Duglu Idu Festival Highlights Need to Safeguard Nigeria Culture

Nigerians have been told to safeguard their rich cultural heritage in the face of westernization challenging African cultures. This was submission of speakers at this year’s Duglu Idu Festival.

The saying that goes “he who has no culture has no identity” came alive at Duglu Chiefdom of Jenkwe Development Area as Migili sons and daughters came out to celebrate this year’s Idu Festival amidst cheers.

Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Civil Servants, (teachers affairs), Micheal Gida Daniel and Registrar, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Dr. Musa Zhedu, expressed worry over the way people shy away from their culture on the basis of westernization and religion, saying if not protected, it will go into extinction.

According to the duo, Nigerians should find a way of balancing the misconception which greeted a lot of cultures that are fast eroding. saying it is wrong to embrace another person’s culture to the detriment of one’s own, a sentiment shared by Dr. Victor Agidi of the Imo state University.

For the Zhedu Duglu, Musa Nmanzanze and Chris Omeri amongst others, Idu Festival is usually celebrated in anticipation of bomber harvest, rains and child births as well as to appease the gods to protect the community from danger, and encouraged parents to inculcate in their children moral and cultural values.

High point of the event was cultural display by members of the community.