A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Alhaji Mohammed Ndarani, has urged Nupe women in the film and music industry to consciously and deliberately use their talents to promote culture and traditions.
The legal luminary enjoined the artists to deploy their skills as tools for cultural preservation, moral re-orientation and positive societal transformation.
Ndarani who is also the Hukunchi Nupe and Hausaland gave the task on Sunday in Bida while delivering a keynote address as Guest Speaker at the "Women in Nupe Film and Music Sensitisation Programme", organised by the National Nupe Films and Musical Makers Association (NUPEWOOD).
He described film and music as powerful instruments for education, orientation and identity projection, noting that when properly harnessed, they shape values, influence attitudes and promote the cultural image of a people beyond their immediate environment.
The Senior Legal Practitioner commended NUPEWOOD for its sustained efforts at promoting the Nupe language, culture, film and music, describing the initiative as timely, noble and deserving of support from all stakeholders.
According to him, the focus on women is particularly significant, as women remained the backbone of society, serving as first teachers, nurturers of values and custodians of culture.
Ndarani stressed that women must not only be participants but leaders and role models in the Nupe creative industry, urging them to use film and music to promote education, peace, unity, cultural pride and moral discipline, while avoiding content that undermines societal values and religious principles.
He said the sensitisation programme provided a platform to reposition Nupe women as cultural ambassadors, agents of positive change and contributors to economic growth within their communities.
The senior lawyer reaffirmed his commitment to education, youth empowerment and cultural preservation, warning that societies that neglect their culture and sideline women risk losing their identity and future.
He called on NUPEWOOD, government agencies, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to support the industry through training, funding, mentorship and enabling policies to enhance its competitiveness nationally and internationally.
Ndarani also urged the practitioners to remain disciplined, united, creative and law-abiding, while calling on Nupe musicians to uphold the rule of law and comply with Nigeria’s copyright regulations.
To further encourage the industry, Ndarani announced a donation of N1 million to the Nupe film sector, describing the gesture as part of his support for professionalism, value-driven creativity and the overall growth of the industry.
He cautioned that content produced through film and music reflects not only on individuals but on the image of the entire Nupe nation.
While appreciating the organisers and participants, Ndarani prayed for the success of the programme, the strengthening of NUPEWOOD and continued growth of Nupe culture in the country and at the global stage.
