The Kwara Government says it will soon commence Cultural Week to showcase the indigenous heritage of the communities across the state.
Mrs Harriet Afolabi-Oshatimehin, Commissioner for Information and Communication in the state, who disclosed this on Friday in Ilorin, said the Cultural Week will hold twice in a month.
According to her, Kwara State has lots of potential in the tourism sector and will explore all available opportunities that abound in tourism.
“There are many festivals in the state, but because of the COVID-19, they are not being heard of.
“We will look at how best we can showcase our own culture using these festivals such as Gaani festival that is coming soon,” she said.
Oshatimehin noted the state government had approved for completion the Visual Art Centre, saying it was the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria and would serve as functional community centre.
According to her, the centre is expected to encourage arts practice and provide facilities such as theatre andgallery space as well as venues for musical performance, workshop areas, educational facilities and technical equipment among others.
“This kind of project would also attract the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood and will attract our artists,” she added.
The commissioner observed that the Visual Art Centre would be used for film production in Nigeria, adding that people travel outside the country could try it, especially South Africa, for film production.
According to Oshatimehin, the centre will offer cinematography, which will be the first of its kind in Nigeria.
She opined that a lot of Nollywood actors were from Kwara, adding that with the Visual Art Centre, the state would be a hub for tourist attraction.
She added that the state government was in contact with the British Council and German Embassy to use the centre for their exhibitions.
Oshatimehin said Nollywood had opportunity to utilise the tourist site in cinemas and the various natural endowment across the 16 local government areas of the state.
“This is also going to attract a lot of people as well as investors to the state,” she said.
The commissioner observed that in the long run, the Visual Arts Centre would increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), of the state government, which she said would positively affect the welfare of people in the state.
She disclosed that the government would partner some Nollywood actors on enlightenment on COVID-19 and would use three actors to serve as ambassadors to Kwara North, Kwara Central and Kwara South.
Comments powered by CComment