Delicacies of culture in the food basket

The Oyo State troupe performing during the
choral music segment of the festival.

It was a thrilling array of Nigeria’s culture, art and craft at the 21st edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST 2007), concluded at the weekend in Makurdi, Benue State, reports Akintayo Abodunrin.

“AH! these Bayelsa women can do that thing,” exclaimed Serah, a Tiv girl captivated by the Owigiri (waist dance) of the Bayelsa State contingent during the march past involving participating states at the opening ceremony of the 21st edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST 2007), concluded at the weekend in Makurdi, Benue State.

Until the colourful march past held on Wednesday at the IBB Square, Makurdi, finished, Serah and her three friends kept running commentaries on the uniqueness of each contingent as they filed past, applauding whenever anything caught their attention. Being the first time Benue hosted the festival, indigenes of the state were thrilled by the colourful attires, music and dance showcased during the opening ceremony they turned out in droves to watch.

And as it was on the opening day, so it was throughout the duration of the festival as the people daily converged on the sprawling and impressive Aminu Isah Arts Theatre Complex which facilities among others include an indoor and outdoor theatre where majority of the NAFEST activities were held. Probably because the states could not fully express themselves at last year’s edition of the festival hosted by Bayelsa State but aborted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo following the Airforce plane crash that claimed the lives of 13 army generals, Makurdi 2007 witnessed a large turnout of states with only Cross River and Kebbi staying away.

Besides, an international dimension was added to this year’s festival as the National Troupe of Ethiopia participated in the march past and offered a special performance during the opening ceremony. Of course, the intellectual aspect of the festival, the colloquium session where stakeholders discuss issues related to the festival theme held. Professors Akinwumi Isola, Pita Ejiofor and Ben Ekanem, Odia Ofeimun, Mrs. Modupe Adelaja and others delivered papers on the theme of the festival “Culture, Job Creation and Youth Empowerment”

Thus, it was a week of exciting indigenous music/dance; drama; food fair; traditional wrestling; choral music; ayo; traditional boxing and traditional furnished apartment, every moment of which participants and Benue people, who made money trading in and around the cultural ground savoured, though at a price. Due to the high incidence of violent crimes in the state, the governor, Honourable Gabriel Suswam had banned motorcycle operators (Okada) from operating in the state after 8.00p.m. and this invariably affected movement of people at the festival as some of the activities held late into the night.

Specifically, the restriction in movement of okada made some participants and officials whose lodgings was far from the main festival ground at the cultural centre suffer hardship that wouldn’t have been if the governor had officially relaxed the law during the duration of the festival. Nonetheless, some of the okada operators still operated but inflated their fare, alleging that some men of the state’s police command harassed them.

However, this took nothing away from the cultural festival declared opened by the nation’s president, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who had declared his administration’s commitment to the promotion of culture and tourism the week before at the grand finale of the Osun Osogbo festival. At the opening , President Yar’Adua affirmed the government’s stance on culture and how NAFEST has been promoting unity in Nigeria.

“I wish to note with great delight that NAFEST, since its inception in 1970, has progressively served its objectives of promoting national unity and national consciousness, in addition to contributing in tapping and developing the talents, innovation and creativity of our budding artistes”, President Yar’Adua, who the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), represented at the occasion stated.

The president said that in pursuit of policies and programmes that will aid the ailing economy, and that aware of the contributions of culture and tourism in fast tracking the growth of the country’s economy, he would support the sector: “I will therefore continue to give impetus to all activities in the culture and tourism sub sector of our economy to improve its viability, sustenance and serve as basis for empowerment, wealth creation and self reliance,” he stressed.

President Yar’Adua, who further promised government’s continuous support to the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism and all its parastatals enjoined the private sector to partner with government to maximally tap resources that abound in the culture and tourism sector. He confessed that he was encouraged by the theme of the festival because it was “deliberately designed as support to the efforts of the Federal Government Reform Programme aimed at empowering our teeming youths and equipping them with appropriate skills to create jobs for themselves as artiste(s)”.

The president advised participants that rather than seeing their participation in the festival as a jamboree, it is “an avenue for serious talent hunt, and training which could elevate them to become world stars in their chosen artistic field.” He appreciated the Benue State governor and people of the state for hosting the festival and charged Nigerians that “Let us all resolve to live and support our culture which is the bedrock of our identity and development.”

In his address presented by the Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, Prince Kayode revealed that the choice of Benue State as host of this year’s NAFEST was informed by the achievements and successes the state has recorded in the promotion of arts and culture at national and international levels. Echoing the President’s words that NAFEST is not a jamboree but a serious venture aimed at developing the culture sector, Kayode noted that the festival “is not about songs or dance but a serious avenue for skill development, career identification and promoting and protecting the best of our cultural heritage and above all, a source for national integration and national unity”.

He said the theme “Culture, Job Creation and Youth Empowerment” anchored on two of President Yar’Adua’s seven point agenda was borne out of his ministry’s desire to contribute to making the nation’s economy one of the top 20 nations of the world by 2020.

At the ceremony attended by Minister of State for Education I, Dr. Jerry Agada, who is also from Benue State; chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism and his deputy, Senators Bako Gassol and Brimoh Yussuf; chairman, House Committee on Culture and Tourism, Honourable Mercy Almona represented by his vice, Honourable Dobi; Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Sulaiman Dedefo; Ambassador Segun Olusola; officials of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), led by its Executive Director and Festival Director, Mr. Mwajim Malgwi Maidugu; states commissioners of culture; states directors of culture and officials of the Benue State government, governor of Benue State, Honourable Gabriel Suswam, saluted the organizers for choosing the state because it is the home of culture.

He underscored the importance of culture and noted that “without culture, humanity is doomed for it is through culture that a society rediscovers itself by linking the totality of its values, environment, language, education and technology to achieve the much desired development”. Stressing the importance of the theme, the governor said it was apt because culture is the most important industry Africa exports to the West. He cited the home video and music industries as example and noted that the culture industry is already generating income for stakeholders but that it could do better.

Subsequently, rain which some interpreted as blessing to the festival and which lasted about an hour started. Generally, save hiccups like the late commencement of some events, inadequate accommodation facilities for participating states, inadequate lighting and the poor sanitary conditions of the festival ground, NAFEST 2007 was an activity filled event participants savoured. Apart from the offerings of drama, music and wrestling from participating states, the command performance of Iba by the National Troupe of Nigeria which proposed trip to the United States was postponed, was a highpoint of the festival. Lead by its Artistic Director, Dr. Ahmed Yerima, the troupe’s performance was scintillating. Enthralled by what he saw, Denja Abdulahi, General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), simply said “it was great”.

And the winners are
After days of fun and toil, Nasarawa State emerged overall winner at this year’s NAFEST and went home with the Golden Gong, the most prestigious prize at the festival. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Benue came second and third respectively.

In the drama category, Kwara state came first and was followed by Nasarawa and Akwa Ibom.

For choral music, it was Imo, Nasarawa and the FCT.

The big wrestler from Kano won gold while that of Rivers came second. Ogun and Nasarawa states tied for the third position.

In the traditional furnished apartment competition, the FCT was first, Benue was second and Akwa Ibom came third.