The Gwandara Owa Cultural Troupe of Garaku, Kokona Local Government area has emerged the winner of NBS cultural Dance competition tagged “Our Dance, Our Identity.

The event which took place at the convocation square, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Thursday, had in attendance cultural dance groups from different tribes that constitute five local government area of Nasarawa Western zone.

The cultural dancing competition organized by the management of Nasarawa Broadcasting Service NBS, had Eight cultural groups participating which includes, Gbagyi and Mada from Karu Local government, Eggon, Fulani and Ganga Noma group from Keffi as well as Afo women, Eggon, Gwandara, popularly called Owa cultural troupe all from Kokona Local government area respectively.

After rolling their drums through the Match pass and to the main dancing competition where each groups were giving ten minutes to perform by the chief judge at the competition, doctor Chakada of the theatre Arts department, Nasarawa state University Keffi, where he subsequently announced Owa cultural troupe as first position with two hundred and forty three points.

“Gbagyi-forth position-218 points
Fulani-third position-228 points
Eggon-second position-232 points and Gwandara first position with 243 points”

Earlier, the General manager, NBS, Mr. Aloko Flashman, said NBS organized the programme in order the re-awakening the dwindling culture of the people in the state largely on cultural imperialism which has dominated the indigenous cultures.

Aloko Flashman, said dance Is one aspect of the culture which need to be promoted but wondered why some people find it difficult to dance based on their culture, calling for a change of attitude in order to revive the culture of Nasarawa state people.

“The way we speak our language is no more, the way we respect our elders is no more, this is affecting us. We deemed it right to begin to reawakening the communities on the need for us to do things that our forefathers did for us”

In their Goodwill messages, the chairman, Keffi local government area, Muhammed Baba Shehu represented by his deupty, Vincent Anzaku, and that of Kokona Akpomoshi James who represented the chairman, as well as the representative of chairman, Karu Local government area, Price Emmanuel Cheto, commended Nasarawa Broadcasting service NBS for the programme, and promised their total support to enable it achieve success.

On her part, the director planning, research and statistics, NBS, Mrs. Patricia Akawu, said out of five local governments that supposed to partake in the dancing competition, two did not turn up which is Nasarawa and Toto local government areas and appreciated those that contributed for the success of the event, particularly Keffi emirate council and the Keffi Local government authority.