As concerns for her suitability for the job grows among stakeholders, the newly-inaugurated Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hajia Hannatu Musa Musawa, has said that her immediate plan is to have a national theme song for Nigeria.
Katsina-born lawyer and newspaper columnist, Musawa, says she is determined to seek and adopt a national theme song for the Nigerian brand.
Musawa was one of the 45 ministers inaugurated into the federal cabinet on Monday by President Bola Tinubu.
She is the first female minister to be appointed to the Culture ministry, which now stands alone after Tourism and Information ministries also became independent ministries.
Speaking with permanent secretaries, directors, and other staff of the ministry on Tuesday when she assumed office, Musawa asked songwriters and music producers from the six geopolitical zones to begin to “think” about creating a theme song for Nigeria, which her ministry will adopt and use in promoting Nigeria.
According to the former columnist with The Nation newspaper, Nigeria’s creative industry is ripe for a brand identity that will be accentuated via theme song.
“This is the right moment to project Nigeria in a new exportable dimension for improved foreign earnings”, she stated.
The minister also asked Nigerians to expect “innovative and inspiring” concepts that will “drive and support” the country’s creative ministry.
She said all relevant stakeholders would be engaged for the effective execution of the projects to be undertaken by the ministry.
She promised to do her best about rebranding the country’s image, adding that Nigeria would no longer be associated with poverty, fraud and terrorism.
However, stakeholders have queried the minister’s intention, wondering what a theme song means and if it falls under her purview, rather than the ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Many stakeholders have also expressed concern about Musawa’s suitability for the assignment given her lean involvement in the culture and creative sector.
While some doubt that she has the requisite knowledge base and inclination to lead an arts and culture ministry, others think her background as a lawyer, writer and an aspiring poet will assist her to learn on the job very quickly.
All this is coming against the background of concerns that Musawa is alleged not to have participated in the mandatory one-year youth service corp for every Nigerian graduate under the age of 30.
In several culture and creative sector plstforms, stakeholders have expressed worry that this infraction, if pushed, might cost her the job, just like it happened to Mrs Kemi Adeosun, former Minister of Finance, who was forced to resign her plum position after a media campaign exposed that she failed to participate in the NYSC scheme without proper exemption letter.
