NAN-ELS-4
Collaboration
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Abuja, Dec. 22, 2017 (NAN) Mr Dapo Sijuade, Head of Public Relation, National Commission for Museum and Monument says that if the nation’s rich cultural heritage is properly harnessed, it would translate into dependable socio- economic gains.
Sijuade made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
“Nigeria, the most populous black nation in the world is endowed with a rich cultural heritage which if properly harnessed, could translate into rewarding and dependable socio-economic gains.
“Such gains may only be actualise if there is a properly coordinated inter-sectoral collaboration, most especially from the private sector, and a coordinated concentration from the central administration of the country.
“However, tourism through the promotion of national cultural heritage presents itself as a ready alternative to an oil dependent economy.
“It surely stands the chance of putting Nigeria on the global map of rapid socio-economic growth and development as well as enable her becomes one of the world’s largest economies in the nearest future, Sijuade said.
He noted that many at times, anticipated or projected earnings from tourism tend to be given more publicity and concentration than the core product which is the conservation and promotion of national cultural heritage.
According to him, the latter requires developing and preserving cultural heritage products which possess the capacity to impact positively on the country’s national wealth.
He explained that nations all over the world that emerged to become tourism friendly top destinations had considered promotion and conservation of their national heritage as an upstream investment into tourism.
“This will enable consumers who are ready and prepared to pay high prices to see, study, learn and enjoy indigenous culture, festivals, cuisines, architecture and related by- products of other lands.
“These set of tourists get into a preferred destination and put their resources into the purchase of cultural products like artworks and crafts.
“They show tremendous interests in how these products are made and how they have become certain marks of national identities for the nations that produce them.
“Nigeria has so much to offer in this regard and remains a fallow land to be explored. Products abound as a result of our cultural diversity which is second to none on the continent.
“It is expected that local palaces, galleries, traditional shrines, traditional architecture, cultural products, indigenous herbs and our countless traditional festivals should form the core of our nation’s supply offerings,’’ he said.
Sijuade maintained that other focal aspect should be the development of service oriented facilities like roads and transportation, hotels, parks, gardens, electricity, health facilities and a reliable security network.
He urged the government at all levels to give special consideration to tourism, its products and the capacity it could provides to get us to level grounds with other tourism progressive countries.
“Many countries have threaded this path with tremendous successes recorded. Ours cannot be different, and the present government’s anticipated efforts in this exercise can never be in vain.’’ (NAN)
CMY/EAL/EAL
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi