By Cecilia Ogezi
AfriGrowth Foundation in partnership with the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) has launched the first in the series of "Tales On the Diverse Shades Of Culture", a cultural storybook series in Abuja.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, Dr. Dayo Keshi, explained that the partnership with NICO is to further implement and enhance cultural awareness in school children. She noted that the foundation developed series of storybooks in which the diverse Nigerian cultural heritage were showcased to invoke interest in children and give knowledge of the rich Nigerian culture.
"AfriGrowth Foundation has partnered with the National Institute for Cultural Orientation to develop this storybook, Tales on the Diverse Shades of Culture to present diverse Nigerian cultures in simplified fictional literature for school children, in the vanguard of building their knowledge on our Nigerian Cultures" she said.
She added that 1000 copies of the book would be distributed to LEA primary Schools in Abuja, even as she solicited support of Nigerians to promote knowledge of culture by credible alliance with the project.
The chairman, board of directors, AfriGrowth, Ambassador Joe Keshi, in his address, reiterated that the culture of story telling is a part of Nigerian heritage, adding that reading develops the mind and helps development of writing skills.
He said, "Reading helps to develop the mind and helps one express one's self as the ability to write in good English is based on continuous reading".
In his message, The executive secretary, NICO, Ado Muhammed Yahuza, lauded the project, which according to him, has the capacity to lay a solid cultural foundation for children and the youth.
The secretary, who was represented by Mrs Franca Okoro, a Deputy Director, Orientation, stated that the initiative is in tandem with the Institute's statutory objective of harnessing culture for national development.
Highlights of the event included, the annual reading culture competition in which LEA Kubwa emerged winner, out of the 15 LEA schools that participated from the first round conducted virtually. NNL.
