Minister urges Nigerians to uphold the nation’s cultural heritage
Mrs Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism, urges Nigerians to uphold the nation’s vast cultural heritage.
Ade-John made the call during the 2024 edition of King Kosoko Memorial Lecture, themed “The Lagos Economy in the Era of King Kosoko: A Tale of Prosperity and the Decline”, held on Sunday.
The event, which held in Lagos, also featured a book launch entitled “King Kosoko, His Life, His People and His Settlements”, written by the current Oloja Elect of Lagos, Prince Abiola Kosoko.
The Minister said upholding the nation’s cultural heritage such as that of late King Kosoko of Lagos, was important to create wealth.
She expounded saying that spurring local and international tourists to learn and experience late Kosoko’s legacies as well as other past great leaders in Nigeria was one way to uphold heritage.
“Today, we honour the enduring legacy of King Kosoko. I am filled with pride and gratitude.
“Today, we are custodians of history. It is our duty to ensure that the stories of our ancestors, their triumphs and struggles are never lost.
“Let this event be a call to Nigerians everywhere, to embrace our heritage with pride and to invite the world to witness the wonder that is Lagos and the magic that is Nigeria,” she said.
The minister said that Nigeria’s vast culture and tourism potential remained largely untapped.
She said research revealed that in 2019, tourism contributed nearly 5 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product with just over 1.2 million international visitors.
“Imagine what these figures would look like if our 200 million plus population buy into the idea of domestic travel.
“Lagos, rich in culture and history, leads this growth. Initiatives like this serve as beacons that can attract even more to our shores.
“The possibilities are endless if we fully tap into the potential of our over 1,000 assets and over 800 festivals.
“As we leave today, let King Kosoko’s spirit, his courage, vision and love for his people inspire us. I hope this will drive our passion to make Nigeria a global cultural destination,” she said.
The keynote speaker, Prof David Aworawo of the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos xrayed the nature of the economy of Lagos state during and after King Kosoko reign.
Aworawo said there was never a decline in the economy of the state as late Kosoko’s reign marked the beginning of a significant economic growth in the state.
He commended the Oloja Elect for keeping the memory of late Kosoko alive through different programmes.
“Before, during Kosoko and after, Lagos economy enjoyed a rise and rise progression. We need to be grateful to leaders across times who made contributions toward this growth
“We only need to beckon on the current leaders to intensify efforts and make the economy deep,”he said.
The late King Kosoko was the Oba of Lagos between 1845 and 1851. His insistence on the slave trade was the pretext for the 1851 British bombardment of Lagos, for which he went into exile in Epe.
NAN/S.S
