Benin — It was revealed yesterday that the Edo State government has threatened to take countries like the United States, Britain and others to the International Court of Justice at the Hague if they refused to return stolen relic from the state.

This was revealed at a press briefing when the Edo State commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Vincent Akhere spoke on the upcoming international cultural festival tagged EdoFEST. The cultural festival is organised in a bid to promote cultural revival in the country.

Speaking further, the commissioner said the legal action was in order to recover the rich cultural heritage and values of the Edo State indigenes.

He also disclosed that the state was sponsoring a bill to the State House of Assembly for the official recognition of 184 cultural and historical sites in the state.

"The essence of this is to ensure that those sites become globally recognised for international sponsorships if the UNESCO, Ford Foundation, British Council and others can officially recognise the sites as world heritage sites".

Saying that the systematic cultural revival programme of the state was deliberately planned , the commissioner said it was part of economic revival strategy of the state government. "The Edo Festival can be likened to an economic bailout for the youth of the state.

"About 10,000 foreign visitors are being expected at the Edo Festival. Already, the governor has approved N100million for the rehabilitation of the Cultural Centre while other venues of the festival are also undergoing rehabilitation," he said.

He said Edo indigenes in the diaspora would also partake in the December 13 fiesta. "We are reaching out to sons and daughters of the state, corporate organisations and the international community on the success of the festival.

The sponsorship of the festival will be on a private public partnership because of the competing demands on the finances of the state. We are reaching out to Edo State personalities like Chief Tony Anenih, Ifieko Omoighui, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma and his wife Daisy, Steve Oronsanye, Dr Raymond Dokpesi, among several others for their endorsements and goodwill."

Akhere dislosed that a N150million fund-raising event would soon be launched to generate enough funds for the festival.

Another event planned in line with the upcoming festival is the forthcoming book launch on the Benin monarch, Omonoba Ereiduwa that chronicles his 30 years on the throne.