Lai Mohammed, minister of information, culture and
tourism, says culture is more important to Nigeria’s
economy than petroleum.
Mohammed said this in Lagos state on Thursday while
declaring open an exhibition of “stolen” artifacts
recently repatriated from Europe and America.
The minister said the country’s diverse cultures have
more value than any natural resource including
petroleum.
He, however, said there has to be conscious efforts by
all stakeholders to better harness the potential of
culture to drive the economy.
“Culture is as important to the economy as petroleum,”
he said.
“As a matter of fact, culture is even more important to
the economy than petroleum.
“This is because petroleum is an exhaustive resource.
Culture is not, because it is about us as a people.”
The minister said the country’s artifacts were part of
its culture as “they told our history and represented
our way of life.”
He however regretted that a good number of Nigerians
“erroneously linked artifacts with fetish practices” and
that the belief had affected appreciation of the works
locally.
“Also [there is] the importance of these artifacts as a
source of education and an enabler of tourism cannot
be over-emphasised,” he added.
“Nigerian traditional art, the works of our forefathers
bears testimony to skilled craftsmanship, and creative
ingenuity of the great dynasties that once existed in
our country.”
He said the artifacts were repatriated after series of
engagements between the federal government and the
countries into which they were “smuggled.”
The exhibition, which featured at least 150 artifacts
was titled “Return of the lost treasure.”
Some of the artifacts on exhibition at the National
museum include NoK Terracotta head, Oba Esigie ivory
pendant, Plague of One Ozolua Nibarami Eko and the
Ogiurho game board .
TheCable
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