Abuja, Aug. 27, 2015 (NAN) Mrs Dayo Keshi, the Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), on Thursday, said the cultural industry was in a position to contribute to the country’s economic growth.
Keshi said this at a news conference to mark NCAC’s 40th anniversary.
She said what was needed was to lay a solid foundation for a future where the cultural and creative industries were projected as economic goldmines.
According to her, when culture is promoted and properly harnessed, the industry will become part of the nation’s cardinal focus for national development.
“This process will involve a number of creative and innovative steps to propel the market’s increasing demands for a wide range of cultural products and services.
“Far more importantly, it will require government’s encouragement and intervention to chart a new vision for the development and promotion of our cultural industry.
“This must be done in a manner to ensure the competitiveness of products at home and in the global market.’’
Keshi said the culture industry could contribute to economic growth if deliberate state policies could be put in place by the government.
She listed the policies to include ensuring that all official gifts were the products of the country’s cultural industry.
It also includes annually staging of at least three international arts and crafts expo in different cities in the country.
“This would encourage the display and sale of arts and crafts/products at all major state events and conferences.
“Similarly, there should be concerted efforts to encourage the imprint of cultural motifs in all postcards and government invitation cards to events. This can create awareness and appreciation of Nigerian arts and culture.’’
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She also called for a deliberate policy to create markets for cultural products such as the use of adire for the production of school uniforms nation-wide.
Keshi advocated the encouragement and engagement of more youths in the creative industry.
“Our local and international airports as well as our major hotels should have well established and properly organised arts and crafts shops.’’
Keshi said conscious efforts should be made to immortalise accomplished Nigerian artists as well as to display their works as decoration items in government offices.
She said NCAC’s 40th anniversary was an opportunity to consolidate and chat a new course to expose the potentials of the sector to national development.
Keshi said the anniversary was a suitable platform for NCAC to showcase the economic values of Nigeria’s cultural industry.
She said the anniversary would also draw public attention, especially the private sector, to the numerous economic opportunities that abound in the country’s cultural industry.
The D-G listed activities lined up for the celebration to include International Arts and Crafts Fair, Round Table Forum and Logo Unveiling.
Others are School Syllabus Production, Children’s Cultural Fiesta and International Cultural Variety Night, among others.
The theme of the anniversary is: Inevitable Role of Culture in National Development and Economic Diversification.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that NCAC was established by Decree No. 3 of 1975 as amended by Decree No. 5 of 1987. (NAN)