As the National Festival of Arts and Culture berths in Uyo with the 29th Edition of its well known pulsating fiesta, it is important to acquaint and familiarize the people with the event both at the level of content and expectations. This is even more apt as this year’s event has a theme that seems to address the reality of the current economic concerns that have recently plagued the Nation. And so examining the theme and other surrounding issues and knitting them to the current situation could not have enjoyed a more auspicious moment than during the event.
NAFEST Uyo 2016 with the theme “Exploring the Goldmine Inherent in Nigeria’s Creative Industry” seems to have been conceived deliberately. Choosing Uyo as the venue is not also inadvertent even as the State would be hosting the fiesta for the second time having earlier played host to it in 2010. The choice of Uyo is therefore not far-fetched as they are a surfeit of valid reasons. One of the reasons could be the Udom administration’s stand on diversification and which he has already charted a roadmap and proven that the concept of economic diversification is attainable. There is therefore the need to take the fiesta to a State where the policy of diversification has already been situated so as to serve as exemplar to other participating States.
Apart from providing the exemplary vista, many other reasons have combined to give Uyo its deserving niche in the choice that saw other States conceding to her. The aggregated indices include the rich cultural heritage of the people of the State; the capacity which the State and the people put on display when it hosted the 2010 edition; the goodwill from the government which was on a grandiose scale in 2010 just as it does on all other matters concerning our dear Nation; the hospitable disposition of the people which is like second nature and which over the years has become a huge bank of goodwill; the rich tourism assets in the State complemented with formidable security presence that has ensured peace, all played roles in the choice of the State.
The decision of the State in accepting the hosting of the event is also in tandem with the administration’s policy not only to maintain and sustain the State as a destination, but also maximize every extant opportunity to market the State. In this era of co-ordinated prospection for investors, an opportunity that would offer people first-hand knowledge of the rich potentials and endowment that abound in the State cannot be trivialized. Even an intangible like peace which is far-fetched in other States but a given in Akwa Ibom which many do not know of would come in full manifestation during the week-long event. And during the period, the people would explore the various economic opportunities that usually sequel such events. Hoteliers, transporters, food vendors, traders and those in other ancillary services and service industries would benefit from the event which is to last for one week.
The event which is scheduled from October 2-9 would attract contingents from the 36 States of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory; tourists from the international community; members of the diplomatic Corp and researchers in cultural studies. It is a testament of fact that one week of congregation of these people in the State would inject some fillip into the local economy. As a government which holds wealth creation as one of its firm avowals, no sacrifice would be too great in proving the enabling environment which would give opportunity to the people of the State, stimulate and boost the GDP of the local economy.
The event which is described as a parade of colours would feature: Dance, Drama, Arts and Crafts exhibition, Food-fair, Traditional wrestling, Command Performance, Children’s Essay Writing, Children’s Drawing/ Painting, Poetry, Cultural Market and Colloquium. The various States would present the things that are indigenous to their culture. This would provide opportunity for interface and facilitate knowledge of other cultures outside the ones that are indigenous to the contingents of the various States. Most importantly in this matrix is the emphasis that has been given to the children’s component. That aspect has been made very robust and engaging as it is the intention of this NAFEST to reinvent in the young ones love for their Culture as well as knowledge of the Cultures of other parts of the States outside theirs and indeed the Nation.
The fiesta which is to hold at Uyo Township Stadium would open with a Command Performance to be hosted by Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State who is the Chief Host of the event. There would also be a colloquium which would provide an opportunity for discussions on contemporary issues on our culture and tourism matters. There would be discussions on the trend, the potentials and the economic possibilities the culture and tourism sub-sector portend.
Government functionaries expected to grace the event are the Honourable Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Dayo Keshi, Directors from the Federal and States’ Ministries, Commissioners from the 36 States and many other government functionaries of related industry. Already the State capital of Uyo is brimming with the arrivals of those who have come as participants of the epochal event.
But the facet of interest is more on the theme of this year’s fiesta, “Exploring the Goldmine Inherent in Nigeria’s Creative Industry”. For far too long, the Nation has run a monolithic economy with dependence solely on oil. This has gone on for over five decades. The unabated dwindling in the price of oil has impelled the need for inward thinking. The Nation has come to the realization that agriculture, industrialization and even tourism can hold the reins of an economy. They are many countries that have depended solely on tourism for its foreign exchange earnings and its economy. Countries in East Africa and even in Europe like British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde in South Africa, Bahamas, and Seychelles etc depend extensively on Tourism and have improved GDPs to the benefit of its people. The realization of the tourism sub-sector that it holds the key to national wealth is coming not too late. We urge them to put in place a concerted plan on how to exploit the rich potential of this sector.
It is important to applaud the Udom administration for having the political will to host this event in the face of plummeting earnings to the States from the Federation Accounts. As a visionary leader, we know that he has already envisioned the benefits. As he has often said, he cannot see what is good and withhold it from its people. This is an example of living up to that creed. We must salute the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for facilitating this cultural meet that would light up our State and put it on the front burner for tourists and lovers of Culture to savour the rich cultural heritage of the Nation. It is obvious that the planners have tasked themselves to the limits. It is our expectation that all that they have diligently synthesized would produce a scintillating cultural fiesta that would convey lingering memories many years after the event. It is such lingering memories that would return some of the participants to undertake tangible investments in the State to further commensurate the efforts and expenditure arising from the hosting of this fiesta.
Written by Joe Iniodu, is a public affairs analyst.
