NAN-ELS-12
Potential
Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Mr George Ufot, the Director, International Cultural Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, says that the culture and creative industry has the potential to create jobs in the country.
Ufot said this at a sensitisation workshop on “Mainstreaming Culture and Creative Industries’ Interests into the Trade Policy of Nigeria’’ in Lagos on Wednesday.
The event was organised by the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP).
Ufot added that the creative industry had everything it takes to be transformed into a creative economy, thereby creating jobs and generating income for a sustainable economy.
“It is necessary for the government as well as private organisations to partner in equipping the creative industry as an alternative means to generate income and create a sustainable economy.
“The development and improvement of our culture and creative industry is one of the surest way by which our economy can be sustained,’’ he said.
The director said that the development of the industry should not be left to the government alone, and enjoined everyone to work together for its improvement.
“The creative industry is one sector which if properly harnessed, can lift the country out of the current recession.’’
Ufot commended NANTAP in its advocacy programme to ensure meaningful development of the sector.
Earlier, Mr Babatunde Obalana, the President of NANTAP, said that the aim of the workshop was to deliberate on ways to improve the fortunes of practitioners even in the low season.
“We intend to establish activation hubs where practitioners can hone their talents and package their works for export,” he said.
Obalana said that the association had appealed to various financial institutions to invest in a 250 multipurpose-hall project to be built across Nigeria.
“This hall is guaranteed to employ over 6,000 practitioners of varying degrees and skills.
“The structure will be fitted with functional facilities to do basic editing, production, staging, and costuming among others.
“If this can be realised, it will represent a turning point because it will create creative hubs across the country,’’ he said.
The president appealed to the ministry to work closely with NANTAP to ensure the realisation of these laudable dreams and goals, which would no doubt benefit thousands of practitioners.
In her remarks, Mrs Vesta Adu-Gyamfi, the Director, Centre for Cultural and African Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, said West African practitioners had limited access in selling cultural products abroad.
“The cultural practitioner’s within ECOWAS countries have limited access to Europe in terms of obtaining visas and meeting some requirements that will grant them access.
“This serves as a potential challenge militating against promoting, developing and exporting our culture to other parts of the world,’’ she said.
Adu-Gyamfi said that the promotion of a viable cultural sector in West Africa would help reduce poverty in the country and create unlimited jobs in the country.
Also speaking, Ben Tomoloju, renowned Thespian appealed to relevant authorities at the federal, state and local government levels, to create more festivals that could boost trade.
“Festivals will attract market women, rural dwellers and everyone who has something to sell in contact with consumers’ thereby encouraging trade in that particular area.
“It also helps to showcase our different cultures such as hairstyles, cuisines, headgears, and caps among other things to the world as a whole,’’ he said.
Tomoloju, however, advised promoters of festivals to remain focused and avoid religious fanatics who may want to disrupt festivals, describing it as paganism. (NAN)
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Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Ese E. Ekama