Many schools marked their Cultural Day during the week. It is a day which is observed once in a session to promote cultural values among the students and remind them of their heritage. AUNTY ‘YEMI spoke with some pupils who shared their experiences at the event.
Folasayomi Olabamiji, 10 yrs old, Basic 5
I was eager to appear in my agbada, buba and sokoto on the Cultural Day because it was an occasional wear for me though I am a Yoruba boy. That day, it was compulsory for us all to speak our indigenous language throughout and it was so interesting.
David Afolabi, 10 yrs old, Basic 5
My school observed Cultural Day and I felt very happy at the event. Pupils wore different attires in various fabrics and styles. We had some in Ankara, ofi, iro and buba; a style of fila called abetiaja on agbada; buba and sokoto. We sang cultural songs when parents were invited to dance on stage. It was easy for me to speak my language fluently because my family communicates with it at home but a friend of mine found it difficult because he was not used to it. I took amala, gbegiri, ewedu stew with meat to school that day, as a way to mark the event.
Jesudarasimi Odewabi, 9 yrs old, Basic 4
Thanks to my mum who helped me dress properly in my traditional attire which I wear once in a while though I have three; I was very happy. Some pupils brought traditional food to school but I ate yam porridge. However, when I got back home, mum prepared amala, efo with meat.
Pemisire Chokoti, 10 yrs old, Basic 5
Our Cultural Day was very special and interesting because of the unusual things we did, such as wearing of natives, eating of local food like my own, amala with ewedu. We also danced to cultural songs. I did not find it easy to speak my language that day because we were not allowed to speak English language.
Chukwudinma Okoji, 10 years old, JSS 1
Various wonderful performances accompanied with instrumentalists were used to mark our Cultural Day. I put on my well-ironed traditional wear with beads and cap. The dressing made my day because it is not everyday affair. It was interesting to see pupils of my school in various attires which gave everyone different looks from the usual school uniform.
Favour Olanrewaju, 9 yrs old, Basic 4
I felt so excited to participate in the activities that marked our Cultural Day; I was very anxious to the extent that I could not sleep the night preceding that day. The most interesting aspect of the event was the traditional food that I took to school that day. One more thing I appreciate in my culture is greetings because it is unique.
Morianugba Adeniji, 10 yrs old, Basic4
Our last Cultural Day was fantastic because of some activities that marked the event. I wore ofi, buba and gele and took semo, vegetable soup with meat to school as lunch. The traditional wear was not new to me because I put it on to church almost every Sunday. We sang a cultural song that promotes farming, titled “Ise Agbe ni’se ile wa…’”
Wisdom Ogunlakin, 8 yrs old, Basic 8
On our Cultural Day, I wore iro and buba which is an occasional attire for me, with zara cap when I could not find the colour of gele that matched my native dress. I read a poem and sang a song. I like cultural related things such as: greetings, especially Yoruba greetings which come with so much respect-kneeling and prostrating, food and the like in our culture.
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