The Bolgatanga branch of the Dagara-Polle Tietaar Club, a Dagara youth group in the Upper East Region, has hosted the 10th national congress of the club with a call on the sons and daughters of Nandom to harness digital technology to showcase and promote their cultural heritage.
The three-day event brought together members of the club from across the country, and representatives from sister organizations including the Lawra, Nandom and Jirapa Youth and Development Associations, and the Upper West Union.
The Congress was on the theme: “Using 21st century skills to reposition Dagara culture for current and future generations.”
Dr Joseph Banguu, the Executive Director of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese Organization (NABOCADO), who made the call as the Keynote Speaker at the climax of the Congress, encouraged Dagara, especially the youth to take advantage of digital technology to showcase and promote their culture.
He urged parents to insist and ensure their children proudly spoke the Dagara language wherever they found themselves to sustain their linguistic identity and encourage others to learn the language.
Dr Banguu emphasized the uniqueness and resilience of the Dagara culture, and indicated that even non-Dagara observers recognized its strength and distinctiveness.
He further underscored the importance of traditional naming practices and reminded participants that names defined identity, and appealed to all Dagara, regardless of their faith, to give their children Dagara names.
Mr Stanislaus Dong, the President of the Bolgatanga branch of the Club, expressed concern about the low membership drive, which affected the Club’s activities and programmes.
He stressed the need for members to actively participate in the group’s activities to enable it effectively plan and continue to undertake development-oriented programmes in their hometown, Nandom.
Despite the low patronage in the Club’s activities, Mr Dong outlined its socio-economic contributions since its formation, which he said eased the financial burden on smaller branches.
Mr Eugene Yirbuor, one of the Founders and Leading member of the Club, who gave a brief history of its formation, said it was formed in 2004 in Tamale, and emphasized that the Club was not intended to weaken the Nandom Youth and Development Association (NYDA), their mother Association.
He acknowledged that the Bolgatanga branch of the NYDA was one of the most vibrant branches, and recalled that the Dagara-Polle Tietaar Club was among the groups that petitioned for the successful creation of the Nandom Constituency.
Mr Yirbuor reminded members of the Club’s credit facility initiative, headquartered in Nandom to support members, and said leadership intended to upgrade the facility to a Micro-credit scheme, and encouraged members to take advantage of the opportunity.
The Congress was chaired by Professor Juventus Ziem, the Dean of the School of Medical Sciences of the Clement Kubindiwo Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) in Navrongo.
