In a bid to preserve and promote Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, on Wednesday, hosted the 2025 Culture Quiz Competition for Senior Secondary Schools at its temporary office in Shangisha, Magodo.
The keenly contested event featured students from Gbaja Girls Senior High School, Surulere; Oriwu Senior Model College, Igbogbo and Vetland Senior Grammar School, Ifako Ijaiye. The competition proved both educational and engaging, as participants showcased their knowledge of cultural values, traditions and practices.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Idowu Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, emphasised the importance of instilling cultural awareness in young people.
“This is an opportunity to catch them young and instil in them the values of our culture and heritage. People who have lost their culture have lost their identity. This competition helps them understand what their society is all about”, he said.
Mr. Johnson highlighted that students participated in three major segments: Essay Writing on Culture, Children’s Storytelling on Culture, and the Culture Quiz, all designed to deepen their understanding of cultural identity.
The Director of Research, Publications and Documentation at the Agency, Mr. Somoye Babafemi Olumide expressed concern over the influence of foreign cultures on Nigerian youth through the internet and media.
“There are so many foreign cultures invading our airspace and distracting our children. It is important to bring them back to their roots. If they don’t know where they are coming from, they can’t know where they are going,”he said.
Mr. Somoye revealed that the competition serves as a preliminary stage for a national competition scheduled for November and encouraged more schools to participate in future editions to broaden cultural awareness across the state.
Teachers and school representatives commended the initiative, noting that cultural education had long been neglected. They described the competition as a timely step toward reconnecting the younger generation with their heritage.
Participating students expressed gratitude to the government for the opportunity to learn more about their roots, acknowledging that many youths were losing touch with traditional values.
At the end of the competition, Oriwu Senior Model College, Igbogbo, emerged as the overall winner and was presented with a prize in recognition of its outstanding performance.
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