The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has restated federal government’s determination to leverage on the country’s creative industry to diversify the economy and provide millions of jobs to the youths.
Favourable policy and ideal environment have been put in place by the government to ensure that the industry thrives, hence in no distant time, the effects will be felt, he said.
According to a statement sent to Blueprint by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Adeyemi, the minister stated this at the weekend in Yauri, Kebbi state, at the 2020 Annual Yauri Regatta and Cultural Festival.
He said the creative industry, which currently employs one million people, has the capacity to employ millions more if it is well packaged and marketed.
He commended the government of Kebbi state for reviving the two-centuries-old Yauri Regatta Festival last year, after a four-decade of inactivity.
“First, permit me to congratulate the government and people of Kebbi state in general and the people of the Emirate Council of Yauri in particular for sustaining this very rich cultural festival, the Yauri Regatta Festival, which dates back many decades. Thanks to the passion and commitment of His Excellency, Gov. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and the Emirate Council, this festival has continued to occupy a prominent place in the annals of festivals in Nigeria, attracting people from far and near.
“I am glad to know that after a hiatus of almost forty years, the festival has come back with a big bang,” he said.
According to him, the magnificence of the festival has earned it a pride of place in the Calendar of National Festivals, which is in the final stage of being published by his ministry.
“The essence of this is for tourists, both domestic and international, to be aware so
they can plan their attendance ahead. I have no doubt that when the Calendar is finally unveiled, the Yauri Regatta Festival will occupy a pride of place in it,” he said.
He said his ministry has made it a policy to support the nation’s numerous festivals by not only attending them, but by also helping to raise their profile through massive publicity.
