Reawakening, captivating and amazingly inspiring, may be, are the suitable adjectives to qualify the emergence, growing interest, influence and constantly increasing visibility and acceptance by the public of the now trending activities that the Ngas Nation of Plateau state, North Central Nigeria initiated at the Monument of Traditional Nigerian Architecture (MOTNA), located at Jos premises of the National Museum. The intensified activities by the Gamai Nation and plans by the other nations to come on stream, speaks volume of the Ngas initiative. Important to emphasise is the interest, commitment and hunger shown by the younger generation to flow with the now trending activities at the Ngas and Gamai villages at the MOTNA.
The increasing interest of the younger generation with regard to the activities at the MOTNA indicates desire to understand, embrace and partake actively in their culture. It is a confirmation that they are gearing up and actively waiting for the older generation to do the needful: put them through and properly on issues of their culture. The time for the younger generation to understand their culture is now.
Hard work, respect and discipline, good name, regard for people and their communities, their way of life, etc., must be clear to the younger generation as core aspects of their culture. The understanding that protection of common property, the environment and rights of other people are demanded of them by culture is vital. They must understand clearly that their culture frowns strongly against cheating, immorality and the likes. They must be made to realize that being on the fast lane is not encouraged by their culture and ill-gotten wealth is considered evil and stands condemned by the same culture.
A scene from the Ngas village at the MOTNA, Jos
One of the significant factors responsible for the heightened interest of the young, agile and mobile Nigerian Teens and Youths in Jos, Plateau state to embrace culture in recent time is the desire for change, inspired by the need for self-definition, self-actualization and the identity of their own communities. They are tired of parading with fake identities. They now know that they have something they can be proud of, also aware they will grow rapidly through collective efforts and diversity, which their culture supports and also promotes.
Constant supervision of the younger generation with regard to their culture is recommended. Most of them are already aware that their culture in most parts encourages them to relate, transact and bond closely with people from far and near. The older generation must emphasize to the new generation that the culture of their land abhors discrimination, nepotism and stealing, encourages equity, trust and contact building, business expansion and diligence and also expects them to be interested, contribute and support the growth and survival of other people, as well as assist in their diversification efforts.
Now that the younger generation is becoming increasingly aware that their culture is interesting, accommodatingly beautiful and a saleable product to the World, effective machinery needs to be mounted by the older generation as a requirement towards ensuring smooth, well-structured, strategic and effective transition programme from the old to the new generation. Many youths are not just excited, but also are aware that they are getting exposed to the numerous empowering and benefiting opportunities in their culture. The benefits can only be achieved maximally, if they understand and embrace their culture properly.
From the Gamail village at the MOTNA, Jos
Research and Information gathering, verification and confirmation of facts and originality of contents, ideas engineering and promotion of visible history, are benefits that could accrue from the now trending activities at the MOTNA, Jos. Understanding of culture by the new generation will encourage, support and enhance their learning through education, research, fun and entertainment.
Presently, the Ngas initiative at MOTNA is devoid of razzmatazz and deceit of the politicians: cheating, fake glamour and deliberate show of superiority. That programmes of politicians are designed to give undue advantage to the few favoured untouchables, to ensure the chosen are equipped, albeit unjustly, and the neglected masses suffer is no news.
Financial recklessness in the form of mismanagement of public funds, leading to high sounding public expenditure figures associated with the politicians are not likely to be found in the Ngas nation initiative to development. The younger generation must come to terms with the fact that their culture abhors financial recklessness, and ensure at all times they never will defend their Kinsmen that indulge in it, especially, when the long arms of the law catches up with them.
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| Scenes from the Gamai village at the MOTNA, Jos |
Now that the agile new generation are realising that showcasing of physical infrastructures, represented by mighty and excessively overpriced bill boards, automobiles, and buildings that the occupiers contribute next to nothing to the office is an alien culture, purely activity of the wicked, weak and fickle minded, the time to rise up, and demonstrate that these actions are not what Nigeria needs for her growth and sustainable development is now.
My Culture, my pride, he seems to be saying
Join the Ngas initiated evolving development trend in plateau state, and if and when you can replicate it where necessary…
Nnabugwu Chizoba
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