NCAC Holds Stakeholders Investment Forum
The National Council for Arts and Culture yesterday held a Stakeholders Investment Forum to looked at the prospects and challenges of repositioning Arts and Crafts to be among the major revenue streams in the world market.
The Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, reiterated his believe in Cultural Diplomacy as base for world peace and unity.
He noted that the culture of a nation speaks volume just as the Six Geo- political zones in Nigeria were reflected through pictures at the venue of the investment forum.
He thanked the guests, especially the exhibitors and urged participants to use the opportunity to network as reflected in the theme of the exhibition.
The highlight of the stakeholders forum was a presentation titled ” Networking Nigerian Arts & Crafts to the World” by Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, the CEO of Le Look Nigeria Limited, who makes luxury bags and shoes with Nigerian fabrics delivered the paper.
Mrs Ezenwa gave a rundown of how she started the business thirty three years ago and said that circumstance, commitment, determination to succeed and contribute to the development of home grown products led her into the arts and craft industry.
She noted that though there were challenges along the line, but she was able to overcome through networking, capacity building and knowledge transfer.
She urged government to use arts and craft to create the required revenue that should be a blue print by the government.
She said that Government has put some measures to encourage entrepreneur but that taxes and other charges from government agencies were among the current challenges.
Mrs Ezenwa also said that some of the support needed to boost the Arts and Crafts Industry were in the aspect of increased training and exposure to global events, flexible lending requirements and access to forex.
She advised the NCAC management to establish an industrial hub for arts and crafts while women should also do more business interactions and networking.
The Ag. Director General, Centre for Black African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Mrs Ndidi Aimiewau said that there should be synergy, collaboration, cooperation and coming together of everyone to achieve greater heights in Arts and Crafts business.
Mrs Aimiewauu agreed with the the paper presenter that women should learn the language of business, which is networking and business interactions.
“With what I have heard today there will be no need for failure in our time” she said.
The Director of News NTA, Alh Baba Barau in reviewing the paper said that Mrs Ezenwa captured the essence and purpose of the exhibition, while panelist advised that stakeholders to ride on the gains of INAC 2018 to synergies, add value to what they do by respecting their crafts, good packaging, targeting export markets and making use of internet to increase patronage.
The Gambian High Commissioner, His Excellency S. O. Taal who appreciated Runsewe’s achievements noted that China developed by going through cultural revolution first and praised the woman who delivered the paper and noted that the two important groups to carry along on any development should be Women and the youth.
More than twenty countries participated in the stakholders investment forum and the Bangladesh Commissioner invited participants to the INAC Bangladesh Day on November 24, 2018.
Oru Leonard 21/11/2018
