Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has expressed optimism that the country will open up its tourism as it continues to manage the economy better.
The minister stated this at the Open House Commissioning of the New Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) ‘Black and African Hall of Fame’, held yesterday in Abuja.
Ahmed said tourism is great potential in the Arts and Culture sector of the country’s economy.
While expressing surprise at the quality and number of historical items ranging from heads of states to famous black leaders, musicians depicting the history of FESTAC 77 at the commissioning, she commended the Director-General, CBAAC, Mrs Oluwabunmi Amao, for a job well done.
The finance minister, therefore, urged the ministry of information and the management of CBAAC to expand the place in order to get students from different schools to learn Nigerian history.
“We hope to be able to open up tourism If we are able to continue to manage the economy better, and this is the kind of tourists would love to visit.
“It is a great potential in the Arts and Culture sector of our economy.
“It is an amazing experience for me. I am really surprised at the quality and number of historical items that are here from heads of states to famous black leaders, musicians depict the history of FESTAC 77.
“We should really encourage this and we should find a place where we can expand this so that we can get our students to come and learn our history- history of black Africa from this Centre.
“I would, therefore, commend the Director-General of CBAAC, Mrs Oluwabunmi Amao and the entire management of the centre for a job well done,” the minister said.
Speaking also, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, who was ably represented by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information, Arts and Culture, Dr Ifeoma Anyanwu, said the Hall of Fame would preserve the country’s arts and culture and also prevent it from going into extinction.
The minister stated that his vision is to see the recreation of another FESTAC in years to come.
“I am marvelled because what has been done here will be able to preserve Arts and culture so that they don’t go into extinction and that history will be there for the younger generation who are coming up to come and see how Nigeria evolved, Africa evolved and see the great heroes of Africa, great heroes of Nigeria in their own country and so on and so forth.
“My vision is to see another FESTAC 77. I also look forward to the recreation of another FESTAC in years to come,” the minister said.
The Director-General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Mrs Oluwabunmi Amao said FESTAC 77 is more relevant now as history is being returned to the school’s curriculum, explaining that it would aid the students’ proper understanding of the country’s historical antecedents.
Amao, who was the former special adviser on Arts and Culture to the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, further explained that the knowledge of FESTAC 77 is key as it enables the students to know who was around about that time and those who performed.
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