Economic Growth: Former Commissioner urges FG to harness culture, tourism
Jack Acheme, Abuja
Former Federal Information and Culture Commissioner in Nigeria, retired Major General Ibrahim Bata Malgwi Haruna has said that Nigeria can use its culture and tourism sector to diversify and grow the economy to an enviable height in the face of dwindling oil revenue.
He stated this as the chairman of a book Launch in Abuja, Nigeria titled “Harnessing CULTOUR for Economic Growth” written by Chuks Akamadu.
He said Nigeria is filled with people of diverse culture, scenes, and scenery that could be developed and maintained with necessary facilities to attract local and foreign visitors, from where revenue can be generated for economic growth.
“There are places like the Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River state, the FESTAC,77 building and the artifacts in Lagos state, the Mambila Plateau in Taraba state among others, which at a time were functioning well but due to lack of maintenance, are not as vibrant as before.
“If people come to Nigeria, we need to show the world who we are, and what we are contributing to history.
“For example, we can do documentaries on our festivals, which is a big asset and market to the whole world for them to come and see practically.
“These and many more could be harnessed to generate revenue for the economy,” he said.
He said the book “CULTOUR” is a wake-up call for responsible leadership at all levels to put their ass together and revive the sector.
“We have all the materials to make Nigeria great through culture and tourism. It should be part of creativity to make Nigeria great, he said.
The Book Reviewer, Dr. Elizabeth Ben Iheanacho, a former Director of the National Council for Arts and Culture said the 197-page book contains a new lexicon, “CULTOUR” that tries to fuse culture, tourism, and creativity as a pathway for the economic transformation of the country.
Going forward, she said the book recommended the review of the 32-year-old policy on Culture and Tourism in Nigeria while suggesting the creation of a Bank of Entertainment like the way the Bank of Industry is operating.
“It also called for turning of some of our horrific histories into a knowledge hub for economic gain as done in Rwanda.
“For example, the creation of a war Museum in the North East with documentation on insurgency and the battle against it, enhancement of the war Museum in Umuahia in Abia state, and the Arochukwu slave trade market/route in the South East among others.
“Rwanda after its civil war is raking in a lot of revenues through such documentation. Research about the sector should always be published.
“It also recommended that there should be no division of the Culture and Tourism Ministry. Experts and professionals should also manage the ministry just as lawyers and Doctors head the Justice and Health Ministries respectively in Nigeria,” she said.
According to her, the book is valuable for those seeking knowledge, a guide to those who want to venture into the Culture and Tourism sector, and those who are already there.
She, however, gave a critique that the book is full of words that do not have academic neutrality, are not free of errors, and has excessive usage of the word “CULTOUR.”
The author, Chuks Akamadu said the book came out of his obsession with the neglect of the culture and tourism sector and and how it can be used to grow the Nigerian economy.
He said with over 45 percent of Nigeria’s annual budget going into debt servicing, an exchange rate crisis because of the trade imbalance, depleting oil, gas, and mining economy which are not renewable, there was the need for Nigeria to focus on the culture and tourism sector like the way the Asian countries are doing to grow their economy.
“We need to aggressively engage in creative economy by fusing culture and tourism with creativity as being done by the Asian countries amplified by UAE.
“They use their culture to influence their architectural designs and services in their hospitality business, which has continued to attract global traffic to the region.
“What the book CULTOUR intends to do, is to open our eyes to how we chose to be poor amidst prosperity.
“All we need to do is to open our eyes and embrace CULTOUR,” he suggested.
The commissioner of Culture and Tourism in Taraba state, who represented the governor Agbu Kefas said the book CULTOUR will be used as a guide in the ongoing revolution in the state’s tourism sector. He said the state has more than 80 different ethnic groups with diverse culture, the biggest of such single concentration in Nigeria.
The launching attracted dignitaries across Nigeria.
