Aminu Bayero, the emir of Kano, has identified cultural tourism as one of the low-hanging fruits that the administration of President Bola Tinubu should leverage to re-engineer Nigeria’s ailing economy.
The emir said if the various idle cultural assets existing in the country were harnessed and adequately deployed, it would go a long way in generating the much-needed foreign exchange, as well as tackling the rising unemployment in the country.
Bayero, who made this observation while declaring open a one-month legacy of traditions cultural films festival currently ongoing in Kano, expressed the readiness of his emirate in this regard.
The emir expressed delight at the management of the ‘Legacy of Tradition, the initiator of the festival, which his Kano Emirate Council and Kano State government are partnering with the company host.
“I am delighted to grace the opening of this event- Legacy of Traditions Cultural Films Festival which is a product of an individual who is passionate about the preservation of one of our prime cultural activities, the Durbar.
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“I wish to particularly, commend Nere Emiko, of the Legacy of Traditions, and his team, who are the brain behind this historic event, which is being hosted by their company in partnership with the Kano Emirate Council, and the state government.
“I am happy to note that the efforts to develop Durbar as cultural tourism is already having tremendous impact on the social and economic well-being of the people of our state.
“Apart from the intangible and tangible benefits derivable from cultural tourism, it could also be deployed as a tool for creating employment for the teeming number of young Nigerians”, he stated.
Bayero called on other Nigerians to follow the example of the management of Legacy of Traditions, and compliment the various levels of government in the country, in the development of other idle potential of the nation that can bring economic fulfilments.
Earlier, Abdullahi Lamido Sanusi, chairman of the organising committee of the event, who is also a traditional titleholder in Kano emirate royal council, said that the festival was the climax of the various events organised to mark this year’s Ramadan (Sallah) celebration.
Delivering her address, Nere Emiko, director, Legacy of Traditions, said that the festival was initiated as an attempt to place Nigeria`s cultural endowments on the global cultural tourism map.
She said that Nigeria was gifted with many legacy cultural properties that can be conserved, and preserved going into the future, adding that many of the films to be screened at the festival bothering on Nigerian cultural heritages, had been screened at the UNESCO international headquarters, in Paris, France.
“One of the main goals of the film festival, and cultural exhibition which is going to be mounted here at Ado Bayero Mall for one month, is to enable many of the visitors who are constrained during the colourful Durbar held to mark the end of the Ramadan at emir, is that they can come here and have a feel of it.
“During the one month that the films would be screened, many of the award-winning films shoot across the country, such as ‘The Art We Wear’ ‘Alajoota, ‘Ayan Agalu’ ‘Zuru Emirate, ‘Iwereland’ Cure Salee’, Nupe’ Egungun’ Itsekiri, Durbar’, Omidan’ The Mysteries of the Afi Forest’ Fala’ The Ancient City’, are going to be shown for free.”
