A new E-library and view centre is underway to capture Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage history and link it up to about 150 Countries in the world.
The E-library and view centre will be situated at Nigeria’s new Culture House in Abuja, the state capital.
The centre will be strategically deployed to harness basic information, history and tradition of Nigeria’s cultural tourism heritage and showcase them to the global tourism community, cultural heritage experts and students of cultural studies all over the world.
The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Mr Segun Runswe, told journalists in Beijing, after a visit to the Great Wall of China, a notable heritage tourism site, that the E-library/ view centre which became a new platform to marketing natural resources and Heritage sites during the Covid-19 pandemic is now being deployed by other countries to market their tourism and heritage opportunities to the world.
According to Runsewe, “The beauty is that once Nigeria keys into the E-library/ view Centre, we’re going to be connected to over 150 countries in the world, which will change the way the world sees Nigeria, including the wrong things they read about us which is not correct.”
He added that the platform would also serve as an avenue to tell Nigeria’s stories, explaining further that “Nigeria would use the opportunity to tell the world what we’re doing, and what is happening and share our history, cultural heritage and our icons which will generate positive discussions and interests about our country.”
“I am happy because we’re going to be connected digitally by this E-library to about 150 countries of the world, an advantage which also brings us to study more about digital opportunities which we can leverage to market and promote Nigeria,” he said.
On the role played by the Ambassador of China to Nigeria, His Excellency, Cui Jianchun in deepening the bond of friendship and culture between Nigeria and China, Runsewe said that “the ambassador is not only a visionary leader but has also changed the story of the relationship between Nigeria and China since he assumed office in Nigeria.”
“His Excellency, the ambassador is all over the place in Nigeria, coordinating and bringing the people of the two countries together, particularly Nigerian youths whom he has provided opportunities to learn about the history and language of the Chinese, and also facilitating the Chinese students coming to Nigeria universities and communities to learn about the history and culture of the Nigerian people
“There’s no doubt that the relationship between China and Nigeria is growing by the day, which is the result of visionary leadership from both the Chinese embassy and the Chinese cultural centre in Nigeria. I must also praise the efforts of Li Xuda, the Director of the Chinese centre in Abuja for the good works he’s doing with the Nigerian youths,” he said.
Runsewe further that he took to the floor during the seminar in China to speak of the good works which the Ambassador and his team has done in Nigeria to which one of the gains, is the opportunity for Nigeria to connect to an E-library which would open up the country to other nations in the world.
He said; “Certainly, I’m discussing with the Chinese ambassador on how to bring a strong team from Nigeria to understudy the cultural strategy of China so we can develop what I call 37 Nigerian national cultural tourism products, one cultural tourism product per state so that at the end of the day, this cultural tourism products will serve as our strategy to engage the world and bring them to know about our people and our diversity.”
The Nigeria Culture House, which will also serve as the new address of the National Council for Arts and Culture ( NCAC), will be unveiled in June 2023, in Abuja.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
