Next on the agenda was a welcome address by the Principal, Mrs. Ogunshola Chioma. It was an insightful — and most importantly, brief — speech. As it came to an end, the Hausa cultural group walked in, dressed in amazing outfits, to perform a dance drama.

Everyone was excited for two things — the dance and the drama. Who doesn’t love drama?

It was heart-warming to see parents support their children regardless of the tribe they represented. We were also treated to a dynamic dance and drama performance by the Igbo people of Nigeria — the Atilogwu dancers. Their presentation was characterized by energetic movements and exceptional acting skills. I could hardly believe that many of them were juniors to me! Their performance had many people believing they were professional dancers. I couldn’t stop smiling and jumping around in excitement.

After the Atilogwu dancers set the stage ablaze, the Chairman gave a gentle reminder on the essence of Cultural Day.

In addition to Nigerian ethnic groups, the showcase featured performances from other cultures, such as the Zulu and Indian dances.

The Zulu dance, which originated in South Africa, was a mind-blowing performance showcasing the fighting spirit of Africans. The choice of song — “This Time for Africa” by Shakira — along with their costumes, had most parents on the edge of their seats. In my opinion, it was the highlight of the night.

One of the best parts of the event for me was actually something that wasn’t on the programme. Seeing how happy the Chairman was — to the point of taking the microphone to sing a K1 De Ultimate song — was both nostalgic and emotional. Many parents who knew the song sang along, but the most surprising and heart-warming moment was when a parent, dressed in Igbo attire, stepped out to dance with our Yoruba Chairman. It was truly an amazing sight to behold.

As the event came to an end, a drama titled “Unity in Diversity” was performed. It depicted the leaders of the Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo groups coming together to fight a common enemy trying to take over their land — Nigeria. The play received a thunderous round of applause from the audience.

The stage was then graced by beautiful, graceful, and elegant Indian dancers. As their performance ended, a standing ovation followed. It was truly mesmerizing, and we all agreed — “Well deserved, Bollywood dancers!”

The showcase ended, but everyone’s favourite part of the day was still ahead — Item 7. It was time to feast on the traditional foods brought by the parents and students. The aroma had made our mouths water long before the time to eat.

Each dish represented a different ethnic group and culture, offering a rich and diverse culinary experience to the community. It brought me immense joy to see people from the West enjoying Eastern food, and Easterners enjoying food from the West. The Southerners were not left out either.

This celebration reminded us that we are one, regardless of our differences, and that our love for one another is boundless.

Overall, the Cultural Day celebration was a fantastic experience — one that brought smiles to everyone’s faces. It truly lived up to the theme: “Unity in Diversity.”

This one wasn’t even over before we already started looking forward to the next.

Catch you at the next one!