In a bid to practically promote Nigeria for a profitable tourism marketing through the rich natural and creative human potentialities, Director-General of the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, has created eight strategic committees to look into the areas of comparative advantage to activate a working paper for sustainable tourism in Nigeria.
The committees are spread across the six geopolitical zones to capture the essence of a tourism-driven economy with clear future of practical growth and focus on skills acquisition, one state, one unique product and cultural exchange/training.
Others include establishment of cultural states, funding of the arts and culture sector, synergy between Culture and Tourism, E-Marketing and Review of 35 editions of NAFEST.
However, the delegates from the six geo-political zones (North-East, North-West, North-Central, South-South, South-East, South-West) were subdivided into cells with state chairperson to head each committee.
Speaking at the forum, the Director-General of NCAC, Otunba Runsewe, who declared a state of emergency on the development of cultural tourism and all other value chain industry at the ongoing maiden edition of National Stakeholders Review Conference on NAFEST held at Chida international Hotel, Abuja, said “it is time to tell ourselves the truth on how we can take tourism to the next level.”
According to Runsewe “President Bola Tinubu’s administration has embarked on far-reaching policy reforms aimed at revamping our economy and repositioning our nation on the path of sustainable growth and development. Radical but positive decisions are being taken, which may impose severe temporary pains on the people but ultimately translate to greater gains and prosperity for our people and the nation
“The circumstances of the moment call for patience, perseverance, commitment and team-work. We must all committedly work together in the task of rebuilding our nation and harnessing our vast human and material resources to galvanise process of our national development and restoring Nigeria to its pride of place in global affairs.
“As I have continued to emphasise, God will not send His angels from heaven to help us develop our nation. I am in total agreement with President Tinubu that we have to appeal to the sense of patriotism of Nigerians to have patriotic mindset in our collective effort to rebuild our nation.
“It took men and women of vision, courage and commitment to conceive, pursue and realise the American vision rooted in the firm belief in America as a visionary continent magnificently endowed by nature, destined as a global leader in socio-economic and political affairs.
“With a strong culture of patriotism and commitment to the growth of America, the USA rose from the ashes of a people with diverse ethnic nationalities, ravaged by a civil war and racial segregation, to become the world’s foremost super-power. Those who crafted the American dream upon which the American continent was born were not angels from above. They were Americans who believed in the vision of a great continent and patriotically committed themselves to ensuring that the vision became a workable reality. Today, when America sneezes, the rest of the world catches cold.
“China presents another example of a people who believed in themselves and looked inward to collectively reinvent their nation. From the dark trenches of the global depression of the 1930s through the Sino-Japanese war of 1937, to the Great Leap forward and the famine of 1957, China has emerged the second largest economy in the world, with firm belief in their history, culture and heritage.
“India, like Nigeria, was a British colony. Unlike Nigeria, however, India has used scientific and technological expertise of western education to develop its nation, holding jealously on to the Indian cultural heritage. They dress Indian, eat Indian, talk Indian and live Indian.
“Nigeria cannot afford to do otherwise. A country greatly endowed with cultural resources with diverse and iconic manifestations. We have all it takes to reposition our nation with our diverse cultural resources.
“In view of the proven capacity of the cultural sector to contribute significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), most nations of the world are developing strategies to integrate and mainstream cultural products to the process economic development.
“Nigeria is unarguably one of the most culturally diverse nations in Africa, rich in various cultural products. It offers a unique opportunity in artistry, craftsmanship and entrepreneurial skills that can be developed, showcased and marketed to drive a robust cultural industry. A rich cultural industry in Nigeria will no doubt speed up our diversification drive, engender rapid socio-economic growth and development and lead to a strong and stable currency at the international market.
“It is in the light of the foregoing that the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) under my leadership is vigorously pursuing cultural programmes to open up the industry; unbundle, harness and develop latent skills, talents capacities that would lead to the emergence of a vibrant cultural economy in Nigeria.”
He further said: “This national stakeholders’ review conference on the 35 years of NAFEST offers an ample opportunity for me to share with all stakeholders industry players in the arts and culture sector, the views I have always canvassed over the years, on how we can collectively chart a new course for the sector to strengthen it as an economic pillar to drive the process of diversification of sustainable economic growth and development.
“We must re-assess ourselves and strategise so as to align the sector with the agenda of Renewed Hope of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.”
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