- By Evelyn Osagie and Precious Godwin
Culture advocate and the founder of World Builderr, Aare Olusegun Daramola, has urged the Nigerian government to prioritise the preservation and promotion of indigenous knowledge systems.
Speaking with newsmen, Daramola emphasised the importance of integrating traditional knowledge and cultural practices into modern education. “We need to move beyond colonial legacies and recognize the value of our indigenous knowledge systems,” Daramola said. “Our ancestors have left us a rich legacy of wisdom, and it’s our responsibility to preserve and pass it on to future generations,” he said.
Daramola called on the government to establish centers for indigenous knowledge, language, and spiritual studies across the country, and to fund community custodians who can share their expertise with students and the public. He also advocated for bilingual education, where English coexists with mother tongues, and for the incorporation of cultural days, oral history storytelling sessions, and indigenous arts programs into school curricula.
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“Culture is not backward; it’s our backbone,” Daramola stressed. “By investing in indigenous knowledge systems, we can promote national pride, preserve our heritage, and empower future generations with a strong sense of identity and purpose.”
Daramola also offered advice to parents, saying: “As parents, it’s essential to teach our children about their lineage, language, family proverbs, taboos, and ancestral values. We should share stories from our own childhood and our grandparents with them, cook native meals together, sing indigenous songs, and visit sacred lands or festivals. This will help them develop a strong sense of identity and connection to their heritage.”
World Builderr is committed to promoting cultural preservation and development in Nigeria, and Daramola’s call to action is a significant step towards achieving this goal.