Published By News Editor
Pupils and parents of Diamonds Mine School will for a long time remember the Culture Day of Diamonds Mine School which took the immediate Adeyeri community by storm last Friday.
The entire Adeyeri Crescent, Off Oyemekun Bus Stop, College Road, in Ifako-Ijaiye, a sub-urban axis of Lagos, was lit by the rhythmic beats of Bata drum. Drummers stood sentry at the school gate, to welcome gaily dressed pupils and their parents to the school’s quadrangle, venue of the event. The school gave culture a total package and delivered same to appreciative parent as part of their end of academic activity for the term.
The school had taken time to plan the ceremony, with three massive tents, strategically erected in the school front yard. At a corner was the food court, where the three Nigerian dominant cultures –Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba paraded local cuisines. On parade are Yoruba foods like Jolof rice, Ofada rice, Eba, Amala, pounded yam, and various soups such as vegetable soup, Ewedu soup; Igbos came with various soups such as Ofei sala, while the Hausas came prepared with Tuwo Masara and accompany soups.
Sandwiched in-between the foods was the fast food shed where puff-puff and yam pudding (called Ojojo), was being fried and served hot and fresh. There was palm wine in abundance, and other various brews, alongside soft drinks and water to refresh thirsty throats.
Proprietor of the school Mrs Romoke Aderibigbe was on hand to welcome parents and the guests among who are some of her colleagues who included the Proprietor of Prime and Proud School, Mrs Kemi Fadipe, and Future Icon School, Mrs Bose Akinrinmade, who compered the event, and host of other parents.
The pupils, who were groups into Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba cultures performed various dance and choreographed pieces such as the singing of the National Anthem in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo languages, and some poetry and drama playlets.
Several parents commended the school for taking the celebration of culture several notches higher, creating contents that electrified the environment with smiles dancing round the faces of several people.
One such parent, Mrs Bolanle Sennaike praised the proprietress and her team for packaging a culture day with a difference this year. “This is the best cultural day funfair that I would ever attend in recent time and I join other parents to commend the school for the quality of presentations by the various culture groups by the pupils.
Highlight of the event was a cultural presentation competition in which the Igbo cultural group came first and adjudged the overall best of the three cultural presentations.