By Mike Adebayo, Ado-Ekiti
As part of the preparations for the forthcoming National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), which would be hosted by Ekiti State Government, the Technical Meeting of Chief Executives of Culture will be held in Ado-Ekiti between Monday 2nd and Friday 6th August, 2021.
A member of one of the Committees set up to facilitate the success of the programme, who prefers anonymity, explained that the Technical Meeting is part of the activities lined up to enhance the quality of the national programme.
He said that has been the tradition that has so far sustained the quality of the National Festival. The Technical Meeting is said to be the avenue through which past festivals are reviewed and necessary issues are proactively addressed. Participants at such meetings include Honourable Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the Arts and Culture Ministries across the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.
Earlier in March this year, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe had visited Ekiti State to inspect the facilities in place for the Festival. According to a source within the Ekiti State Ministry of Culture, the NCAC boss and his team were impressed. Otunba Segun Runsewe was said to have marvelled at the massive infrastructure already in place.
While inaugurating a high-powered Organizing Committee, the Executive Governor, Kayode Fayemi promised to support the Ministry towards a unique hosting of the annual event. Fayemi enumerated the efforts of his administration towards developing the culture and tourism sector of the State during his first tenure. He also took time to keep the NCAC officials and others that were present abreast of efforts currently being made towards the retrieval of all that were lost to the 4 years of inactivity in the sector during the last administration.
The Ekiti State Honourable Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Professor Rasaki Ojo-Bakare highlighted the achievements of the Ministry since 2018 when Governor Fayemi regained the mantle of political leadership in Ekiti State.
The Calabar-trained Professor of Dance and Choreography explained that the outstanding performance of the State Contingent in NAFEST 2020, hosted by Plateau State, was a great testimony to the massive support being received from the State Government. Such support could only come from someone who understands the importance of culture and someone truly sincere about its promotion and development.
While receiving the Hosting Certificate, Fayemi assured the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) that everything necessary would be done to achieve a more memorable NAFEST. He said members of the Local Organizing Committees were carefully selected because of their track records. He however charged the LOC members to work hard towards achieving the best edition of NAFEST.
Ekiti State, since its creation, would be hosting NAFEST for the first time. The Festival, which according to an inside source, would be held between 13th and 20th of November, 2021 is expected to witness more participation than the previous ones held in Edo and Plateau States in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Some of the arguments espoused include the fact that Governor Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi are ardent believers that cultural development is a potential tool for an all-round societal development. Both the Governor and his wife have contributed immensely to the repositioning of the sector since their emergence in Ekiti State politics and their eventual assumption of the mantle of leadership.
Erelu Fayemi was the chairperson of a strategic forum which set the developmental template for Arts, Culture and Tourism in the State in 2011. The proponents of this argument believe that Erelu Fayemi would stop at nothing to ensure the Ekiti edition of NAFEST is a world-class.
Another argument centers on the fact that Governor Kayode Fayemi, being the Chairman of the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum would mobilize his colleagues to support their State Contingents to participate in the Festival. The level of participation would reflect the level of influence the host Governor, the Chairman of NGF, enjoys within the forum.
This view holds that Governor Fayemi is a great influencer and the most respected Governor in Nigeria who would mobilize the support of other governors to fund their contingents for active participation in Ekiti 2021.
The plausibility of the above perspectives notwithstanding, the level of participation by States in NAFEST 2021, no doubt, would be a reflection of the commitment of Government in each State towards NAFEST and its potentials to fulfil the purposes for which it was created as a post-civil war strategy to unify the nation.
Ekiti State cultuture matters correspondent, Oyin-Oluwa Abiona said that both the new and conventional media have already been agog with both audio and audio-visual advertorials of the NAFEST Technical Meeting. She added that necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure that participants at the Technical Meeting truly have a fulfilling experience while in the State.
Aside from the security agencies who are already marking out strategies to increase security watch and secure all roads connecting the State with other neighbouring States, some hotels in the State have also confirmed that the Ministry has contacted them and requested for hotel reservation for a number of guests.
Judging by the relative peace and security in Ekiti State, the State is currently one of the most suitable venues for national programmes. While waiting for the take off of NAFEST activities.