A retired Supreme Court Justice, Chukwudifu Oputa yesterday in Abuja, urged youths to explore legacies bequeathed by great artistes to promote creativity and intellectual development among them.
Oputa made the call at the launch of Harcourt-Whyte Foundation, an NGO, to promote production of sacred hymns and campaign against leprosy in Nigeria.
The event, which featured rendition of hymns composed by the late Ikoli Harcourt-Whyte, was designed by the foundation to collate and document his 300 hymns, with a view to keeping them alive.
In his life time, Hracourt-Whyte’s hymns became part of the rich culture and art of eastern Nigeria and Christendom.
Oputa urged Nigerians to appreciate and honour people whose works the society could gain from.
He, however, urged youths to be inspired by Harcourt-Whyte’s story in order to strive further in spite of difficult situations currently confronting the country.
Oputa recounted how Harcourt-Whyte attained his goals, in spite of the challenges of being a destitute and an orphan who was affected by leprosy.
“In spite of all the handicaps, Whyte was able to make it. It does not matter how you are born, what matters is the will to excel in life.
“Where there is will there is a way, we must celebrate those who left something for us to copy,’’ he said.
Earlier, Mrs Ezenwa Okorafor, Secretary, Board of Trustees, Harcourt-Whyte Foundation, said the foundation intended to establish facilities for the production of music and training of artistes among others.
Okorafor added that the foundation would also promote the campaign against leprosy and tuberculosis.
According to her, the foundation intends to achieve this by helping to create awareness about these diseases and their effects on mankind.
She said that the foundation would coordinate treatment for the diseases, mobilise volunteers and donor agencies, and distribute drugs and other relief materials to the afflicted.
His son, Sir Godwin Harcourt-Whyte, said the appreciation and sustenance of his father’s music would be an inspiration to many youths.
Harcourt-Whyte died in 1977 in a motor accident.