Ekiti to prioritise arts, culture

Ekiti State government has promised to continue in its strive to make the interest of art and culture top priorities in the state.

This is coming just as the state Council of Arts and Culture has set the necessary machinery in motion for a successful festival of arts and culture in December.

It was against this background that the state Council of Arts and Culture organised the first Ekiti State Arts and Culture Stakeholders’ Forum with the theme: Arts and Culture for Economic Prosperity.

Speaking during the recent stakeholders’ forum in Ado Ekiti, the state  governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, noted that his administration believes in arts and culture as a viable tool for socio-economic revival of the society.

The governor, who was represented at the forum by the Head of Service, Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi, said it is on this basis that the administration organized a well-attended cultural expository and exhibition programme immediately it took over the reins of power in the state.

While congratulating the Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture for working in line with the precepts and vision for which the council is established, Fayemi explained that “it is a known fact that one of the major causes of our current economic woes in Nigeria is that those within the productive age who also have the capacity to contribute immensely to improving the economy are either doing far less than necessary or directing their energy wrongly into areas that do not impact meaningfully on the economy.

“It is consequent upon the understanding of the immense capacity of the arts and culture sector to impact on the socio-economic well-being of the generality of the people. This administration has continued to ensure adequate commitment, both in budgetary considerations and approval of funds, to the creative sector as symbolized by the council.”

The governor stated that little or no attention was paid by the past administrations to productive engagement of its artisans, adding that the situation had a frustrating effect on the entire creative workforce of Ekiti State.

In her remarks, the Ekiti State first lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, while congratulating the Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture for organizing the forum, said the programme was the type of interface that could bring about the achievement of transformational agenda of the government.

She pledged her continuous support for arts and culture as the state  prepares for its festival of arts and culture in December.

Mrs Fayemi stated that after the tragic interlude, during which the arts and culture sector suffered a backward plunge, the Fayemi administration for the second time is breaking the façade of inactivity within the sector through the commendable initiative.

The First Lady of Ekiti State pointed out that the strategy of open interaction with the stakeholders is another way of making them part of governance by pointing out to government their basic challenges.

According to her, “the knowledge that would be gained today would go a long way in widening their horizon on how to effectively access available opportunities that would make them prosper by their trades and innate talents.

Arts and culture has been one of the prime areas to which the Fayemi administration gives attention. This explains why the administration in its first tenure established the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism as well as the Council for Arts and Culture to harness the great potential of Ekiti people in arts and crafts, develop and market them towards attracting economic prosperity to the people.