Praises as ‘best ever’ AFAC ends

The continent’s beautiful arts and crafts were showcased at the much improved 2017 AFAC Expo, which ended last Sunday in Abuja

YOU are not off the mark if you call him a magician. Like the famous conjurers renowned for their sleight of hands, Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, made something happen out of nothing.

Appointed in March and with less than five months to organise one of the flagship programmes of his parastatal, the African Arts and Crafts Expo, most players in the culture sector and even his own staffers wondered how he was going to pull it off because there was no money. But the resourceful administrator did, adding verve and colour unseen since the inception of the expo 10 years ago.

From its commencement on August 27 to the official opening ceremony on September 5 with the acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mrs Habiba Lawal, in attendance, to the closing on September 17, it was commendations for the much-improved expo.

Innovative Expo

Ahead of the event, Runsewe had said he was going to improve not only the aesthetics of the Arts and Crafts Village, venue of the expo, but also the content.  Skill acquisition programmes, language classes, adequate security, free eye tests, health checks and a dinner for cultural attaches in Nigeria were among what Runsewe promised and delivered.

It was a pleasant surprise to many participants to see that the previously bare and dusty main arena of the arts and crafts village had all been tarred with the pavilions neatly arranged and an elaborate stage erected. The venue, which had also lacked functional conveniences in the past, had more than 25 mobile toilets for the duration of the fair and an executive one for very important personalities.

Security and the general wellbeing of participants were also well taken care of with sniffer dogs and Civil Defence officials working daily. To take care of emergencies, three NEMA ambulances (including a Mobile Intensive Unit) and two fire-fighting trucks were on standby for the duration of the Expo. And as promised, 512 people received free eye tests with 200 of them getting medicated glasses, courtesy of an NGO; 620 dental tests were done with 1,120 people enjoying free heath checks.

Commendably, the skill acquisition program was also well received. 2,125 people were taught how to make Ankara bags and shoes, hand fan, beaded slippers, liquid soap, antiseptics and air fresheners amongst others.

The main expo, involving nine countries and about 16 states was no less interesting with exquisite textile, leather, wood, metal, string and ceramic works showcased. Exhibitors from Cameroon, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana and Morocco joined the states and others to set the whole craft village agog. Herbal solutions, perfumes and other adornments were not left out of the mix at the Expo which closed amidst fanfare on Sunday.

Culture as Nigeria’s next oil

Welcoming guests, including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Mrs Winifred Eyo-Ita, pioneer DG of the NBC, Dr Tom Adaba and the Emir of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, to the occasion, Runsewe said it was time to reflect on the contributions of culture.

The NCAC, he said, keyed into President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of job creation and empowerment, hence the skill acquisition component of the Expo. “Recession has left us so let’s empower ourselves with culture. It’s time to key into culture and shun hate speech. Culture is Nigeria’s next oil; it is our pride,” he added.

Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, commended the NCAC on the successful outing. The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Folashade Ayoade, reiterated that he would use everything in his power to advance the arts.

Nasarawa State governor, Tanko Al-Makura, who was represented by his commissioner for information, Mohammed Awal, commended the NCAC for sustaining the Expo over the last 10 years. He assured of the state’s readiness to partner with the NCAC for any initiative to promote culture and tourism.

Dr. Adaba, referencing Runsewe’s previous stint at the NTDC, likened him to the cat with the proverbial nine lives. “He goes and comes back better, vibrant, articulate and ready to serve,” he said, adding that events like the Expo is “where our identity is baked. These are the things that distinguish us. I hope you will keep this up and take it to greater heights; to international standards.

Ogun State Commissioner for Culture, Muyiwa Oladipo, affirmed that the state identified 100 per cent with the expo and its goals. “The expo tries to bring back our culture going into extinction. This is what we recognised in Ogun State that made us organise the Drum Festival. We share Otunba Runsewe’s vision that arts and culture is the future of Nigeria and we are happy in Ogun that oil is drying up because this will make us look inwards to culture,” he said.

Ex-NUJ president and senator, Smart Adeyemi, equally identified strongly with the expo. “This is one of the best events happening in this period of economic challenges. Apart from soccer, it’s only arts and culture that can be used to promote Nigeria’s unity; we can use art to further cement the relationships among Nigerians and create jobs. We need to put in place mechanisms to see how arts and crafts can galvanise our economy.”

Deputy Corps Marshall of the FRSC, Charles Theophilus, who stood in for his boss, Boboye Oyeyemi, hailed the fair for providing players ample opportunity to showcase and market their crafts. He further commended Runsewe “for the innovation brought into the Expo and evident in the quality attendance.”

The best ever

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Grace Gekpe, hailed Runsewe’s innovation, describing the 10th Expo “as the “best since it started.”

The Head of the Civil Service, Mrs Ita, said: “I was impressed and satisfied with what I saw during the expo; good security, excellent lay out of the pavilion and the skill acquisition program.”  She urged the NCAC not to rest on its oars but take arts and culture to higher heights in Nigeria.  The HOS equally urged stakeholders to take the Expo seriously while calling for better regional and global partnerships.

Eyo-Ita also had a message for Nigerian craft makers, telling them to improve on the packaging, finishing and marketing of their products for international acceptance. She thereafter closed the symbolic calabash, which had been previously opened by the Acting SGF, to indicate the end of the Expo.

Kaduna prepares for NAFEST

Before the closing of the calabash, there had been performances by the NCAC Cultural Troupe, Kogi State and Afri Theatre, which presented a pulsating drum recital by male and female drummers and presentation of certificates/prizes to deserving winners.

All the participating countries, states and institutional partners others were given certificates while two blind twine weavers from Delta and Kebbi States were also honoured.

However, Kaduna, host of the forthcoming NAFEST, underscored its preparedness for the nation’s prime cultural fiesta by taking the significant prizes; Best Designed Pavilion and Most Enterprising Exhibitor.