Ogun govt commended for sustaining African culture

The Ogun State Government has been commended by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for ensuring that the African Culture does not go into extinction through its various cultural exchange programmes.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Honourable Muyiwa Oladipo who brought the news to the fore in an interview with newsmen in his Oke Mosan office stated that the commendation came as a result of the Ogun State Cultural troupe’s performance at the just concluded African week organised by UNESCO,  with the theme,  “Investing in the Youths of Africa.”

Oladipo noted that the involvement and hosting of the maiden edition of the African Drums Festival prompted the decision of the organisers to invite the state to represent the country at the African Week,  adding that the week was an annual event organised by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

“We got a letter inviting us to be a part of the African Week,  a week organised by UNESCO annually and part of the letter read that the involvement and hosting of the maiden edition of the African Drums Festival prompted the organisers into inviting the state,  realising that Ogun State was a culture friendly state,” he said.

He also disclosed that 13 countries were invited out of which Ogun State represented Nigeria in the cultural aspect of the African Week.

“ We were invited to perform and so to say to represent Nigeria,  13 counties were invited to participate in the cultural presentation, to which Ogun State was one. So we went there and showcased the rich and beautiful cultural heritage of Nigeria. So the rest is history,” he said.

Oladipo also noted that the African Week was a non-competfitive event,  adding  that the state  was jointly commended by the Director General of UNESCO and the Ambassador for performing excellently and was awarded a certificate for the feat recorded.

“All the 13 countries were in display,  without any doubt,  at the end of the day, after our performance, it was a collective responcee from the entire audience, including the Director General of UNESCO that Ogun State representing Nigeria performed excellently,  of course,  we got a certificate for it,” he said.