Childrens’ Day Celebration: Museum to Host 2,000 Pupils

The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) on Thursday said it would host 2,000 children on May 26 and May 27 as part of activities for the 2015 Childrens’ Day celebration. Mr Oloruntosin Olarenwaju, the Museum Assistant Chief Education Officer, told pressmen in Lagos that the theme for the Day is: “Museum for Sustainable Society.’’Olarenwaju said that activities for May 26 included a quiz competition on culture and tourism, current affairs and cooking competition in traditional cuisines. The officer added that on May 27, there would be a march past in traditional attire, greetings in different ethnic languages and dialects and various traditional dressings.He said the event would hold at the premises of the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos. He added that “the hosting is to educate and enlighten children on Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage. “Museum is a place where artifacts and various art works are kept for research and safety purposes. “Therefore, it is an avenue for children to see and feel the heritage of the country and the history of Nigeria’s culture.’’ Others, he said, were mimicking late nationalists like Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Herbert Macaulay and Moshood Abiola.According to him, the influence of western culture is gradually eroding Nigeria’s cultural morals and values, therefore, the commission has set up programmes for pupils and students. He said the programmes were to sustain and promote Nigeria’s heritage through the children. “One of the programmes is the annual Children`s Day celebration which brings to the museum 2,000 students from both primary and secondary schools in Lagos,’’ he said.Olarenwaju urged parents and teachers to always bring their children to the national museum near their areas to enlighten them on the rich cultural heritage and historical monuments of the country.