By Emegwoako C. Paschal
On Friday, October 28th, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) educated students in Ogun State about the importance of promoting various cultural expressions in Africa through digital technology.
To that end, the organization, through its Institute for African Culture and International Understanding (IACIU), educated Abeokuta secondary school students on how to protect and promote African cultural heritage through art and technology.
The training is the fourth in a series of courses offered by the institute.
The fourth and final series of training for the year 2022 was held at Mcjob Grammar School in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Prof. Peter Okebukola, Director of the Institute, stated at the event in Abeokuta that the project was designed to educate and enlighten Nigerians, particularly the young, on the importance of using indigenous arts and culture to change the narratives that non-Africans have about the African continent and its cultural heritage.
Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary of the National University Commission (NUC), stated that the training was designed to introduce participants to the use of technology to protect and promote African cultural heritage in the digital age.
He stated that UNESCO established the Institute, which is located on the grounds of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, to further foster people’s capacities and knowledge through activities that promote cultural expressions through digital technology.
According to Okebukola, this is in line with the goals of the UNESCO 2005 Convention, which include promoting cultural diversity and preserving African cultural heritage, among other things.
He also encouraged young people to be proud of their diverse cultures by speaking their native languages, listening to good and educative African music, learning to cook their native cuisines, and wearing African prints.
Mrs. Aderonke Omotola-Amos, a National Programme Officer at the institute, stated that the program was designed to further enlighten participants on the importance of appreciating African culture and doing everything possible to protect and promote it, saying, “Our culture is our identity, it’s who we are, and this must not be taken away from us.”
Mr. Vincent Eko, one of the program’s facilitators, guided participants through the various ways in which art and technology can be used to protect and promote African culture.
