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Tag: Cultural Tourism

  • President Buhari pledges support as Nigeria hosts major cultural, tourism, literacy events

    President Buhari pledges support as Nigeria hosts major cultural, tourism, literacy events

    President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged full support for three major international events scheduled to hold in Nigeria in October and November.

    According to him, these events are opportunities to showcase the nation’s rich heritage in culture, arts, tourism and entertainment as well as advancements in media freedom.

    Nigeria will be hosting the 2022 UNESCO Global Media, Information Literacy (MIL) Week in Abuja in October.

    The country will host the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry in Lagos also in October.

    In November, it will host the 2nd Global Association of Literary Festivals Conference in Abeokuta.

    President Buhari’s spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, stated on Sunday in Abuja that the president welcomed decisions by organisers of the three separate historic events for Nigeria to host the fiestas.

    The organisers are UNESCO, the UN World Tourism Organisation and the Global Association of Literary Festivals.

    The president assured all stakeholders and participants of the warmth and hospitality of the people of Nigeria.

    On MIL Week, Buhari noted that “it is instructive that Nigeria is attracting positive international attention as a country that promotes media freedom and freedom of expression.’’

    According to him, the country recognises the important roles information, literacy and media education play in sustainable development.

    On the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism, the president noted the rapid growth of Nigeria’s film, fashion, music, and ICT sectors.

    He assured that the increase in international appeal and acceptance of Nigeria’s products would continue to spur government to devote more resources to the sectors.

    He recalled the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI), established by his administration to provide single-digit interest rate financing for young Nigerians in fashion, film-making, music and information Technology.

    CIFI is managed by the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee.

    According to the president, the 100 million dollars re-development of the National Theatre, Lagos, into a world-class Creative Park is also on-going.

    The National Theatre complex has been handed over to the CBN and the Bankers Committee.

    President Buhari said he trusted that the literary world would find many good things to celebrate about Nigeria when members meet in the historic city of Abeokuta.

    Abeokuta is the homeland and birthplace of one of Nigeria’s finest literary icons and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.

    The president expressed delight to welcome international visitors to Nigeria and urged compatriots to use the period to exhibit the values “that make us a unique, friendly and peace-loving people’’.

  • Nigeria safe to host maiden global tourism conference – Lai Mohammed

    Nigeria safe to host maiden global tourism conference – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has stated that the country is safe to host the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry scheduled for Nov. 14 to Nov. 17 in Lagos.

    Mohammed said this when he featured on a phone-in programme of the Radio Nigeria monitored by newsmen in Abuja.

    Newsmen reports that Nigeria was given the hosting right for the maiden global event by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at a meeting held at the organisation’s headquarters in Madrid Spain on April 19.

    Mohammed said the insinuation in certain quarters that participants and tourists would not attend the conference because of stories of killings and kidnappings in the country are erroneous.

    “The security challenges Nigeria is facing did not start today and I must say the Federal Government is rising very stoutly to it.

    “We cannot say just because we have insecurity challenge, other sectors of the economy should not be developed.

    “The entire world is aware of the challenges we are facing, yet we were singled out for the hosting of the very first global conference and that speaks volume.

    “That is why Nigerians should get out the negativity and look at the positive aspect of it,’’ he said.

    The minister said that insecurity is a global challenge and countries with a worse situations than Nigeria were developing their tourism potential.

    “Britain for instance, for more than 40 years, was in the grip of the IRA and that did not prevent the country from hosting global events.

    “I recalled that even before the call for peace process in June 1997, Britain bided for the world cup 1996 which, though they lost.

    “During our meeting in Spain, there was no issue raised on insecurity in Nigeria as a barrier

    “On the contrary, the UNWTO was even expanding the scope of the conference and they did not make a mistake in choosing Nigeria to host the maiden conference,’’ he said.

    Mohammed said “what we are saying is that, we have security challenges which we are facing squarely, but it is not enough reason why we should not develop the areas of the economy where in particular we are making waves.

    “The Whiz Kid of this world, the Burna Boy, Davido and Tiwa Savage have really shown the world that Nigeria is a hub of the creative industry.

    “Hosting this conference is an affirmation of huge Nigeria’s contributions to the creative industry and the recognition that Nigeria is the hub of the creative industry in Africa,’’ he said.

    The minister also countered the argument that the government was not developing the nation’s tourism potential enough.

    According to him, one of the most important areas of developing the tourism industry is by building infrastructure.

    He said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration can beat its chest that as a government, it had done very well in infrastructure development.

    “We have constructed many roads, renovated, remodeled and upgraded our airports and we have for the first time revived the rail sector.

    “All these will help interconnectivity and for people to move from one place to the other.

    “We have also made a lot of milestone in providing regulations and policies that will aid the promotion of tourism sector.

    “For instance the Revised Broadcasting Code is to give Nigeria a pride of place in the film and Music industry,’’ he said.

    Mohammed reiterated the readiness of Nigeria to host the event come November at the National Theatre in Lagos, currently being renovated at a cost of 100 million dollars made available by Bankers’ Committee and Central Bank of Nigeria