Kaduna: Ham indigene Affirms preservation of Nok Culture … celebrates 2024 Ham week

Kaduna: Ham indigene Affirms preservation of Nok Culture

… celebrates 2024 Ham week

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria

Culture they say dies hard. The people of Ham from Southern Kaduna are one such community who hold so dearly their cultural identity.

They have affirmed their determination to preserve the Nok culture as it is their identity as a people.

The spokesperson of the group, ambassador Dr. Bulus  Lolo, Chairman, Tuk Ham Organizing Committee, while intimating journalists on their forth- coming cultural Tuk Ham week made this affirmation at a press conference held at the Nigeria Union of Journalist Secretariat, Friday, February, 2024.

The Ham people he said are committed to keeping alive their age-long culture as they adhere to the Ham Charter.

Explaining the importance of Ham week celebration. He said.

“Ham Week, is a period set aside for introspection on what God has done in the lives of the Ham people in the course of the year.

“Without God, Ham people can do nothing. Offering gratitude to God is a way of recognizing and affirming the supremacy of God the Almighty Creator and the blessings He bestows.

Ambassador Bulus  Lolo, described the people of Ham as firm believer in the existence of God but hold dearly their rich culture which they will not allow to go into extinction.

Ham people have a history that goes back to antiquity. They are the custodians of the world renowned Nok Culture and famous Nok Terracotta which dates back to 500 BC.

The group is looking forward to government partnership by creating an enabling environment for opportunities to strive. Like in the area of tourist attractions where money could be generated for the advancement of the state.

The group also called on the government to help recover the country’s artifacts stolen from Nigeria to foreign countries.

The age long historic festival which used to be celebrated during easter is now changed  and marked with lots of activities.

This year’s celebration will be done in a grand style. He added.

The usual one day event celebrated during the easter season now changed to a week-long activities, the group informed will run through 25 – 31st of February.

Seeking media cooperation as they invite the public to their week long activities,

“we want to inform the general public through you that the popular Ham Festival will hold from March 25 to 31, 2024.

“The high point of the festival will be Saturday, March 30, 2024 when invitees from all parts of Nigeria and beyond will converge in Kwoi for the Grand Finale to be marked with dances, cultural displays and other events.

Other activities for the year’s celebration include medical outreach, symposium, cultural display and visit to historic places in Nok village.