11th Int’l Arts & Crafts Expo: Biggest Exhibition Nigeria Will Experience In Recent Times – Runsewe
Oru Leonard
Final preparations are being concluded for the 11th edition of the International Arts and Crafts (INAC) Expo, which will hold in Abuja from the 17th to 24th of November, 2018.
The Expo which is expected to the biggest in recent times, with the theme, “Networking Nigerian Crafts to the World”, has been positioned to develop and expose the Nigerian products, services arts and crafts to the world.
The Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, disclosed these to news correspondents on Thursday at a media briefing in Abuja. He said that NCAC is targeting to network the world with INAC.
“There has been change in the approach of getting the things to the right people. People and countries are waiting to see what we have to offer and we believe very strongly that Nigeria has all it takes to organize such exhibition and we are going to prove a point at this time” the DG stated.
Otunba Runsewe noted that all the countries that will participate in the exhibition have embassies running in Nigeria for a long period and there was no opportunity like the one NCAC will offer in the 11th International Arts and Craft Expo.
“The event is about networking. We are committed that this country must move forward and in this year’s expo, Nigerians will be impressed” he said.
He told journalists that a that INAC will open door for exhibition because a lot of countries want to do business in Nigeria but they go through the wrong route, so the event will create the right platform for all stakeholders.
“We need to create platforms to develop our own products”, he said.
Runsewe also noted that the INAC expo will have states and stakeholders in the creative industry present, will also provide free medical screening as well as free skills acquisition/ waste to wealth training on a big level.
The NCAC DG, who disclosed that most of Nigeria’s art and craft are being taken to Europe, noted that the platform will be used to open up opportunities for Nigerians.
Speaking on the estimation for Foreign Direct Investment, he noted that NCAC is looking at exporting and will create a common window, adding also, that they will give the foreign countries Nigerian products to test.
Runsewe took the media on a work in progress tour said he was encouraged by the large number of participating countries so far even as more were being expected.
Countries that will attend the expo include India, Mexico, Sudan, Syria, Gambia, Bangladesh, China, Burkina Faso, Hungary. Others are, Venezuela, Iran, Korea, Tanzania, Pakistan, Trindad and Tobago, Niger, Chad, and more.
The programme which starts on November 17 at the Exhibition Pavilion Premises opposite Radio House, Area 10, Garki Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, will be officially opened with a ceremony on November 19, 2018. Expected guests include the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello as the Chairman of the occasion and the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, as the Royal Father of the day.
