Koforidua, Nov. 14, GNA - Valley View University at Oyibi, on Thursday defeated All Nations University in Koforidua, to win a Tertiary Schools Debate organized by the Eastern Regional Secretariat of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Koforidua. The competition, which was organized as part of the second cultural awareness month activity saw Valley View University, which spoke against the topic "Western Culture has had adverse influence on Ghanaians" bagging seven out of the maximum 10 points with All Nations University, which spoke for the topic getting six points. Mr Kingsley Obeng, Director, Eastern Regional CNC, in a welcoming address, observed that Western Culture has unfortunately engulfed the youth to the extent that the mention of the original way of life was considered anachronistic.

He said in the 50s' to the early 90s' the music Ghanaians were exposed to was highlife, adding that people learnt moral lessons from such music through the educative lyrics or the song text. Mr Obeng said culture did not change for it represents the essential of a people defined through the "infinite force or spirit". He said the more "we throw out of ourselves as a people, the more inferior we become and the resultant effect is enslavement, dependent and low esteem".

He said "we could borrow from other cultures, but we should be able to transform what we borrow within our cultures, just as others have adopted from us into their own cultures". Mr Obeng said the less Ghanaians had of themselves in juxtaposition to their Cultures, "the more our Cultures recede to the fringes". Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, appealed to Ghanaians to show solidarity with the Ministry in its campaign to promote "Made in Ghana" goods, especially Ghanaian clothing and textiles. He commended the Director and Management of the Centre for their initiative to come out with the debate programme for the schools. Mr Boafo pleaded with the Regional Director to extend those programmes to the churches too. He said that was necessary because most of the charismatic churches parochially perceived culture to be evil, "which is not correct". Nii Amaa Fleischer-Brock, Eastern Regional Manager of Ghana Telecom, in a speech read on his behalf appealed to students of both institutions to consider themselves privileged and take every academic exercise with the seriousness it deserved. He reminded them that as future leaders they were expected to live exemplary lives worthy of emulation. Ghana Telecom sponsored the programme.