LAGOS – Mr Martin Nwanaju, an art material merchant on Wednesday, urged all tiers of government to be encouraged to set up industries to manufacture art materials in the country.
Nwanaju told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that there were lots of local materials that could be produced for use in art works which the absence of local production had stalled.
“Government can give rebate even when an industry wants to import some materials that we do not have in the country. It is a two way thing.
“If industries start producing these things, the arts sector will improve more, although, art materials are affordable in the country, depending on what one wants.
“The least like pencil, eraser, drawing materials, stands, water colours and others need strong and standard quality.
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“We need to look inwards to do these things, we do not have to rely on imports from abroad for the production of what we can do locally,” he said.
“We have local `uli’ and clay that our grandmothers and great grandmothers used to decorate houses and their kitchens then, so we can develop that in many ways to help the arts.
“We have timber and rubber, all these are arts related, it can be cut to different shapes and sizes for the arts also, we need not go too far for these things to make our arts grow.’’
Nwanaju, who holds a masters degree in Philosophy from the University of Lagos, told NAN the hailed from a lineage of art work dealers and painters.
“If we government encourages industries, the arts will help fast track the economic growth of the country because they can export it.
“ It will encourage the artistes also help them teach children in schools and private couching also.
“My mum and dad fed, trained and brought us up from selling arts materials, and we sourced materials from the local and international market,” he said. (NAN)
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