Edo State Government Reaches For New Heights In Promotion Of Arts, Culture And Tourism

The Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Osaze Osemwengie-Ero, says that the administration of Governor Obaseki is determined to rejuvenate national and international interest in the rich cultural heritage of Edo people.

The Commissioner was speaking during a visit to the massive exhibition of artworks organized as part of the events promoting the launching of the” Face of Nigeria Arts” The occasion was organized by the Benin-based Black Passionate Art Gallery and ten other artists.

Hon. Osewmengie-Ero stated that the enthusiasm of his ministry to reposition Edo State as a premium location for arts and culture has been bolstered by the vision of the Governor to diversify the economy of the state.

According to the Commissioner, “Governor Obaseki is determined to explore all areas of the state’s potentials beyond oil to build a strong South-South economy. My ministry has all the support that is required from within the government and from the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare to rejuvenate the strategic resource that culture and arts is to our historic land”.

Also speaking during the visit of the Commissioner to the exhibition, an internationally reputed journalist and media consultant, Comrade Dele Ailemen, observed that the Edo State Government was engineering a renaissance in the cultural heritage of the state.

Ailemen who was the former Chairman of the defunct Bendel State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and Coordinator of the California -based Global Africa Congress of Journalists, further remarked that there was a inextricable link between mass communication and arts as channels for building progressive societal values.
Ailemen proposed that the state could generate valuable resources from the mass propagation of the world reputed arts and cultural heritage of Edo people.
But Stakeholders in the Arts Industry tasked government at all level to invest in Arts, culture and tourism in a bid to attract wealth creation and reduce unemployment in the country.

Director of Black Passionate Art Galary Ltd, Mr Ugo Emmanuel Chidi, in Benin City, urged the Government to expedite action in its efforts to grow the economy by considering investment in Arts.
He made the call during a three day art exhibition programme in Benin City tagged,” Arts and Wine exhibition”, put together to facilitate the improvement of Arts exhibition both locally and internationally.

Ugo noted that the event which is to among others promote the works of arts of local artists, is also aimed at bridging the gap between arts and the general public.

According to him, Arts and Wine is one of the concepts that will enable us to bridge the gap between arts and the people by bringing those who naturally will not have interest in Arts to see some good works of Arts and feel the taste of some high quality wines.

Ugo also said, Arts and Wine exhibition are avenue of expanding the frontiers of art product and creativity because art and wine are both products of creativity that it takes a lot of creativity and diligent to produce art and good quality wines.
In his words, “Wine mature with age same thing with art, now you can see the both have similarities. We are using this medium to break the barriers and expand the frontiers.

On the other hand, we are using art and wine exhibition to launch and unveil bigger project called face of arts coming up soon. Face of Arts is a concept that will be seeing us creating and projecting Arts in global platform for the promotion of Africa art particularly, Nigerian Arts.
An exhibition artist, Usman Alvin, also at the exhibition ground to showcase his works of arts said the programme will give them opportunity to tell the world what they are made of and called on government to collaborate with them and direct interest in the work of Arts.

Please follow and like us:

About Author

Kadiri Christopher

See author's posts