Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, the Director, Institute for African Culture and International Understanding (IACIU), a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Category II institute, has asserted the significance of exploring Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and tourism resources to drive national development.

Okebukola made the assertion in his welcome remarks during a workshop hosted by
IACIU on “Identifying and Harnessing Cultural and Tourism Potentials for National Development” at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Tuesday.

The director of IACIU, which is a Category II Institute of UNESCO
primarily saddled with the responsibility of creating awareness and sensitising people on the need to protect, promote and preserve cultural heritages in line with the ideals and Provisions of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on Promotion and Protection of Diversity of Cultural Expressions,

noted that “cultural diversity and tourism are increasingly recognised as key drivers of economic growth and development, and that it is imperative to tap into these resources to boost national revenue.”

Experts at the workshop, drawn from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, brainstormed and eventually unanimously asserted that there was a need for active collaboration between relevant stakeholders in the areas of culture and tourism and the appropriate establishments of government.

They also discussed the importance of technology in promoting cultural diversity and inclusion, stressing the need for youth engagement in cultural preservation and promotion, and sharing innovative strategies for unlocking cultural and tourism potentials.

The experts explained ways to leverage digital platforms to showcase Nigeria’s cultural heritage and empower young people to take ownership of their cultural identity and develop sustainable tourism initiatives.

The discussants at the event, who included National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Abeokuta and its environs, after exhaustive deliberations, came up with recommendations on how cultural and tourism potentials can be harnessed to promote national development.

They recommended that relevant stakeholders should endeavor to empower youths to take ownership of their cultural identity, and not allow a situation where their own culture will be relegated to the background, as they should bear in mind that no one culture is superior to another, and that culture is a manifestation of identities that differentiate one group from another.

The discussants called on relevant authorities to harness cultural and tourism resources, develop infrastructure and amenities, encourage collaboration between stakeholders, and showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage to the world.
They also suggested the development of a cultural and tourism policy, and the provision of funding and support for cultural and tourism initiatives.

In his closing remarks, the Convener, Ambassador Adebola Labiran, expressed gratitude to the participants and emphasised that the outcome of the workshop would be compiled and forwarded to relevant authorities for consideration and action when formulating policies pertaining to national development.

He urged all stakeholders to work together to harness Nigeria’s cultural and tourism potentials for the benefit of all and sundry.