The Punch Newspaper, Nigeria's most widely read newspaper, recently celebrated the country's 66th independence anniversary with its annual "Rep Your Tribe" cultural event. The event, held at the Punch headquarters in Lagos, brought together staff members from different ethnic groups to showcase their traditions and culture. The ceremony featured representations from various tribes in Nigeria, including the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and Igede, as well as tribes from the South-South.
The event began with an Igbo cultural display, featuring a masquerade that was ushered in with traditional chants and drums. The masquerade moved around the venue, dancing and offering greetings to welcome participants to the celebration. The Igbo group also showcased its customs through the breaking of kola nuts, sharing of garden eggs and palm wine, as well as traditional Igbo greetings. Other tribes also presented their cultural practices, including traditional songs, drumming, and dancing.
The Yoruba presentation featured traditional songs, drumming, and dancing, followed by the recitation of Yoruba panegyrics, highlighting the richness of the culture and its oral traditions. The Hausa presentation featured a Hausa analogy, while the Igede group highlighted some of the distinctive practices associated with wedding ceremonies in the culture. The presentation included a demonstration of the tradition of firing three gunshots following a marriage ceremony, accompanied by traditional dancing.
Beyond the cultural presentations, staff members also turned out in colourful traditional outfits representing their respective ethnic backgrounds, adding to the festive atmosphere of the celebration. Prizes were awarded for the best-dressed participants, with Pelumi Okeowo emerging as the Best-Dressed in the male category, while Christabel Ndoeche emerged as the winner in the female category. The event also featured recognition for distinguished employees whose work stood out among their peers.
Punch Chairman, Angela Emuwa, described the Rep Your Tribe event as an avenue to promote unity among Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. She added that the annual event was important in bringing staff together to celebrate Nigeria's cultural diversity. Emuwa urged the staff to be innovative while assuring them that the board and management would continue to create a conducive environment for them to achieve their goals.
Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Dr Adeyeye Joseph, noted that social media had contributed to the amplification of ethnic differences among Nigerians. However, he said that despite the divisions often displayed publicly, Nigerians continued to form relationships and intermarry across ethnic lines. Joseph urged the attendees to carry the spirit of unity demonstrated at the event into their various workplaces and to use the period before the next gathering to build better relationships with one another.
The celebration provided an opportunity for members of staff to showcase Nigeria's cultural diversity and reaffirm the spirit of unity in diversity as the country commemorates its Independence. The cultural celebration ended with a final performance by the masquerade, bringing the event to a colourful close. The event was organized by the Head of Human Capital and Corporate Services, Temitope Olusesan-Biala, and her team, who were commended by the MD/Editor-in-Chief for their efforts.
Key points
- The Punch Newspaper's "Rep Your Tribe" cultural event promotes unity among staff and Nigerians by showcasing the country's cultural diversity.
- The event featured representations from various tribes in Nigeria, including the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and Igede, as well as tribes from the South-South.
- The Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Dr Adeyeye Joseph, emphasized the importance of unity among Nigerians, citing the country's cultural diversity as a strength.
