By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
The Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe, has said that Port Harcourt would be used as a basis for unity which would, in turn, eradicate hate speeches in Nigeria.
He made the statement during the opening of the traditional cuisine competition held today at the Rex Lawson Cultural Centre at Bonny Street, Town, Port Harcourt.
Addressing the audience during the opening of the competition, Otunda Runsewe, the coordinator of NAFEST, described Port Harcourt as a peaceful city where everybody is walking about freely without molestation.
“Somebody told me that he was surprised to see that Port Harcourt is very peaceful contrary to what he heard about the city before now. He said he thought that Port Harcourt is a place where people are not free to move about; where people are living in fear but that when he came in because of this event, he was on the road till 2 a.m. and was surprised that nothing happened and the road was free.
“We are impressed with the type of peace and freedom we’re seeing here. Why are we fighting one another in this country? See unity in beauty here. We will use Port Harcourt as a standpoint to stop hate speeches in this country,” he said.
The NAFEST coordinator, who is also the president of World Crafts Council (African Religion), commended the states that attended the event and said that Nigerian dishes and cuisines are some of the best and should therefore be promoted.
He also described Ofada Rice, which is produced in Nigeria, as the best in the world, because of its zero cholesterol and other medicinal values.
TPCN gathered that Ofada Rice is produced in Ebonyi State.
Earlier in her address, the Director of Research and Documentation, National Council for Arts and Culture, Dr Lizi Ben-Iheanacho, expressed satisfaction with the preparation of the traditional cuisines by the various states present.
She said the competition would help to promote and showcase the indigenous cuisines in Nigeria to the outside world.
TPCN reports that eight states participated in the traditional cuisine competition. They include: Ogun, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Delta, Rivers, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Enugu states.
