Drama to expose corrupt political
practices
Accra (Greater Accra)
18 December 2002- Leader of Nigerian delegation to Accra International
Children's Arts Festival, (KIDDAFEST 2003) on Tuesday called for the exposure
of corrupt political leaders through drama and culture.
"The power of
arts and culture embed on the human minds, its audio visual and pictorial
messages should be exploited as a weapon to enforce good governance,
accountability and transparency on African Leaders," Ms Ify Kyauta-Teroi
told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra.
She said "if
politicians are daily forced to face the replica of their actions and inactions
in a dramatised form and its general effect on the population, especially women
and children, they would appreciate the need for humane policies."
Ms Kyauta-Teroi who
is leading a 43-man delegation to KIDDAFEST 2003 urged African governments to
institute a proper cultural policy that would help promote and sustain the rich
cultural values of the continent.
KIDDAFEST 2003 starts
from December 19 to 22, and it is under the theme: "Our World without
Barriers." It would serve as a platform for children's artistic
expressions. Performers from Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Surinam, Europe, South
Africa and the United States will be at the festival.
Ms Kyauta-Teroi
called for the development and recognition of the rich artistic talents of
children to enable them express their sentiments about issues that affect them.
Commenting on the theme, Ms Kyauta-Teroi said children should be used to break
colonial, tribal and religious barriers as well as fostering new African
culture of "one continent and one people with a common destiny," to
attain world peace.
She also called for
the creation of platforms for children to interact with leaders, local and
international role models to impact on their developmental stages. The Reverend
Sister Justina Jor who is also leading another delegation from Queen of the
Rosaries Secondary School of Gboko-Benue State, Nigeria emphasised the power of
arts and culture in national development.
Ms Korkor Amartefio,
Director of Programmes, National Theatre, organizers of programme said often
children were neglected from cultural festivals. She said the nine-year old programme, had been the only
sustainable artistic and cultural festival that sought to address the holistic
development of children irrespective of their socio-cultural and ethnic
backgrounds.
Ms Amartefio said
KIDDAFEST 2003 would bring to the fore African performances of both traditional
and contemporary forms in addition to an ECOWAS fashion show, ECOWAS Mock
parliament and a Hip Hop theatre, among others.
There would also be
African Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts, Cultural Workshops and Master and
Miss KIDDAFEST.
GRi…/
Send your comments to
viewpoint@ghanarevie.com