Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has outlined her plans for Nigeria’s creative economy, in what she calls her eight-point agenda.
Musawa, who spoke about her vision for the new stand-alone ministry at the Art and Tech district in the nation’s capital, Abuja, on Monday, believes that the creative economy is an ecosystem of ideas, innovation, and invention.
Her agenda is coming at a time when the controversy surrounding her inauguration as Minister has reached fever pitch.
Musawa’s suitability as Minister is being questioned in various quarters at a times that her status as a current youth corp member became public knowledge.
Although she graduated and was mobilised for the mandatory youth service in 2001, the Katsina-born lawyer and newspaper columnist abandoned the scheme mid-way.
It was on account of this that the ninth Senate rejected her nomination for a political appointment in 2020 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister was first appointed as Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu in June 2023 before her elevation in August as a cabinet Minister.
Although she is said to have since resumed her youth corp service in Abuja, opinions are fiercely divided over the propriety of a youth corper, who is drawing an allowance from the Federal Government to be appointed a salary-earning job as a Minister at the same time.
The NYSC Act clearly forbids a youth corp member from holding any other additional job while serving. It also stipulates that no Nigerian graduate of higher institution, at home or abroad, will be qualified for a job employment in Nigeria without the NYSC discharge certificate, except where exemptions are expressly granted.
Although Musawa is yet to formally speak on the raging scandal, her Monday’s vision outline suggests that she’s determined to carry on as Minister while still enlisted as a youth corper.
”The scope of this sector is extensive and encompasses the production and distribution of ideas, goods and services that are the result of human creativity, skill, and talent across all aspects of Nigerian culture,” she stared in outlining her vision.
“Our culture is a valuable currency. Creativity is the new oil, and innovation is our future,” she added.
The eight-point plan includes Nigeria Destination 2030; skills development; fast tracking the improvement, creation and implementation of policy frameworks; focused strategy, governance, and collaboration; smart strategic partnerships; clear growth targets; create enabling business environments; and cultural heritage preservation and sustainability.
She also explained that the ministry, under her leadership, has other initiatives and projects such as floating new creative hubs; organising a Nigerian cultural expo; establishing a national entertainment centre, a national art gallery, innovative publishing partnerships and a gaming sandbox project.
“We are building a global standard film festival, a culinary academy led by a Michelin star chef and a fashion foundry,” Musawa said in outlining her core propositions.
Speaking on the country’s national heritage and stolen artifacts, the Minister pledged to be “relentless” in her support to bring back home the Benin bronzes.
