ACHA: Positively Reconnecting Culture, Development and Trade
The people of Abuja were treated to the 2nd edition of the Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance Arts and Sports Fair on the 7th of November 2020 at Soho24 Sports Park, Abuja FCT. The event was organized by ACHA as part of the Innovation and Reconnection Project supported by the Voice Initiative and OXFAM in Nigeria. The day’s activities brought together participants from the communities of Bwari, Karu and Kuje and a visiting Baram Team from Jos who took part in both sports and creative arts activities as highlighted
- Display of products from the Creative Arts trainees and rights holders of ACHA for sales and appreciation
- Tournament’s Final Match of Baram Innovative Sports between team ACHA and team Jos
- Tournament’s Final Matches for both male and female football teams (ACHA Volunteers and rights holders)
- Presentation of Awards and trophy to outstanding teams and individuals
While appreciating the vision of ACHA, one of the keynote speakers and Director of Royal School of Education Therapy, Mrs Badewa Adejugbe expressed excitement about “ACHA impacting the youths by giving voice to the voiceless as can be seen in today’s participation by rights holders”. She stressed that as fellow grantee of the voice, she is proud that ACHA is exploring the tools of culture and sports in empowerment. Similarly, stakeholders from Bwari and Kuje honorable Saad Sulaiman and Mr Musa Waimba respectively corroborated this position . Both testified to the impact ACHA in all three communities. community coordinators Mr Yusuf Abdulmalik, Mike Gideon and Abdullahi Ado respectively from Kuje, Karu and Bwari explored the opportunity to express gratitude to ACHA and partners for the opportunity given which has created awareness, skill acquisition, and general developments in all three communities.
No doubt, right holders and volunteers have proven, with the arrays of colorful display of quality and highly sought after products plus the unparalleled skillful performances of both football and Baram players and a standard fashion and model on run way performances, that ACHA’s efforts in training and mentoring towards becoming entrepreneurs and self reliance has yielded the intended results.
While expressing gratitude to all participants, the president of ACHA, ambassador Okama Ekpe Brook noted the importance of the Innovation and Reconnection Project in providing access to social services in health and education that allows the organization to use tools like arts, culture, edutainment and sports to empower and uplift youths, women and men. In her exact words: “ through these kinds of activities, unemployment and criminality can be reduced in communities by the provision of infrastructure, materials, and other resources for the play of sports”. Furthermore, she used the opportunity to call on government to include more elements of the creative arts in education and Baram Innovation Sports in the sports curriculum and National Sports Festival.
The event climaxed in the award of trophies and prizes to the three best teams for male and female in Baram and Football.