Ayodele Olalere
Asa Day Worldwide President, Mr. Olaniyi Oyatoye, on Monday urged the federal government to put more efforts at strengthening the creative and cultural industry for the growth of the nation’s economy.
While announcing activities marking this year’s edition of the event with the theme “Let’s use our cultural heritage to revive our economy,” in partnership with Lagos State, the President said ” Nigeria stands a great chance of surviving the current economic lapse, if it could focus more on cultural tourism.”
” There is the urgent need for a meaningful and sustainable financing of cultural development by the government and financial institutions, and multinational organisations in Nigeria. The arts, culture and tourism sector has been denied government attention and financial empowerment. If properly funded, the creative and cultural industries would enhance and strengthen the growth of the economy as well as contribute to stem youth restiveness and criminality,” Oyatoye said.
The Special Adviser to Lagos state governor on Tourism, Hon. Solomon Bonu as well as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Princess Adenike Ajayi emphasised the need for Nigeria to create strong relationships with foreign countries in marketing the country’s potential to boost patronage of local and foreign tourists.
