…as Honourable Commissioner urges LG bosses, people to explore potentials in the sector
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Professor Rasaki Ojo Bakare has urged stakeholders and the general public to explore the endless potentials in Arts, Culture and Tourism in the State.
The Commissioner said this during an interface with all the Chairmen of the 16 Local Government Areas of the State, their Legislators and other top management staff of the Local Governments, sensitising them on the need to harness, promote and market the various Arts, Culture and Tourism products to the whole world.
Ojo Bakare, who described such products as huge treasure lying fallow and still awaiting exploration for posterity, expresses displeasure at the neglect of the sector where enormous resources could be generated.
Describing the Arts, Culture and Tourism sector as the third earner after telecommunication and oil, the Commissioner emphasized that every Local Government Areas across the state was blessed with potentials only waiting to be tapped.
Speaking further, he cited the annual Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Muslim faithful to Mecca as religious tourism which has positive impact on the economic and social development of the host countries, and urged the local government administrators to take practical steps at replicating same at the grassroots for economic sustainability and socio – economic development of the state.
The Commissioner therefore called on the Local Government administrators to handle the state flagship festival, Ekiti State Festival of Arts and Culture (EKIFEST) with all seriousness, saying that the festival was not a jamboree but rather a platform to harness youthful potentials, thereby reducing crime and other social vices.
He noted that EKIFEST was also an avenue to exhibit the various Arts, Culture and Tourism assets of Ekiti to the whole world, giving the assurance of the Ministry’s readiness to give the technical expertise to develope such potentials and products.
The Sixteen (16) Local Government Chairmen pledged their cooperation and readiness to partner the Ministry in achieving the lofty ideas and objectives of the Governor Kayode Fayemi led administration at revamping and rejuvenating the Art, Culture and Tourism sector by setting up a joint technical committee comprising top management staff and Legislators of the Local Government and the Ministry to achieve this feat.
Last modified: September 9, 2020
