BY ONOME AMUGE
In what would come as an opportunity for a throwback that is reminiscent of the hosting of the second World Festival of Black Arts in 1977, Nigeria is to host the world again, this time the entire human race, through the inaugural edition of the global conference on cultural tourism and creative industry following the signing of an agreement to that effect.
The event is scheduled to be held between November 14 and November 17, 2022 in Lagos at the National Arts Theatre which is currently undergoing massive renovation and redevelopment.
Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture,who signed the agreement recently in Madrid, Spain, alongside Zurab Pololikashvili, the secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), described the development as the clearest indication yet of Nigeria’s commitment to hosting a successful conference, officially titled, “First UNWTO Global Conference on Linking Tourism, Culture and Creative Industries: Pathways to Recovery and Inclusive Development”.
The minister disclosed that the conference would form a part of the events to formally declare open the National Theatre, which is currently undergoing its first renovation in over four decades at a cost of $100 million under a partnership between the federal government and the Bankers’ Committee/Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The theatre played host in 1977, from 15 January to 12 February, to the Second World Festival of Black Arts or Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, popularly known as FESTAC ’77 during the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo. Records show that it was attended by more than 17,000 participants from over 50 countries and was the largest cultural event ever held on the African continent, featuring artists such Stevie Wonder, the Sun Ra Arkestra, and Donald Byrd from the US, Tabu Ley and Franco from the Congo, Gilberto Gil from Brazil, Bembeya Jazz National from Guinea, and Louis Moholo, Dudu Pukwana, and Miriam Makeba from South Africa.
Lai Mohammed is now assuring that Nigeria would put together a trailblazing event for the whole world this time around, and he highlighted the renovation witnessing the construction of new hubs for fashion, information technology, film and music at the National Arts Theatre.
He also raised optimism that the global conference would affirm Nigeria’s status as the hub of the creative industry in Africa, and help reposition the cultural tourism and creative industry as the engine of growth not just for Nigeria or Africa but to the world at large.
The conference, he added, would boost the creative industries, which according to the United Nations, generate annual revenues of $2.25 trillion and account for 30 million jobs globally.
In his remarks, the UNWTO secretary general, stated that the UN agency would immediately commence a global publicity campaign for the event as part of efforts to ensure its success.
The agreement signing was also attended by Demola Seriki, the Nigerian ambassador to Spain, and Folorunsho Coker, the director general of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), among other dignitaries.
