Re-invigorating Arts, Culture and Tourism Sectors for Socio-economic Development of AFRICA

Nigeria is a melting pot of culturally diverse ethnic nationalities that differ in history, socio-political formation, language and custom. This, without doubt, explains the reason why we have diverse creative people and industries in the country. Almost all the nations of the world have an aspect of their history and culture being preserved from one generation to another. This they jealously guide so as to ensure that those significant parts of their history will not go into extinction. Apart from the preservation, they also generate reasonable income from it annually, especially from the foreigners who deem it necessary to visit such countries for sight-seeing and cultural exchange.

I was privileged to be in the United Kingdom in August 2012 where I had the opportunity of touring the much popular British Museum. I was shocked to see the volume of African contents being displayed at the museum, most especially the terracotta head of the popular Benin Kingdom in Nigeria and many that could be traced back to the old Ethiopia, Angola, Ghana and many other African Nations. It was not the display of these materials that shocked me but the fact that many of these African nations, including Nigeria, could not boast of having these cultural artefacts in their national museums. A visit to States and even national museums in Nigeria today will likely reveal to you that the few left-over materials were just kept there for preservation sake. There is no sense of creating global awareness of the importance and relevance of these materials to the making of our societies which could naturally draw the foreigners to wanting to study the history of Africa as people and as a continent.

Moreover, Many African traditional societies have untapped creativity which could effectively make them competitive in a modern world. A close examination of the economic history of Nigerian society shows periods when people exhibited high levels of creativity that resulted in comparable economies with those elsewhere in the world. Looking at the period before ‘oil boom’, Nigerians were able to distinguish themselves in agriculture, arts and crafts, and many other indigenous industries which drew the global attention to Nigeria as a potentially wealthy nation. Despite the present decline in development of many of our society, there are historical evidences of the dynamism and creativeness of our people. It is generally acknowledged that Nigerians are creative, as demonstrated by a long history of unique cultural goods that have been accepted around the world. Talk of the arts and craft, music and film industry, textile, architectural designs, indigenous food items; among others have shown the quality that could make them competitive items of trade. Except for the music and film industries, other skills are generally on the decline level as it has been argued that long periods of marginalization worsened in the present epoch of globalization has undermined the creativity of traditional Nigerian societies. It is generally expected that if this is reversed it would promote economic growth and contribute to poverty alleviation.

Furthermore, researchers have argued that modernization, apart from the many positive impact it has had on African societies, has tended to destroy local creativity and subjugated local people to foreign culture and mindset. Cultural revival is therefore expected to empower Nigerians to take their place not just on the cultural map of the world but in transforming their society into a viable participant in the global economy. We cannot afford to be a ‘dumping ground’ of products being made abroad, it is high time we joined China, United States, United Kingdom and other developed nations in driving the global economy. The local food items, tie and dye, textile as well as many cultural goods, if properly packaged and marketed, could play an important role in creating a niche for Nigerian societies in the emerging global economic system.

For this to happen it is necessary to establish the extent of the creativity of Nigerians and the possibility of transforming their skills into trade-able commodities. There is no doubt that many aspects of our culture, particularly in the area of dance, music and arts have influenced active industries around the world but questions exist as to the ability of our people to package cultural activities into marketable goods that can penetrate global markets. It is argued that even local markets have not been fully exploited. If museums around the world could boast of artefacts from many African countries and contributing to the economic viability of these museums, museums in Africa should be the giants of all. African creativity is however beyond culture. The creativity of the African people manifests itself outside narrow cultural areas. Local communities need to be encouraged and mobilized to continue age long creative activities that will contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of the population. Their contribution to economic growth might still be low, but it has been argued that they hold the key to rural industrialization and urban invigoration if they are well mobilised.

The promotion of local textile in some locations in the country is reviving a creative industry. Local jeweller, bronze works and other ornamentals that characterize many local communities can contribute to local income and economic growth. Policy makers in Nigeria have to be better sensitized on the importance of the creative economy. Efforts should spread beyond cultural goods to all possible creative activity. Nigeria has to expand her knowledge base and promote innovation by mobilizing her creative energies and empowering her people to be creative. That is the only way she can realise her vision 2020-20.
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Olawale writes from Ibadan. He tweets @eminiolawale

A TOAST TO MR. NIGERIA ‘TAIWO AKINKUNMI’: THE NIGERIA’S FLAG DESIGNER AT 77

And there was a great man born in a great country where human and material resources were deposited in great measure. When this man was born, none of his family members thought he could command such national relevance by what he used his hand to craft for his fatherland. Though, not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, this man initiated and developed a material that is being used by his country-men to procure not only silver but gold in many competitions. His design is an indispensable piece that must appear in every State and National Houses of Assembly in the country, government houses, schools, government parastatals and even vehicles’ plate numbers on daily basis. This man is no other person but Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, the Nigeria flag designer.

Born on the 10th of May, 1936 in Owu, Abeokuta the capital of Ogun State Nigeria. Taiwo Akinkunmi attended the Baptist Day School and Ibadan Grammar School, both in Ibadan, for his primary and secondary education before joining the old Western Region’s government as a clerical officer in the civil service after which he proceeded to the United Kingdom to further his studies. It was during his study abroad that Akinkunmi had the opportunity to write his name on the sand of history and he did not fail to do so. Prior to Nigeria’s independence, Akinkunmi was resident in London as a student of Norwich Technical College in West Norwich when he saw an advertisement in the newspaper of a competition for the design of national flag for independence celebration of his dear country. He became interested and took part in the grand contest for the design of the national flag as independence beckoned and emerged the winner of the keenly contested competition, over 2000 entry was received by the British Colonial administration. The reason for his emergence as winner is simple; his imaginative presentation of the Green -White-Green flag was quite meaningful. The green symbolises the nation’s prospects, particularly her rich agricultural endowments just as the white portrays unity and peace. On completion of his education in Britain, he returned to Nigeria in 1964 and had a civil service career in the then Western Region, where he worked in the Ministry of Agriculture from where he retired in 1994.

Though Akinkunmi who played such notable role in carving a lasting Nigerian identity lives as a commoner in a remote area of Ibadan. There is no motorable road leading to Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi’s house at Molade area as we talk. And even if there is a motorable road, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi does not have a car. At the age of 77, Pa Taiwo Akinkunmi has to walk a distance of about 2 kilometres to reach the main road where he can get transportation to his destination, yet he will not speak a negative word against his country; he is always optimistic of the great and better Nigeria where every citizen will have the fair share of the milk and honey flowing on their land.

In my several interviews with Pa. Akinkunmi (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2013) he lamented on the pitiable state of the country adjudged to be the giant of Africa, despite her abundant human and natural resources. Every Nigerians had the dream of a country where they will experience good governance, fairness and rule of law in all its ramifications with security and social justice being uppermost in the agenda of the leadership but the reverse is the case. Things are not going the way people expected. Our leaders should have the fear of God for the country to be able to attain great heights among the comity of nations, he said.

Regardless of his current circumstances, Akinkunmi’s position in the history of Nigeria is an enviable one because he has made a unique contribution to its progress and development. The fact that he deserved to be celebrated nationwide on the occasion of his 77th birthday celebration on earth cannot be disputed. Therefore, Ladies and gentlemen, please join me as I raise a toast to an icon and a record-breaker of our time, Pa. Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, as he clocks 77 this Friday 10th May, 2013.
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OLAWALE S. OLANIRAN can be reached on twitter @xundey22 and BBM - 22666BFB

IS THIS NATION WORTH MY BLOOD?

BY OLUDOTUN ADESUA
(AN EX-CORPER’S DIARY)
This article appeared in TELL Magazine of of May 14, 2012.


It was a sunny Monday afternoon. Having had a great time at my place of primary assignment. I left for Alhaji Omar Hassan’s residence where I taught his kids (popularly called PP-private practice amongst corps members). No sooner I got there, than I began to receive persistent phone calls from housemates asking of my whereabouts. I could not reconcile the extremely calm town and its warm people I used to know with the news of hostility and inhumanity that was reaching me. I rushed out of my host’s residence only to find out that the roads were deserted. I was petrified and jittery. At the peak of my desperation to get to a safe haven, a man who has just moved his family to the army barracks rescued me, a stranded stranger.

How can I forget in a hurry how I fled for dear life from Zubuki village in Itas Gadau Local Government, in Bauchi state after I was given free knocks on my head and humiliated in my National Youth Service Corps uniform at the polling station where I was posted to as an Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) ad-hoc staff and later rescued by a God-sent motorcycle rider. Eventually I got to Bauchi, the state capital at 11pm. Few hours after, the town was literally on fire. The INEC office in Bauchi LG was set ablaze, bonfires at the major roundabouts, roads and even wanton destruction of lives and property. The fear of these and unfavourable security reports and rumours locked me behind walls and gates for three days and nights. Hot, consistent and persistent fear-propelled prayers and intercession flowed ceaselessly and heavily from my lips and confused mind.

How can I also forget in a hurry how friends and acquaintances were sent to early graves? The body of Kehinde Adeniji, the brilliant and visionary president of Banking and Finance department during my set at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State was brought back home before he finished his national service. I recalled our last moments at Gadau (where I was posted for the elections). We ate lafun, a local food made of cassava flour, and okro and stew prepared in the same pot. He later gave me a passport-sized photograph to deliver to another friend of ours in Bauchi LG. I passed the night in an adjacent room to his; shared thoughts of our spectacular experiences and said farewell, not knowing that it would be the last.
As for Ayotunde Ebenezer Gbenjo and Anslem Nkwazema our paths crossed at Nigeria Christian Corpers Fellowship (NCCF), Gbenjo’s story is very pathetic in the sense that he alongside other corps members were rescued from Tafawa Balewa’s LG’s communal clash that claimed lives and properties, even a corper’s lodge. Yet death still ambushed him during the post-presidential election crisis.

In the case of Nkwazema (Anslem, Giade papa),a gentleman, he ran for safety into a police station but was smoked out and butchered thereafter. Should I wake the painful memory of the newly married and pregnant Gift Anyanwu who was badly burnt and gave up the ghost few days after at the National Hospital Abuja? How do I forget Teidi Tosin Olawale, OKpokiri Obinna Michael, Adowei Elliot , Adewunmi Seun Paul, Okeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor and Akonyi Ibrahim Sule? They all perished in what could be called a politically motivated conflict with religious colouration, the height of man’s inhumanity to man.

Although, I expressed an unusual optimism in an interview with a reporter in a May 2011 edition of 234next (now rested) online newspaper, which was attacked by many readers. I captured my thoughts in the poem I titled ‘Tribute to Our Martyrs’(April 2011). NYSC is compromised. It is a scheme that dances to the tune of the highly connected, the mighty and the wealthy. Their children and wards serve in choice cities like Abuja, Lagos, and Kano, as well as big companies or organisations while the other choice-less corps members wallow in despicable conditions. Wicked employers absorb cheap labour, some even serve ‘legislooters’ kola nuts during meetings at the National Assembly (The Punch; Mar Fri 9 2012). What about those kidnapped by militants, even the Osun ‘royal rape’, or the avoidable road accidents that claimed some lives. Little wonder, the acronym is sarcastically redefined as ‘Now Your Suffering Continues’.

What a compromised NYSC! It is a pity that the Yakubu Gowon-conceived NYSC paramilitary and unifying scheme has become a laughing stock. The big question is: Has NYSC overstayed its welcome? Or considering its purpose/vision of national integration, cultural cohesion, inter-tribal marriage, job opportunities to mention but a few. Or is it that it needs a complete restructuring? It is one year (now two years), I don’t want to believe that a critical lesson learnt is that you can perpetuate and sponsor evil and get away with it. What a nation! When will greed for money, fame and power become a thing of the past in this corner of the world?

However, all thanks to the scheme for the smattering Hausa language I speak, the opportunity to impart knowledge and values into young secondary school students of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Secondary School and adventure to the northern part of Nigeria-for the very first time. But no thanks to the crisis for truncating my plan to visit Yankari Games Reserve, Bauchi. A nation that eats its future destiny in the present is not worth a drop of my blood. Nevertheless, I believe in the Nigerian dream of the emergence of a great nation. In Dr Tunde Bakare’s words “Nigeria will prosper in my lifetime”.

ADESUA, WHO SERVED IN BAUCHI STATE DURING THE CRISIS NOW LIVES AND WORK IN LAGOS, HE CAN BE REACHED ON TWITTER @DotunAdesua