Nigeria, Brazil set for exhibition, culture promotion in March

Consul General, Consulate General of Brazil, Francisco Carlos Soares Luz, has raised the need to promote and encourage cultural exchange between Nigeria and Brazil, premising his submission on the fact that these two countries have both traditional and cultural links.

Luz spoke at the Brazilian Embassy in Lagos ahead of the exhibition holding in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from March 24 to 30, in an event titled, Nigerian-Brazilian Cultural Exchange, Trade Missions, Awareness and Interactive Session, which was organised by Visions and Dreams Nigeria Limited.

He said there are “traditions and cultures common to Nigeria and Brazil, which predate the two nations independence are still prevalent today.

According to him the influence of one of the major languages in Nigeria, Yoruba, is noticeable in Brazil, especially among “citizens resident in Brazil’s Bahia State to the extent that the language has not only been recognised as the official language in that axis but has been legalised and approved by the government of Brazil as one of the languages spoken in Brazil,” he said.

The Ambassador noted that as Nigerians went to Brazil and became Brazilians, “so we have a number of Brazilians descendants in Lagos and other cities in the West Coast of Africa,” adding, “there is need to create this awareness among the two countries of the reality that existed for decades.”

He added that apart from language, music is another common culture and above all, there is agriculture due to the common climate between the two countries.

The ambassador also made it known that Nigeria and Brazil had enjoyed balance of trade and despite the pandemic, the two countries trade has grown by almost 30 per cent from 2019 till date, moving towards the level of what it used to be far back in 2008, though it could be admitted that it is still far below the era of oil export to Brazil.

“Trade is very beneficial for the two countries and our trade is completely balanced. We sell $700 millions, we buy $700 millions form Nigeria and in this way, the two countries are benefitting.”

“Brail is the second largest market for cosmetics and our small companies are opening branches in Africa, Angola, Mozambique and South Africa with the aim of penetrating the entire African market. “The trade volume between Nigeria and Brazil until October was $156 billion and is far too surplus to Brazil’s by $2 million,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer, Visions and Dreams Nigeria Limited, Mac Alexander Alexander said Nigerians have a lot to benefit from Brazil while the Executive Secretary, Nigerian-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Raymond Idibia, urged Nigerians to key into agriculture as both countries enjoy the same weather condition and for them to enjoy from the Brazil’s green imperative.