From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu has said no nation can ever be great without an established science and technology base, hence the need for Nigerians to develop the breakthrough recorded by their ancestors in the field.
He stated this when he paid a visit to the national museum in Kaduna and in Nok, in Jaba Local Government Area yesterday.
According to him, the Nok culture and terracotta showed that science and technology is not alien to Nigeria because the people especially in Nok aera have been using science and technology to make life better for themselves 6000 before Christ.
He further stated that the Nok people started from the clay war before moving to the Stone age and later iron age, saying they were able to manufacture equipment and impliments they used for their everyday activities.
“We know they manufacture d weapons for hunting and warfare, instruments for farming, created bands for food storage among others before such technology was discovered in Europe and America.
“I advised today’s youth develop on the achievements of their ancestors for the betterment of their tomorrow and cast out the inferiority beliefs that science and technology emanated from somewhere.
“I am here today to let people see the relationship between science and technology, and culture. The Nok culture and not be detached from science and technology. So we have to wake up and build on this,” he said.
While welcoming the Minister to Kaduna Museum, the Curator, Mallam Gimba Mohammed, said Nigeria has a long history of culture and tradition spread over a number of centuries, he mentioned the Nok Terracotta and other ancients products from Ife and Benin kingdom.
Similarly, the Curator f national Museum Nok, Mr Linus Kingi, said the Nok culture especially the Terracotta is a worldwide artifacts with a long history and that is why some of have been forcefully taken away to Europe and North America.
In his remark, the District Head of Nok, Mr. Beno Adamu, asked the Federal Government to put in place all mechanism to make Nok and international tourist destination that can yield the more deside foreign currency.
Earlier, President Nok Community Development Association, Dr. Gyuro Joseph, said the 7km road from Kwoi to the Nok national museum is a nightmare to tourist and this has affected tourism adversely, this is one of the reason why we have suddenly lost the international tourism to this site.
“We have failed to support nature by not providing a befitting accommodation for the tourist to stay and maximise the tourism potentials of the village.”
