culture
Abuja, Jan.25, 2017 (NAN) The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) says it has concluded plans to launch two works to showcase Nigerian epic.
Mr Ferdinand Anikwe, Director-General of CBAAC told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the centre would launch the compendium as a prelude event to mark the celebration of FESTAC at 40.
“So we want to launch an original work that will show Nigerian epic; there is a work we call Nigerian Traditional epic.
“ That is one work that we are going to assembly to show the entire country particularly the traditional institutions, politicians and others.
“The works are `the traditional ethics of Nigerians’ and the other is `using culture to fight corruption,’’ Anikwe said.
According to the CBAAC boss, the centre had toured the country last year to compile the experiences of tradition institutions on how to use culture to fight corruption.
He said that the centre also documented various ways in which fraudulent practices were being addressed in the pre-colonial days.
“We are not all corrupt; corruption kills as a result of ideological imposition by colonialism and that same corruption will have to be eliminated.
“Our people are originally decent; even in the pre-colonial days, we were organised; diversion from the rules attracted punishment from the leaders of our various communities.
“So we think that the pre-colonial Igbo consensual democracy, the pre-colonial Yoruba monarchical absolutism , the pre-colonial Hausa/Fulani ruling Aristocracy have found out the process by which our own ideological stand point can be unique and independent from other countries of the world.
“It is no use that every time we copy from Britain, American and others while we have better ideological position and political system that we can atone to.
“Many countries have done it; look at China, Sweden is on welfarism, Canada is on welfarism; we must not be deliberate capitalist oriented democracy like we have in North-Eastern Europe and North America,’’ he said.
Anikwe said that to commemorate the celebration of FESTAC at 40, the centre will carry out a lot of activities that will also involve children from April to December.
NAN reports that other activities lined up to celebrate the event include, commemoration of the 80th birthday of the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in March and recognition of his creative contributions to the hosting of FESTAC in 1977.
Also for Obasanjo’s steadfast love for African Culture.
Festac ’77, also known as the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture held in Lagos from 15 January 1977 to 12 February 1977.
The month-long event celebrated African culture and showcased to the world African music, fine art, literature, drama, dance and religion.
About 16,000 participants, representing 56 African nation and countries of the African Diaspora, performed at the event.
(NAN)
CMY/EAL/EAL
Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi
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