Speaking on the significance of the event, he said “in a world that is gradually becoming a global village, NIVATOUR will celebrate the beauty of creativity by bringing together art from Nigeria and Egypt.” He also said that an interactive workshop will take place in Cairo to provide the forum for the cross fertilisation of ideas between artists from both countries.
The acting Director-General of the NGA, Mr. Abduillahi Muku, described NIVATOUR as a groundbreaking exhibition aimed at providing a platform for Nigerian contemporary visual artists and their counterparts in other parts of the world to synergise and showcase their wealth of creativity to the world.
The works will then tour the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Australia and some African countries.
In the light of promoting and preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage, the minister said the Federal Government is currently holding discussions with some countries on the repatriation of stolen artifacts from Nigeria. He disclosed this while hosting a delegation from the Benin Cultural Heritage Centre in Benin City, Edo State.
He said although the Federal Government is constrained by some international conventions which limit its powers, he however said the discussions were in progress to return the stolen artifacts to their original owners.
“Some countries are giving flimsy excuses and there are some international conventions that limit our powers to get these artifacts back. But, these will not stop us from retrieving them,” the minister said. He commended the cultural group for the complimentary roles it is playing for the ministry which “has reduced the pressure of work at the ministry’’, stressing that the ministry’s expectations of stakeholders “is that they promote the material and non-material aspects of our culture; music, dance, crafts, language, beliefs and sustain them over time.’’
Earlier on, President of the Centre, Dr. Roland Ehigiamusoe described the association as a child of necessity, meant to revive and preserve the culture and glory of the old Benin Empire. He sought the support of the minister in the association’s efforts to build a N3.5b Benin Cultural Heritage Tourist Complex, with an auditorium, Amphi theatre, museum, arts gallery, sculptural garden, among others.
As part of efforts to salvage and preserve the tradition of caring for the elderly in society and celebrate them, a reality peageantry show has been organised to teach young girls how to take of them as well as reinforce African values in the minds of young girls. The event will debut next month in Abuja.
Brain behind the initiative, Mrs Pamela Wendish, said the reality show will amongst other things teach the young to cook, dress properly and take care of their aged parents and relatives.
She said 37 girls will be housed for a period of six to eight weeks and will be taught core African values that have been abandoned, and a queen will emerge at the end of the show, who will help promote the values of the house.
Reacting, the Minister pledge the ministry’s support for the project which he said will promote African Culture.
The elderly in the society the minister noted, are assets and should be cared for, “So that we don’t lose the values they have been preserving for us”.
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