By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has said the state is hosting this year’s National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) to showcase Ekiti cultural heritage to the world.
Fayemi said his administration bidded to host the cultural fiesta to further enhance creativity in the tourism sector and to create a more-viable platform and market for young people in the creative enterprises.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, the governor spoke last week while addressing delegates at the 52nd National Technical Stakeholders’ Meeting of the Chief Executives of Culture in Nigeria.
The year’s NAFEST, which has as its theme Celebrating National Unity in Diversity, will hold in Ado -Ekiti between November 13 and 20.
Describing the state as the most suitable place to host a national programme of such magnitude, Fayemi noted that Ekiti was awarded the hosting right because of its reputation as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria which has one of the most hospitable people in the world.
Fayemi, who noted that his government has always given priority to culture and tourism, expressed delight that NAFEST would provide the opportunity for Nigerians to appreciate the role of culture in promoting national unity and integration.
Read Also: This may be Kashamu’s biggest legacy
He charged stakeholders to use the meeting as a preparatory ground for the most eventful festival which will create windows of investment opportunities for the economic growth of not only Ekiti State but Nigeria as a whole. Dr. Fayemi said: “As a nation, we need to appreciate the dynamic nature of our cultures and acknowledge NAFEST as veritable platform to further celebrate our unity in diversity.
“I, therefore, urge you to focus more on how we can redirect cultural activities towards revenue generation. We need to effectively tap into the economic potential of our cultural heritage and improve our grassroots development.
The Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, said Ekiti State under Fayemi, had proved its readiness to offer something remarkable to the national and global audience with the level of preparation for the NAFEST.
He described the festival as one of the measures to cement the unity and harmony of the country as it is an avenue to showcase cultures and traditions of the various ethnic groups spread across the 36 states of the federation.
The Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism in Ekiti State, Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, showered encomiums on Governor Kayode Fayemi for investing heavily in the sector which has launched the state on the global cultural map.
Prof. Bakare assured the delegates that “Ekiti State is 100 per cent ready to play host to both the nation as well as the tourism and culture publics across the world.”
Leave a Reply