FG’ll turn cultural heritage to money spinner—Runsewe

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—THE Federal Government will transform the nation’s cultural heritage into a money-spinning enterprise that will attract tourists from all parts of the world, Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, Otunba Segun Runsewe, has said.

He also revealed that government had removed  over 250 blind roadside beggars from different parts of the country to Bauchi State for training on skills acquisition.

Speaking in an interview in Abuja yesterday, he said government decided to train the blind beggars  in different skills so that they would be able to take care of themselves instead of begging on the streets.

Runsewe said already the NCAC had proposed to host a national summit on the role of traditional rulers in promoting economic growth and national development.

According to him, the country would generate huge income from culture if well harnessed.

Besides, he said, the country had not tapped the potential of traditional institutions in peace building, noting that NCAC was working on a compendium of the homesteads of traditional rulers from all parts of the country tagged 1000 Palaces of Pride in Nigeria.

The DG said: “We are blessed with traditional institutions that have a rich history and command respect globally. We have the Sultan of Sokoto, we have the Obi of Onitsha, the Ooni of Ife, Alake of Egbaland, the Amayanabo of Bonny and many other great traditional institutions.

“You can only imagine what we can achieve when they support NCAC in its new drive. So, for the first time we will be hosting a national summit on the relationship between tradional institutions, government and the governed.”

He added that the council signed a N300 million MoU, with the Bank of Industry, BoI, to provide loans for youths and artisans involved in arts and craft.

as the culture component is vital to improving the country’s standing in the international tourism market.

“We also will be presenting a compendium, which we have titled one thousand palaces of pride in Nigeria to showcase the many historic locations from which our royal fathers contribute to the development of their domains and the country ultimately.”

He said, “Our heritage is our style of dressing, our food and way of life. Our disconnection from and  failure to work with the traditional institutions part if the problems we gave as a nation today. That’s why more young people are involved in criminality and they prefer the easy way to money, hence people choosing to be called unemployed, rather than seek for means to earn a living.

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