As peace dance comes to Abuja

Aware of the strategic role of art in nation building, a group has embarked on a dance festival that would foster lasting peace and harmony in the country. The Chairman, Pro-Mobile Grafix Limited, organizers of the event, Mr. Fredrick Okolie, said cultural performances could serve as catalyst for conflict resolution. Tagged, Dance for Peace Nigeria […]

Aware of the strategic role of art in nation building, a group has embarked on a dance festival that would foster lasting peace and harmony in the country.

The Chairman, Pro-Mobile Grafix Limited, organizers of the event, Mr. Fredrick Okolie, said cultural performances could serve as catalyst for conflict resolution.

Tagged, Dance for Peace Nigeria 2011, Okolie said the project would enhance and preach common values shared by various ethnicities that form the country.

“Actually, owing to the prevalence of violence, I think it is time for us to have recourse to our cultural roots to see what we can use our cultural elements for – dance – we are championing to sensitize the nation to have a value or psychic orientation. Let us look at the cohesive forces we have as a nation, not those things that would divide us. Where politics set us apart, art can bring us together from the North, South, East and West. This will help douse the tension.”

“It would also emphasize our interdependence, diversity, equality, justice humaneness and the sanctity of life, irrespective of our cultural, religious and political affiliations. The goal is to strengthen a unified vision orchestrated by the principle of unity in diversity as well as launch Nigeria into her rightful place among the comity of nations.”

Stressing the relevance of peace towards national development, he said Nigeria could not afford to lag behind in a century that is synonymous with globalization and rapid development.

The spokesperson and Secretary, Dance for Peace Nigeria 2001, Mr. Greg Chibuko, said the event, which is scheduled to hold between September 21 and 23 in Abuja, is expected to have the states art directors and their cultural troupes from across the federation in attendance with prizes for winning participants.

The former minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Abubakar Sadiq, at the endorsement of the project, emphasized that, “The project concept intends to use dance as a vehicle for conflict resolution in Nigeria on account of the numerous religious, ethnic and political crises, which has continued to plague the nation.”