Lagos State government said it is poised to showcase Yoruba art and culture as part of efforts to increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through tourism.
The event tagged: Lagos 2021 Asa Day, is holding on November 21 and in collaboration with Asa Day Worldwide Inc, headed by Mr. Olaniyi Oyatoye, popularly known as Baba Asa in Canada where he is based.
Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Solomon Bonu, made this known while speaking at a press conference, which took place at Alausa, Ikeja, saying the concept of Asa Day themed: “Let’s use our cultural heritage to revive our economy,” was in line with the present administration’s objective to use art and culture to boost the state’s economy.
Bonu commended Oyatoye for promoting his culture and heritage, calling on other Nigerian youths, both within and outside the country to key into the creative industry for employment
“I will urge all our youths to key into the creative industry and bring out something unique, and just like Lagos State is supporting Mr. Oyatoye, we will also support you,” he said.
Founder and President of Asa Day Worldwide Inc, Oyatoye, in his remark, said the forthcoming Lagos 2021 Asa Day celebration was an avenue to drive socio-economic growth of the state and the country through culture and tourism.
He disclosed that the event, which will be held at the Blueroof of LTV 8, Agidingbi, would be a three in one event, including empowerment of youths and restoration of cultural items, saying Nigeria stands a great chance of surviving the current economic lapse if it could focus more on cultural tourism.
The Yoruba art and culture promoter, therefore, advocated the development of a cultural tourism calendar of events across the country to guide both local and international tourists.
“If collaboration and partnership are cultivated between performing artists, museums, and states that are blessed with natural and cultural endowments, the resultant cultural tourism synergy will be presented as exciting performances at vital tourist destinations across the country. As a significant tourist destination, museums are the cultural centre and memory bank of any nation, including Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking further, Oyatoye said Asa Day had been observed in Canada in the past five years, pointing out that it was aimed at promoting Nigerian culture especially the Yoruba language and culture from going into extinction.
Appalled by the decline in the use of mother tongues among Nigerians living within the country, he called on parents to speak native languages to their children as it embodies culture, noting that if the languages died, the culture would also die a natural death.
“We are trying to encourage every Nigerian, not just Yoruba alone, to go back to the roots. The English language is just a means of communication, it is not our identity. Our culture and traditions must not die and whatever we need to do to ensure this, we must do it,” Oyatoye said.
The project manager of Asa Day, Ololade Babade, who also emphasised the benefits Nigeria can derive from the event said recorded indicated that countries, including the US, Spain, China, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, among others made billions of dollars from tourism in 2015 alone.
“As far back as 2015, according to Wikipedia (Free Encyclopedia), countries that made so much money from tourism in that year include the USA, $177.20 billion; Spain, $65.20 billion; China, $ 56.90 billion; France, $55.40 billion; Macau, $50.80 billion; Italy, $45.50 billion; the United Kingdom, $45.30 billion; Germany, $43.30 billion; Australia $42.20 billion; Hong Kong $41.30 billion and Thailand $38.40 billion.
“In Africa, South Africa grossed $35.00 billion; Morocco $34.00 billion; Namibia $33.80 billion; Kenya $32.00 billion; Tunisia $31.80 billion while Nigeria trailed with a depressing $2.79 million earning!” she said.
“Indeed, Nigeria ranks 131 out of 141 countries with a tourism competitiveness index in 2015. We are still miles away from the countries that make the money from tourism development in terms of naira and dollars from 2015 to the present,” she added.
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