Adie Vanessa Offiong
5 October 2008
All is set for the 22nd edition of National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST), which will kick off in Enugu from October 4 to 11. Speaking to newsmen after a facility tour in Enugu, Mr. M.M. Maidugu assured participants and stakeholders that all in is in top form to host the event.
While appreciating Enugu State for accepting to be host, he said the acceptance will give the state the opportunity to showcase its tourism potentials, its people and culture and all that the state has to showcase to the world.
The Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, on his part said he has been enthusiastic about the event ever since Enugu was chosen as the host state. He said "We have put in place the local organising committee which is working round the clock to ensure that the exercise is hitch-free and to make NAFEST 2008 a memorable event.
"Hotel Presidential will be the centre of activities. The performances will take place in the cinema and outside of the hotel will house the pavilion for the exhibition. I think we are on course."
As regards the State's preparedness towards accommodation, particularly of participants and other logistics, he acknowledged that they were being taken care of. He said they have selected very good schools that have good accommodation for artists and they assured that artists would be comfortable.
Earlier in his address, the Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, who represented the Minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, said NAFEST has since undergone several transformations and has over time, become a creativity fair aimed at unity, oneness and cultural identity of Nigeria.
He said, "It is designed to serve as an index for cultural, marketing and exchange of ideas as well as a forum for talent hunt, exposition of indigenous skills and harnessing them for contemporary usage."
Dr. Hong said, "With the theme, Culture and the Challenges of Our Time: Promoting Nigeria Dress Culture, the country's march towards productive economy will be addressed. The theme calls for the need to imbibe the culture of using made-in-Nigeria products, which the nation's dress culture has a lot to offer."
He emphasised that this year's theme was chosen to showcase the country's abundant textiles and designs as well as the creativity and talent in the nation's fashion industry as the focus on the theme would serve to open new vistas of opportunity in the textile and design industry.
He called on all stakeholders, especially the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), Textile Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, among others to take seriously the challenge facing the industry to resuscitate the fast fading local dress culture.
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