Scholars and culture experts have highlighted the role of beer in the sustenance of the
socio-cultural cohesion of people across ages.
They made the submission
at the 3rd Nigerian Beer Symposium in Lagos on Thursday.
Professor Bartholomew Okolo, a Professor of Applied
Microbiology and a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka
in his paper on the Social and Cultural
Roles of Beer in Society, explained that In all
societies, beer plays an important role not only in major life-cycle events,
such as birth and death, but also in minor everyday transitions. According to
him, in studies conducted in various parts of the world,
beer drinking venues have been identified as the most important venues for
promoting interactions and friendships between people from diverse backgrounds.
“The Nigerian beer parlour is an example of such an
institution where you could find a lawyer having a beer next to a plumber or a
doctor having a beer next to a tailor. You could also find a professor having a
beer next to a banker. In such
circumstances, people can offer all sorts of support and even professional
advice at no cost. It is possible to explore such settings for other benefits
including security and commerce, for example in the creation of
cooperatives societies,” he said.
Okolo added that alcoholic drinks are a
symbolic vehicle for identifying, describing, constructing and manipulating
cultural values and interpersonal relationships. In all cultures, he remarked,
different alcoholic beverages are classified in terms of their social
meaning. Every drink therefore connotes a symbolic meaning and
conveys a message.
“In the present day African tradition, beer is a
regular feature on the list of items that must be presented at various stages of the marriage process.
It must also be present during such other ceremonies as funeral rites,
coronations, peace missions, special invitations, among others.
Mr. Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River State,
who chaired the occasion, noted that research shows that beer contains
xanthohumol that inhibit cancer-causing enzymes. “I have always wondered about
the French. You see, their diet consist of rich,
highly fatty foods, wine and those cigarettes. Yet, their rate of heart disease
is significantly less than the rest of the world. This has been credited to red
wine and the antioxidants it contains, which helps prevent heart attacks.
Interestingly, beer has just as many antioxidants as red wine,” he said.
Duke also added that beer is a lot safer than the local
bottled water. “If you find yourself someplace where you are
advised not to drink the local water, the local beer is always a safer bet. It
is a lot safer than the local bottled water. So just follow the rules of beer
drinking and you will be fine,” he advised.
According to him, beer is
not just a social lubricant, but a cultural spice that brings the right taste
out of all celebrations.
“Beer is a drink that has become part of our culture. It
has become a near impossible feat today for us as a people to have one form of
celebration or the other devoid of beer
“The ceremony will not be approved as successful if the
variety of foods provided is not complemented with beer,” he said.
Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Nicolaas
Vervelde also stressed that the objective of the Nigerian Beer Symposium has
been to highlight and share contemporary knowledge on the wonderful product
called beer
Also speaking at the occasion, Ted Mukoro, a veteran advertising
expert maintained that beer is certainly the
least alcoholic of all alcoholic drinks, and also the healthiest and most
nutritious. According to him, like all enjoyable and exciting things made by
nature– alcohol, sex, sports, dancing – beer can be irresponsibly abused or
over-used. “Nothing enjoyable is bad until put to the wrong use,” he said.
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