By Gift Oba
Africa-Press – Nigeria. The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a creative economy through culture, tourism, and the arts.
Musawa spoke on Monday during a visit to former Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo, and a tour of his presidential library in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The minister said her visit to the architectural masterpiece was part of the ongoing holistic and comprehensive research into the country’s treasure trove nationwide.
She stated that the Federal Government, through the Renewed Hope Culture and Creative Project, is committed to building the Abuja Creative City and other creative cities across the country as part of its diversification strategy.
The minister disclosed that the Federal Government had signed a number of Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, with several states, including Ogun State.
She said: “So it’s President Bola Tinubu’s vision to create something long term and sustainable within the cultural, creative and traditional landscape. It is very important for us to do holistic and wholesale research around the country for wherever there is a treasure trove of who we are as a people.
“I felt it was very important for us to come here to visit the library because, you know, we’re trying to build on this landscape, our history, trying to tap and leverage on what was and what is and where we can be.
“We’re creating an Abuja creative city and doing different creative cities all across the country and in different states. The Renewed Hope Cultural and Creative Project has already come. We have signed a number of MoUs with some states. We are here in Ogun. Yesterday we signed the MoU between the Federal Government and Ogun State because the President wants to reach the grassroots.”
Musawa also recalled her late father’s relationship with Obasanjo, saying they were in the trenches together a long time ago.
She said: “Baba (referring to Obasanjo) has been sort of a staple in my life. My father, Alhaji Musa Musawa and him were in the trenches together a long time ago. So, I have known the contribution he has made not just to national service and African service, but for me, I see this as a Nigerian duty.
“It’s important for us as Nigerians to look at our shared future as one and you know I have learnt a lot from here because some of the experiences that Baba had himself, being a part of building Nigeria from the independence up till now, he continues to contribute his quota, innovation, and trying to build a bridge for the young people with the capacity building.”
In his remarks, Obasanjo described the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library as a national treasure making an impact in the lives of young Africans through leadership and entrepreneurship training.
He disclosed that some state governors have indicated interest in sending youths for training at the library.
Obasanjo said the recently launched Olusegun Obasanjo Library Institute focuses on how African youths can learn from successful leaders, their challenges, and how they tackled them.
He agreed with the minister’s stance that the library has not made itself visible enough to Nigerians, Africans, and the rest of the world.
His words: “I thank you for the point you have made that we are not making ourselves visible enough. Anybody who has come here, when they hear of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, they think of books. When they come in and see, they will ask, ‘why are you not advertising yourself?’ Maybe we will learn public relations, advertisement, making ourselves known.”
Source: Daily Post Nigeria
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