Abuja – Rep. Onyemaechi Mrakpo, Vice-Chairman, House Committee on Science and Technology, says culture gives people a connection to their heritage, social values, beliefs, religions and customs.
Mrakpor said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja during the Ogwashi-Uku Development Association end of year party and cultural day celebration.
She said that, although some people saw cultural heritage celebration as archaic, exploring cultural heritage offered a robust variety of benefits.
“Not everyone feels a connection with his culture but many who understand the benefits do.
“Understanding, practicing and celebrating our culture gives us a sense of personal identity and provides an automatic sense of unity.
“Belonging to cultural groups like ours allows us to better identify with others of similar mindset and backgrounds and understand previous generations and the history of where we come from,’’ she said.
In his remarks during the occasion, Mr Chukwunwike Edozie, President of the Ogwashi-Uku Development Association, Abuja branch, said the celebration was a platform for cultural displays.
“Cultural celebrations offer associations like ours the opportunity to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the community.
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“In the cities, it is easy to feel lost and alone among so many other cultures and backgrounds but this is a huge melting pot of people from Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State and indeed all over the country.
Edozie said the gathering also gave the people of the community and the people of Delta in general the opportunity to discuss their welfare and development.
“One of the benefits of preserving cultural heritage as a whole is the communal support; those that identify strongly with heritage will be more likely to help in the development of the same community,’’ he said.
Edozie said celebrating traditions was very important to keep children who were born outside their nativity to be firmly rooted in their culture. (NAN)