When Berom revived their cultural heritage

After eight years of being in limbo, the rich cultural festival of Berom people of Plateau State “Nzem Berom” was revived last year and also held in June this year. It was suspended in 2008 as a result of protracted crises in the states especially in the Northern part of the state precisely in Berom speaking dominated Local Government Areas of  Jos South, Barakin-Ladi, Riyom and Jos North council areas.

The memory of 2017 edition of the festival will for long remain with quite a lot of people, especially tourists and those who value tradition and culture. The festival witnessed a massive influx of Berom people and other Nigerians from both far and near.

The Berom are the largest ethnic group in Plateau state, a state that has been jocularly described as being ‘notorious’ for its extreme diversity of cultural and linguistic groups. According to the National Social and Cultural Secretary of Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO) Mr. Javlanda Choji, the word “nzem”in  Berom  dialect, means festival, adding that the word did not  gain much currency even among the Beroms, until April 1981, when there was a consensus among the13 districts that make up the Berom chiefdom to have a common festival for the unity of their kindred and for the promotion of the core values and culture of the ethnic group.

He said before then, each of the various districts used to have its festivals, at different times and seasons of the year, to mark different things. But each was minuscule in nature and the reach of their festivals revolved around certain villages and districts only. “But since the1981 consensus, when the agreement was reached to have a common festival, the ‘nzem’ of the Beroms reached another level as it became popular not just among the Beroms and their over 40 other ethnic neighbours in the state, but the festival gained so much recognition that went beyond the shores of Plateau”.

The comment of the Director General of National Centre for Art Culture, Mr. Segun Runsewe, who represented the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during the 2017 edition of Nzem Berom, attested to the rich culture of Berom.

“You are the custodians of culture in the history of this country. Don’t forget that the first Hotel in Nigeria resides  here in Jos, The Rest House. The white man in 1915 said, “I will come back any day to Jos because Jos is my home.” This man was buried in Jos, but the families are still asking questions: “Where is our man? come to the best city where you find the best weather and find your man.

“I went to South Africa, they said to me they have the Zulus, and they are not as beautiful as the Berom people. I want to tell GbongGwom Jos that this is the original culture of Nigeria. I believe that if any white man comes to this place, he will be so happy to see the true traditional culture of our great country.”

On the essence of the festival Choji told the Nigerian Tribune that  the festival was celebrated in Berom land to usher in the rainy season in preparation for farming  to ensure  a good farming and harvest and to also have a good hunting period.

He added that  Nzem Berom was also a concept to foster unity among the people of Beromland and other tribes in the state. To promote brotherhood, apart from Berom  in diaspora, other tribes in the state were also invited to showcase their cultures for people to see if there were similarities.

Choji added that  BECO was equally working hard towards having a curriculum to promote the study of Berom language in secondary schools across Plateau State, so that the language would not go into extinction.

The Nzem Berom festival is celebrated annually, the 2017 edition of the festival was unique, and it was more attractive than the previous ones as it witnessed an unprecedented performances by the various cultural groups that lighted up the occasion which was held at the Rwang Pam township stadium Jos. Guests were thrilled with ancestral dance and other cultural displays by the custodians of the Berom culture.

The festival  was witnessed by an unprecedented crowd, and a display of uncanny aspects of the Berom culture,  stakeholders brandished series of locally made weapons to entertain visitors and spectators at the event.

The Governor of the state, Mr. Simon Bako Lalong, described the celebration as another eloquent show of the spirit of cohesion that has strengthened the bond of brotherhood of the Berom nation, “and will go down in the annals of history as a celebration worthy of preservation and promotion.”

Lalong commended the Gbong Gwom Jos and the Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO) as well as all Berom sons and daughters, for preserving the culture and history of the Berom people through the celebration of the Festival of Arts and Culture.

He said, “This event, no doubt, epitomises the resolute commitment and determination of the Berom to sustain this cultural celebration because of the value it has on generations. For us on the Plateau, the richness of our cultures and peaceful traditional disposition have endeared us to many ethnic groups in the country and nationals beyond Africa. This statement has publicly been made by the cosmopolitan setting of the state as a miniature Nigeria.

“The Berom people are, no doubt a privileged people with the gift of natural resource of land, weather and geography. Given that your ancestral land of heritage is the Seat of Government, the Berom Nation remains the frontline projectors of the hospitality and conviviality of the people of Plateau State. You are the brand of the Plateau spirit and as an appreciation of this gift of nature, you must continue to dignify and justify the enviable appellation of our state, being the Home of Peace and Tourism.”

The Governor challenged the Berom nation to sustain the dynamism that had evolved in the Nzem Berom Festival by incorporating actions that tend to create more awareness in critical areas of agriculture, health, education and economic empowerment, adding that  such would serve the purpose of inviting the attention of investors globally to the multi-sectoral benefits of engaging the potentials that resided in the Berom land and the state for greater economic benefits.

Reiterating that his government recognised that culture was a veritable tool to mirror the identity of the people,   Lalong said such could not be isolated from education and community development. He added that celebrating annual cultural festival was, an avenue and a potent vehicle for keeping alive the rich cultural heritage and values that were now gradually going into extinction because of the misconstrued perception of globalisation which seemed to pass for westernisation among the youth. “I dare to say a people without a culture are a people without a value and a people without a value are a people with a lost identity and infact with a bleak future.”

To improve on this, the Governor said the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality in collaboration with the various cultural and development associations would ensure the streamlining of celebrations of annual cultural festivals and also ensure planned attendance by other ethnic groups in a complimentary manner to emphasise unity among the people. He said the Plateau Festival of Arts and Culture would also be sustained to showcase the rich cultural diversity and to prepare the state annually for the National Festival of Arts and Culture.

The National Social and Cultural Secretary of Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO), Mr Javlanda Choji said the organisation, along with others, had commenced preparation towards 2018 edition of the festival adding that BECO was already in touch with the Nigeria Film Corporation, Nigeria Televison Authority, and other relevant bodies.

“We are not sleeping at all; we are striving towards making it better than that of this year and to be one of the best cultural festivals in Nigeria. So, we  have  commenced preparations towards 2018 edition, we are considering the possibility of partnering  Nigeria Film Corporation, Nigeria and Nigerian Television Authorities to further boost the festival” he said.