Convener of the 2022 Olokun Festival, Ambassador Yeye Fashola, has urged the Federal Government to properly harness various cultures in the country with a view to increasing her Gross Domestic Product (GDP), saying doing so was very timely in the present poor economic situation that Nigeria was passing through.
Fashola made this call in Lagos at the weekend at a press conference, ahead of the 2022 Olokun Festival, themed: “The Role of African Culture in the Promotion and Development of Africans,” holding on August 26 and 27.
This was just as the convener noted that Olokun Festival had been held since the 90s by the foundation and had become so popular that tourists now marked the days in their calendar to attend, saying it was high time that all hands were put on deck to systematically transform it into economic value.
According to her, harnessing various cultures in the country is very timely in the present situation, saying if such a move was made, the country’s GDP would increase as well as that of the entire African continent.
“The Olokun Festival is celebrated throughout Yorubaland and the main purpose is to unite our people and the whole world and to showcase the culture, value and heritage of our dear people.
“The festival which has been held since the 90s is organized by the Olokun Festival Foundation and has become so popular that tourists now mark the days in the calendar to attend.
“It has promoted tourism and cultural value chain to the world at large and makes African culture ripe in potential promises. It is high time that all hands are put on deck to systematically transform it into economic value,” she said.
“It is very timely in the present situation in the country. My belief is that if our culture is properly harnessed it will increase the GDP of Nigeria and, of course, the entire African continent,” she affirmed.
Ambassador Fashola, however, posited that was a need to enlighten the youths to take their destiny into their hands and due advantage of the continent’s deep cultural diversity to develop themselves economically, saying the promotion of African culture “should have an impact on the way we view life.”
“There is a need to enlighten our youths to take their destiny into their hands and take due advantage of the continent’s deep cultural diversity to develop themselves economically. The promotion of our culture in Africa should have an impact on the way we view life,” she said.
Also speaking, a member of the Olokun Festival Foundation, John Oba, urged the Federal Government and the private sector to invest in Nigeria’s culture, culture can revitalize Nigeria’s economy if properly harnessed, even as he equally urged traditional rulers and custodians of culture in Yorubaland to protect the culture of the region.
“The culture of Africa and Yoruba people, in particular, is very decent and you will not see any trace of immorality in our dressings. Everything about us, we can say is the best in the world.
“I’m only using Yorubas as an example, but equally we have unique, wonderful cultures across Africa and we need to bring that back. imagine the dancing steps of Yoruba people, very unique and everything about us.
“Let us not throw it away because some of our cultures and traditions are dying to the extent that some of our youths don’t even know most of them,” he said.
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