OGUN State Emerges Overall Winner of International Cultural Expo
Ogun State has continued to blaze the trail as it’s contingents to the just concluded 16th edition of International Arts and Crafts (INAC) Expo, held in Abuja emerged first in four different events at the Expo.
The event which has twenty eight participating countries and twenty states showcased the State as a benchmark in socio-cultural heritage promotions thereby emerging the overall best State at the international Expo.
Fielding questions from newsmen at the end of the 3- day event, Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe, admonished Nigerians, home and in the diaspora to continue promoting the country’s rich cultural crafts and heritages, adding that the essence of the International event was to change the narratives at the global market that Nigeria is a safe place for foreign investment.
“Over 28 Countries ,20 states participated at this event with lots of Non-Governmental Organizations as well as Ambassadors of different countries, this is to tell you that Nigeria is truly open for investment and investors can come in. What happened here with this Expo today is to tell you Nigeria is safe and we are in harmony with each other”. Runsewe emphasized.
The Director -General thereafter charged States and participants to leverage on the opportunities and connections created by the event to attract more investors into the cultural sector of their states.
Also speaking at the event Chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon.Prince Segun Kaka expressed delight at the state’s victory acknowledging that the state had won this position consecutively for almost five years, a feat he attributed to the constant support and promotion of the State creative and cultural sector by the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration.
His words, “we have shown readiness in tapping and utilising the advantages of these socio-cultural celebrations ,as well as tapping into the strength of the socio- cultural activities of other states in the country to hype the economic development of the ministry and state at large. We have negotiated connections here with other states and with the constant support of the governor, the cultural sector of the State would maintain the benchmark”.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Oluwatosin Oloko commended the State government for giving the Ministry an environment to thrive and exhibit the potentials inherent in the Ministry as well as the contingents.
Oloko added that the event would go a long way to boost the cultural economy of the State as well as place it on the world map, adding that with the continued support of the State government, the team would perform better in subsequent events.
It would be recalled that Ogun has sustained the position of overall best winner at the INAC Expo consecutively for almost five years and has yet achieved the great feat as well as charting home four awards which are ; The first position award for overall best exhibitor ,first position in best product design textiles/ fabrics /fashion / embroidery; first position in the special award for state day as well as the most enterprising exhibitor.