By Kingsley Omonobi and Ezra Ukanwa

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has emphasized the importance of protecting cultural heritage to achieve national progress and cohesion.

He added that cultural heritage is a reflection of a nation’s identity, history, and values, and preserving it is crucial for the country’s advancement.

Furthermore, he said preserving cultural heritage ensures that future generations have a connection to their roots and can learn from the past.

The call was made by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who represented President Tinubu at the 2023 West African Social Activities, held in Abuja.

The event, however, witnessed the presence of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye, Heads of Security Agencies, among others

According to him, We must not lose track of our roots because our customs and traditions are our identity. I believe that today’s WASA is not just about our culture and traditions alone but it is a celebration of our collective spirit that thrives in that Brigade or in the Nigerian Army.

“The comradeship developed and shared by personnel of that Brigade will shape your lives and help to achieve our collective goals and responsibility”, he added

Also, Matawalle, while expressing excitement over the promotion of the Commander Guards Brigade, Colonel Adebisi Onasanya, to Brigadier General, said the security framework in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, would become effective and security of lives and properties.

Speaking of the successful WASA event and efforts towards ensuring security in the FCT, Onsasanya said: “We are very happy and delighted that today was a very successful day for us and happy day for us in the Guards Brigade.

“Guards Brigade is very much aware of these challenges in the FCT and enviros and we have been working very hard to ensure that we counter all those challenges, especially around Bwari, Abaji and Kuje area councils and I can assure you that as we speak we have our troops already deployed and where ever they are we will locate them and sniff them out.”