By Anote
Ajeluorou
The
Pan-African Culture and Tourism Festival, PANAFEST, had its second outing last
week at MUSON Centre, Lagos, with eminent personalities drawn from three West
African countries and beyond. What resonated at the colloquium and exhibition
was the commitment by stakeholders to use Africa’s vibrant culture and tourism
potentials to bridge the socio-economic and political gap amongst peoples of the
continent.
WHEN Nigeria’s Taiwo and
Kehinde Oluwafunsho, twins with an untiring spirit, had inspiration to summon
people of African descent to a town hall meeting to celebrate their richly
endowed culture as tool to promote their culture and tourism, little did they
know how far-reaching their novel idea would go. At the hugely decorated Shell
Hall of MUSON Centre, Thursday, last week, the immensity of their pan-African
cultural feast played itself out in multi-colours. PANAFEST now alternates its
activities between Nigeria and Ghana. The Ghana edition of the festival holds
in July.
The guest list
was an impressive fusion of political and cultural heavy-weights from across
divides. In attendance were former Commonwealth Secretary, Chief Emeka Anyaoku;
Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; his deputy, Titilayo Laoye-Tomori;
Ghana High Commissioner in Nigeria, Alhaji Abdulkareem; Trinidad and Tobago
High Commissioner, Nyahuma Mentuhotep Obika; The Gambia High Commissioner, Mrs.
Angela B. Colley; Oba Gbenga Sonuga; Chief Frank Okonta; mater print maker,
Bruce Onobrakpeya; renowned artiste, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett; and Prof. Ropo Sekoni
among others.
In setting the tone for the festival colloquium, the organisers, Taiwo and Kehinde
Oluwafunso, said the festival was a cultural event that came into being in
Ghana and designed for the enhancement of Africa, with the gathering of the
best brains on the continent to chart new visions for Africa through robust
debates.
They stressed that integration of the
continent was key to its future and development quest and tasked leaders to
take immediate action in using culture and tourism as effective tools to drive
the continent’s growth.
They argued that it was not enough to knock on doors of foreign institution
donors to beg for money if only Africa could apply itself to processes of
economic development by looking inwards and harnessing available local ideas
and resources. They said now, more than ever before, had the need for Africa’s
integration, tourism, and rebirth become imperative for the continent’s future.
With African Economic and Social Integration, the
Experience of Ghana and Nigeria as theme, it was clear the festival was out
to set a clear mandate that would take Africa from the backwoods of
under-development.
Also, with Trinidad and Tobago High
Commissioner in attendance, PANAFEST would seem to have its eyes set on the
over 250 million Africans in the Diaspora as a potent force in the
transformation that the continent must make to reinvent itself.
Africa’s economic woes
FOR keynote speaker,
Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State, Africa’s economic woes was traceable to the
continent’s checkered history of slave trade, colonialism, post- and
neo-colonialism and the unending political crises that continue to bedevil it.
A combination of these, he stated, had pushed the continent to a marginal
position from which it must break free. He noted that concrete action was
needed to reverse the continent’s disadvantageous position in the era of global
capitalism so Africa could be better served.
Aregbesola
posited, “As things are, Africa is delinked from the world in many respects,
more importantly in economic terms, which means it is largely disconnected from
the many benefits that accrue from the process of economic globalisation.
“I’m an unrepentant advocate of regional integration. It is commonsensical, for
instance, that the contiguous states of the South West maximise their proximity
to Lagos and take a huge chunk of the sprawling city’s N3.5 billion daily food
market. Given our common history, culture and heritage, it is in our interest
to cooperate maximally in the diverse areas of economy, education,
infrastructure, arts and culture, and social interactions.
“The first stage of integration is progressive political platform. This is why
the progressive states of the South West were quick to embrace, promote and
work towards regional integration the moment they came to power. It is our
vision to re-enact the regional economic integration framework, which
effectively enhanced great socio-economic developments of the autonomous
regions of First Republic.”
On his part, guest of honour, Anyaoku, who flew into the country just to attend
the festival, commended PANAFEST initiative, and noted its significance to the
continent’s quest for a better future. He noted, “people often forget that
human history began in Africa; it’s been proven through historical evidence.
The history of our continent is the history of the world, but it is regarded as
the least one to be developed. Our generation that is passing away for a new
one is looking up to it to make Nigeria what Nigeria should be. I’m very
encouraged by the integration in the South West zone of Nigeria. It’s a great
example for the rest of the country.
“If our country is to realise the hopes of our founding fathers, we need to
restructure our existing structures of governance. We need true federalism. The
kind of federalism we practice today cannot develop this country the way we
want it. We must go back to the six units. The example of the South West
regional integration should set the pace for this country.
“Ghana has been
one of the beacons for this continent; successive governments have kept
Nkrumah’s flame alive. We all must keep the flame alive. I wish the organisers
every success.”
Tourism in The Gambia
HIGH Commissioner of The
Gambia, Colley, in recounting her country’s tourism development infrastructure,
would seem to be indicting Nigeria that was yet to decide what to do in that
regard. And Nigeria’s inaction in taking the lead would later infuriate
Trinidad and Tobago High Commissioner, who was to express his dissatisfaction
with the abandoned and undeveloped slavery sites in Badagry.
Commending theorganisers,
Madam Colley said, “We are here to add our weight in organisers’ endeavour to
put the African culture back to its rightful place. The legacy of slavery and
colonialism had kept us at odds with our true history, cultural identity and
prevented unity and growth amongst our people and within the continent. PANAFEST
is trying to address the most traumatic interruptions that ever occurred in the
natural evolution of Africa societies, which among other forms of trauma,
profoundly eroded our self-determination, esteem and freedom.
“But what the
festival is doing is not only creating an environment for a productive healing
process for those whose ancestors where taken away from the continent years ago
to re-unite and forge a positive future in the present dispensation of global
development, but PANAFEST is also celebrating the strength and resilience of
Africa’s culture and achievements of Africans in spite of the Trans-Atlantic
Slave Trade, colonialism and their aftermath”.
With a population
of only 1.7 million people, Colley said, The Gambia is a multi-cultural country
with a vibrant tourism industry, widely referred to as ‘The Smiling Coast of
Africa’. Among the heritage sites that The Gambia boasts include Kunta Kinteh
Island, formerly known as James Island, the Stone Circles in Wassu, the Slave
House in Janjangbureh and Fort Bullen in Barra.
Two biennial
cultural festivals celebrated in The Gambia are designed to bridge the gap
between Africa and sons and daughters of Africa stolen during the Slave Trade
era. Colley said the first one is known as ‘Roots Homecoming Festival’, “which
creates the opportunity for people of African descent to further discover,
re-affirm and re-embrace their ancestral identity as well as enjoy the
tranquility of The Gambian environment.
“The second one
is the ‘Kanilai International Festival’, which has been gaining momentum since
its inception a decade ago. It creates opportunity for Africans and those of
African descent from all over the globe to unite as a people, share their cultural
talents, appreciate each other’s cultural values in an effort to foster better
understanding among nations and peoples in order for us to live in peace”. She
extended the invitation of The Gambian Government to organisers of PANAFEST to
these two festivals in her country.
Pilgrimage to Ile-Ife
STILL on maximasing the
abundant tourism potentials in Nigeria, Aregbesola lamented the neglect the
sector had suffered in the country, and said it was indefensible that such a
valuable economic resource should suffer such dire fate. He stated that Osun
State has mapped out a tourism policy soon to be implemented as a viable
economic tool to generate employment and wealth creation. His approach, if
implemented, has the potential of causing a revolution in tourism industry in
the country.
According to him,
“It’s quite ironic that tourism, one of the most auspicious industries on the
African continent, has not been fully explored to the level that it can be used
as part of the resources with which the continent can trade itself out of
poverty, as is the case with the many countries in America, Europe and Asia.
“Consequently, we
have designed a practicable culture and tourism policy whose main objective is
to attract the attention of the world as well as making tourism a worthwhile
venture. We are developing the tourist attractions in the state because we want
to attract investments there. We have identified about 67 notable tourist sites
and monuments for this business.
“Ile-Ife alone as
the spiritual origin of the Yoruba people is being packaged for pilgrimage by
millions of Diaspora Yoruba people in West Africa, the Americas, Caribbean and
Europe. We are putting infrastructure in place to make it worthwhile for all.
The point has been made repeatedly that tourism can help stem the tide of
poverty, preserve Africa’s cultural heritage, provide employment for its
increasingly large army of unemployed youth, create long-lasting opportunities
for entrepreneurship and promote stability”.
Aregbesola
restated his conviction that Africa has the capacity to reinvent itself from
the position of a marginalised continent to one that can “transform itself,
unite its peoples, and contribute quite significantly to the development of
world economy. What is required is visionary leadership that will encourage the
formation of useful economic ties and harness the huge available potentials for
development of our various interests…
“The role of a
nation like Nigeria is to lead the sub-region, lead Africa and the Diaspora. We
must rework Nigeria into meeting its historic duty. Nothing lacking outside of
leadership for Nigeria to take the historic role of taking Africa to the next
level of development”.
HIGH Commissioner of
Trinidad and Tobago, Obika, a Diaspora African, could not understand why Africa
has continued to wear the tag of under-development in spite of its huge
potentials in material and human resources. With a population of just about 1.2
million people, Obika said his country has long mastered the oil and gas industry
and wondered why Nigeria could not power itself on its abundant oil and gas
resources. He stressed the need for Nigeria to develop its infrastructure and
strengthen intra-regional trade.
Obika noted that
with a population of about 250 million people, Africa’s Diaspora could emerge
as a regional power in the world, and enjoined Africa to position itself
properly to benefit from such huge economic block. Obika affirmed that Africa’s
children in the Diaspora had not deserted the continent, but stressed that
Africa needed to move forward with its Diaspora people.
With an
overwhelming passion in his voice that rose in cadence, Obika declared, “My
heart bled when I paid a visit to Badagry recently. Something needs to be done
about the historical sites in Badagry. We have to take back control of our
history. We cannot allow the historical sites in Badagry to be left unattended
to”.
WHILE responding to the
colloquium theme, Onobrakpeya and Sonuga restated the place of culture in a
people’s life as a viable tool for integration, unity and peace. They both
stressed Africa’s historic place as the cradle of world’s civilization, and
charged the continent to shake off the negative tag given it by the West and be
determined to forge ahead as a people with a common identity, with one destiny!
Performances and
exhibition
OSUN Cultural Troupe
opened proceedings with a dance performance and drumming. The performance from
Lagos State Cultural Troupe thrilled the audience, with the theatrics of the
dancer with a bottle balanced on his head. Jojo Beats, too, thrilled with his
eccentric beating on his cheeks and mouth to produce a unique xylophonic sound
and rhythm.
With his beats,
he got the Yoruba audience, especially the elderly ones, to respond to the folk
songs he pelted out, as he beat his cheeks to produce the rhythm in a manner
similar to the talking drums. Aregbesola was so enthralled that he made him a
discrete donation.
Murhi Amulepoja
also did his chants. The duo of Exodus also did their stuff before the fashion
parade took place. Art and crafts makers, who were mainly girls, showed off the
beauty of locally, hand-made and hand-woven fabrics of adire, aso oke
and others. It was a graceful moment that showed that the power of Africa
textiles that had long been neglected for foreign ones. Lere Paimo, too,
thrilled with his African, earthy rhythms. When he fetched the young protégé he
is nurturing to the microphone, everyone recognised a child-prodigy in the
making; his pulsating vocal power and inflexion gripped the audience that
applauded non-stop.
Performances from
ATM and Sky also spiced up the festival. Although handicapped, Sky’s velvety,
R&B voice got the audience rocking on its seat, as he gyrated and stumped
to the power and passion of the American R&B music he mimed.
Eventually,
dignitaries were conducted round the exhibition stand of assorted artworks on
display. They ranged from sculptural pieces, bronze and clay works, painting,
textiles of various make – adire, batik, aso oke and other hand woven materials,
both ready-made dresses and those yet to be made.
INDEED,
the duo of Taiwo and Kehinde Oluwafunsho, pulled off a remarkable cultural
fiesta. Although held indoors, it did not weaken the spectacle expected of a
festival, especially with a colloquium from which unique ideas of growth were
spawn.
No comments:
Post a Comment