Ekiti set for NAFEST 2021 as NCAC unites Nigeria with culture

The Ekiti State governor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, has expressed his excitement that Ekiti State will be hosting this year’s National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST). He stated this at the three-day National Technical Stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State last week.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, said the festival presents a good opportunity to showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage for the world to see and tap into its economic potential, adding any state that fails to situate culture as well as the creative capacity of its people in its developmental plan, it is bound to face serious social, political and economic crisis in the long run.

The deputy governor is, however, hopeful that the festival will promote national unity, social integration, redirect cultural activities, revenue generation and create windows of investment opportunities for the economic growth of not only Ekiti State but also Nigeria in general.

The Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, who is also the President of the World Crafts Council, African Region, said his ultimate goal, as the DG is to use culture to unite Nigeria and bring about sustainable peace and national development.

Runsewe also commended the Ekiti State Cultural Troupe for its wonderful performances and promised to give them more exposure to the outside world. He urged the culture commissioners and stakeholders to tap into the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats (SWOT) analysis and emphasise on the good aspect of the country.

The state’s Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, in his welcome address, said the meeting underscores the importance of proper planning towards having satisfactory NAFEST.

According to him, the collective interface among the principal implementers of the project will continue to be a major success factor in every successful edition of the NAFEST.

At the meeting, which was attended by over 30 states Commissioners of Culture and other stakeholders in the culture and tourism sector of the country, the wife of the Governor of the Ekiti, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, whose presence added colour to the Technical Stakeholders meeting was decorated as ‘Mama NAFEST 2021’.