Chief Olusegun Runsewe, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), says the Nigerian military will participate in the 35th edition of the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST).
The cultural festival is slated to hold from November 7 to 13, 2022 in Lagos.
Runsewe, in a statement on Thursday, said it was the first time the Army would be featuring at NAFEST, expressing excitement over the development.
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According to him, the development signals a shift in the strained civilian and military relationship.
He noted that the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, had indicated that the military would be participating in the cultural fiesta, during a visit to him, in Abuja.
He said the visit was part of efforts made in creating windows for wider participation in the Nigerian development ecosystem as he requested for the presence of the military architecture to support NAFEST and use the same to build a strong relationship with civilian population.
“For the first time in the history of NAFEST, the Nigerian army will make a strategic presence at the iconic cultural tourism festival. This signals a change of policy in the strained civilian and military relationship.
“Nigerian military is a strong partner in the quest to have a peaceful, united Nigeria and it is the same message that NAFEST through our rich diverse culture wishes to sustain and you will agree with me that security is a strong pillar for cultural preservation and promotion.
“So, we are happy the CDS, Gen. Lucky Irabor, will deploy the three-sister military architecture of the army, navy and air force, to showcase their social responsibility platforms and other sundry activities,” he said.
According to him, the civilian population can leverage on this for a greater Nigerian nation.
“No one should panic at full military presence and deployment during the one-week festival,” he said. (NAN)
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