African culture on display during Black History Month ceremony at Lethbridge College

For one Nigerian man who now calls Lethbridge home, being able to share his culture during Black History Month was a moment he was proud of.

“I like to promote African culture and Nigerian culture… It’s a sense of pride and it’s a sense of belonging that I can take back to the people,” Abdul Aziz Sani said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I like to promote African culture and Nigerian culture… It's a sense of pride and it's a sense of belonging that I can take back to the people," Abdul Aziz Sani said.

Lethbridge College’s month-long focus on black history came to an end on Thursday with a closing ceremony that featured a traditional dance lesson from Sani.

“It’s not often that we are the centre of attention, especially when you come to a place where you’re not the majority group,” he said. “So when we get the chance to celebrate each other, and when I get moments to showcase myself, it’s really important.”

The college has been marking Black History Month every year since 2017.

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Oye Abioye, a member of the organizing committee at Lethbridge College, said February’s events recognized the contributions of people of African and Caribbean descent in Canada.

“Our Black History Month celebration is meant to serve as remembrance of our respective heroes’ pasts and a reminder of their sacrifices,” Abioye said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Our Black History Month celebration is meant to serve as remembrance of our respective heroes' pasts and a reminder of their sacrifices," Abioye said.

“The agitations for freedom, the struggles for rights and the privileges which have helped in promoting and enriching the cultural diversity, cultural values and inclusion seen today.”

5:30 Sharing stories to celebrate Black History month

This year, throughout February, the college hosted several events, including Black History Month Jeopardy and a drop-in soccer and clean touch game — a popular sport in West Africa.

The institution also hosted a “humans of Lethbridge College” event, which allowed students to connect with people of African and Carribbean descent to learn more about their backgrounds.

These events, along with Thursday’s ceremony, hold a special place in Sani’s heart.

“I think this is amazing, that not just the college, but other places in the world, are trying to make movements to celebrate black history,” he said.

“I have to credit Lethbridge College for celebrating minority cultures.”

According to Statistics Canada, in 2016, Alberta’s population of black residents was more than 129,000, the third-largest black population in the country.

The Government of Alberta officially recognized Black History Month for the first time in 2017.