Come November 13-20, 2021 Ekiti State will showcase its tourism potentials to the world as the State hosts the 2021 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST).
The state government while expressing the excitement of the state to host the cultural fiesta disclosed that the state is poised to use the event to further enhance creativity in the tourism sector and to create a more viable platform and market for young people in the creative enterprises.
The State’s governor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, stated this at the three-day National Technical Stakeholders’ meeting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State last week.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, said the festival presents a good opportunity to showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage for the world to see and tap into its economic potential, adding any state that fails to situate culture as well as the creative capacity of its people in its developmental plan, it is bound to face serious social, political and economic crisis in the long run.
The deputy governor is, however, hopeful that the festival will promote national unity, social integration, redirect cultural activities, revenue generation and create windows of investment opportunities for the economic growth of not only Ekiti State but also Nigeria in general.
Some of the tourist’s attraction that participants will be treated to include Ikogosi Warm Spring; the meeting point of warm and cold spring, Olosunta and Orole Hills Of Ikerre Ekiti; the steep-sided hills located at Northern and southern parts of the town, the Erinta Water falls at Ipole-Iloro and the man-made Ero dam and lake located at Ikun Ekiti in Moba Local Government of the State amongst others.
On his part, the Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, who is also the President of the World Crafts Council, African Region, said his ultimate goal, as the DG is to use culture to unite Nigeria and bring about sustainable peace and national development.
Runsewe also commended the Ekiti State Cultural Troupe for its wonderful performances and promised to give them more exposure to the outside world. He urged the culture commissioners and stakeholders to tap into the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats (SWOT) analysis and emphasise on the good aspect of the country.
The state’s Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, in his welcome address, said the meeting underscores the importance of proper planning towards having satisfactory NAFEST.
According to him, the collective interface among the principal implementers of the project will continue to be a major success factor in every successful edition of the NAFEST.
At the meeting, which was attended by over 30 states Commissioners of Culture and other stakeholders in the culture and tourism sector of the country, the wife of the Governor of the Ekiti, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, whose presence added colour to the Technical Stakeholders meeting was decorated as ‘Mama NAFEST 2021’.
