By Taiye Olayemi
The city of Abuja was agog on Thursday when some cultural troupes from states across the federation displayed the beauty of Nigerian culture in dance and music.
This was when delegates from states visited the Nike Art Gallery and the Abuja Cultural Market as part of activities for the four-day National Stakeholders Conference on review of the 35 editions of the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in Abuja.
The two tourism sites accommodated locally-made crafts, art works, African fabrics, body ornaments, and many more arts fittings.
The programme was organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 28 states participated in the conference.
They include Anambra, Ogun, Imo, Yobe, Lagos, Osun, Kwara, Imo, Edo, Taraba, Katsina, Kano and more.
Yobe and Anambra states’ cultural troupes and some other states had series of performances, exhibiting the Atilogwu energetic dance and more.
This excited the audience who were also educated in the course of the programme.
Some of the delegates who spoke with NAN said they were impressed with the quality of locally-made crafts displayed at the cultural market commended the effort of the Federal Government toward promoting tourism and culture.
Ahmed Atalla, Real Estate Developer from Egypt who visited the cultural market for the first time, said he had only come to purchase some of those locally-made crafts for his daughter who was currently schooling in the United States.
Atalla expressed his love for Nigerians, describing them as friendly and hospitable individuals.
“I am truly impressed with the quality of crafts and art works I have seen here, they are very neat and colourful. My daughter told me to get some of the materials for her and I have bought enough.
“I love Nigerian food because I love spicy food, especially egusi soup. I love Nigerians, Nigerian music, weather and the colourful culture. I have been having fun since two days that I came,” he said.
Also, Bernhard Schmit, a cultural consultant from Germany, said “Abuja is a beautiful city, the cultural market is also so attractive with the local design in place.”
Hajia Husna Ibrahim, Executive Director, Yobe State Council for Arts and Culture, noted that the visit to the cultural market and Nike Art Gallery was an eye opener for her and her team.
Ibrahim said she had come to the full realisation of the fact that culture remained the Nigerian oil that has not been properly tapped.
She, however, urged the Federal Government to increase the annual budgetary allocation to culture at the state and federal levels, to give room for improvements.
“Going forward, this visit will make significant difference in our operations when we return to our state, we have learnt a lot and we will put them to practise,” she said.
Chief Oluwasesan Fagbaye, Ogun State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, said he would speak with the Governor to replicate such cultural market in the state.
Fagbaye said this would enable tourists gain access to local crafts while artistes market their crafts.
Nagombe Titus, Taraba State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, who was also impressed with the content of the cultural market, promised to ensure that Taraba state was well represented at the market to display their products.
Titus said “This is one of the most interesting moments I have seen since the inception of NAFEST. This conference has redirected our understanding and given us anticipation to develop our culture and arts.
“This has given us the opportunity to understand the synergy between tourism and culture.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
