SLC-S25/W2 | Community World Tour: Festivals & Celebrations

Hello Steemians,

Greetings from Abuja, Nigeria. I’m so excited to be a part of Week 2 of the Steem World Tour, where we are invited to share meaningful cultural celebrations from our lives and communities. For me, this story is deeply personal. It’s not about a grand festival in a big city square, but a quiet and beautiful moment that took place in my daughter's school.

Geographic Location: My Daughter's School, Abuja, Nigeria.

Cultural Day is an annual event celebrated in many schools across Nigeria to honour the rich diversity of our nation. At my daughter's School, Abuja, the children showcased the four major cultural zones of Nigeria: South West, South East, South-South, and the North. Each group dressed in traditional attire, gave performances representing their region, and enjoyed traditional meals brought by their parents. It was an explosion of colour, music, and heritage.

My Personal Connection to This Celebration

I must admit, I’m not the kind of person who attends social gatherings easily. I’m naturally introverted, and being around large crowds drains me. So, when invitations to public events come up, I usually retreat and make excuses.

But this time, something has changed, I am a mother now and I have to show up for my girls even when i dont feel like.

It was my daughter’s Cultural Day. She had been practising her performance for weeks, bubbling with excitement each time she came home from school. And I knew this wasn’t just another school event. It was her moment.

So, I put all my usual resistance aside. I dressed up, carried my quiet spirit into a loud environment, and went to support my baby girl. And I’m so glad I did.

What I Experienced That Day

As I entered the school, the environment was alive. Children dressed in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Ijaw attire danced, sang, and confidently represented their assigned culture. Some wore gele, some had coral beads, others had henna on their hands. The air smelled of jollof rice, tuwo, ofada, nkwobi, and freshly fried puff-puff. Parents were busy setting up food stands, cheering, clapping, and taking pictures.

When my daughter saw me from the stage, her face lit up with joy. That moment alone made everything worth it. As she performed her dance with a small group of children representing the Southwest, my heart swelled with pride. Her confidence, her smile, the rhythm in her steps, I realised how much it meant for her to have me there.

I saw in that moment how these little celebrations shape our children’s confidence and identity. This wasn’t just a fun school event; it was a powerful reminder of who we are and how important it is to pass that heritage down with love and pride.

Final Thoughts

I left that day grateful, not just because I had stepped out of my comfort zone, but because I had witnessed something pure and unforgettable. I saw children learning that every culture matters, every tribe has beauty, and every language carries the heart of its people.

And I was reminded: sometimes, showing up for our children means showing up for ourselves too.

"A child who knows where they come from walks taller into the future."