Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has urged management of the National Gallery of Arts (NGA) to assume a central role in actualising the vision of the government to make Nigeria a tourist paradise and culture goldmine by errecting a beffitting and functional gallery space and edifice for the collection, enhancement, preservation and presentation of visual art works and the hosting of art shows in all seasons.
He made the call on Tuesday when the management of the National Gallery of Arts paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Enugu.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, Ugwuanyi said that it has become necessary because “the existence of a gallery space and edifice will enable NGA to maximize its potentials ,since this essential infrastructure can house peculiar art works that both Nigerians and foreign tourists from a road the cultural divides can admire and appreciate.”
She said that for NGA to be able to contribute its quota to wealth creation , employment generation and economic transformation in Nigeria, it needs to be focused and adequately resourced knot only through official channels but also by leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) windows in the Nigerian corporate business sector for fund mobilization for its programmes and activities.
The Deputy governor implored the body to “creatively establish channels and platforms for improving it’s contribution to the general well being of visual artists in Nigeria. They are your babies and generally look up to you for sun
Ezeilo observed that ,”the core mandate of the National Gallery of Arts (NGA) is on visual arts that is creative art whose products are to be appreciated by sight, such as painting sculpture, drawing photography, ceramics architecture, crafts, printing, video, film- making , design. It means then that the work of National Gallery of Arts is designed to be a testament to the power of art and it’s connection to our national heritage.
” Through the exploration of various visual art themes, eras and artistic styles, the activities of your agency ,will serve as a lens through which we can learn about the history of Nigerian visual arts and out experience as a people .
” It’s a well known fact that for a long time in the history of our country the creative sector inclusive of the collection , reservation and presentation of modern Nigerian visual art has not been animated towards proper development , due largely to the seeming relunctance of government at all levels to cultivate enough political will to grow the sector through adequate le support.
She said that ,”the country has had to trail others in the global competition for bilateral and multilateral advantages that can be distrilled from cultural tourism and cultural diplomacy
According to her , ” Enugu State Government under the phenomenal leadership of His Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, can be said to have lived up to it’s irresponsibllities in cultivating , nurturing and growing the visual art culture industry in the state. As we all can see virtually, all the major roundabouts and corners in the State Capital Enugu and the other urban areas in the State are adorned with impressive usual art works, most, if not all, were produced by our indigenous visual artists .
Ezelio said that the state has sculptures at Ogui junction, Otigba roundabout and the Bisalla road junction, amongst others.”Infact, the latest addition to this array of visual art works doting various locations in the State Capital is the imposing Lion sculpture at the recently inugurated Enugu Unity Park.This sculpture is as tall as a rwo- storey building and has other engaging features that create lasting impressions for tourists.
“The beautiful thing is that the Unity Park Lion is the product of a local sculptor, a lecturer at the State government -owned polytechnic the Institute of Management and Technology(IMT), Enugu”,she said.
The Deputy governor said that “other steps that have been taken by the State government towards engineering the sustained growth of the visual art industry in the State but I will not fail to mention the government policy making fine and applied arts a key subject in all our secondary schools as a way of fostering early development of the art at talent among our children and youth population”.
Ezeilo thanked the management for the recent creation of their sSouth East zonal office based in Enugu .She assured them that the state government would continue to support ” the Enugu station and the zonal office as appropriate and as the need arises”
Earlier, the Director General, National Gallery of Arts, Ebetem Evera, thanked the state government for it’s support to NGA .
He said that the National Gallery of Arts, was established in Enugu in 2012, with the soul mandate of harnessing rich cultural values of Enugu and to take it to national level and beyond
He said that the National Gallery of Arts is a federal agency mandated to preserve and present visual Arts, painting, sculptures, ceramics, textile designs, drawings, and graphics in realisations of their mandate.
and that it has six zonal offices and state stations across the country.
The Director General said that galleries and musuem stimulate revenue generation , economic empowerment and job creation.
“Galleries and musuem had demonstrated ample capacities to generate income for the government and the people to see the works of Arts on display.”, he said.
He announced that the board of the NGA has approved the establishment of the south east zonal office in Enugu state.
The zonal office he said, is very strategic and would be responsible for overseeing the agency:s activities in the zone.
Avare thanked the State government for the support to the NGA and it’s Enugu state office and for appealed for allocation of land for it’s zonal office at Gulf estate.
In his remarks, the zonal coordinator of NGA, Chief Afam Edozie, said that Enugu state has a lot of Arts institutions and there are a lot of Artists in Enugu state and that’s why Enugu state host the zonal office of the national gallery of Arts.
Meanwhile, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) ,on Tuesday, held a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Enugu to discuss national issues and issues affecting the group.
The association, at the meeting, passed a vote of confidence on its national president, David Alabi, and his executive members.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the NEC meeting, (its 3rd rotational meeting) and signed by National Publicity Secretary and chairman, Enugu State ALGON, Hon. Solomon Onah.
The resolutions are as follows:
1. ALGON COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTRES
On the issue of the ALGON Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centres, the NEC expressed its dissatisfaction and displeasure with the Contractor over the limited and poor number of the projects executed across the country. NEC directed that the Contractor, Messrs Mathan Nigeria Limited should move back to site within One Week and that additional 300 PHCs should be completed, fully equipped and delivered to ALGON on or before the end of August, 2021. NEC equally reiterated that it will not hesitate to take necessary steps to enforce compliance by the Contractor.
2. 1999 CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT
NEC extends appreciation to all its Representatives during the submission of its Memoranda on the 1999 Constitution Amendment during the Zonal Public Hearing of Senate and the Federal House of Representatives. It hoped that favourable considerations would be given to the issues raised and also urged its members to continually engage Members of the States and National Assemblies. Amongst its key issues are Uniform 4 Year Tenure for Local Government Chairmen in Council, conduct of Local Government Elections as at when due, increase in Federation Account Allocation to Local Governments to 35.5% as well as abrogation of State and Local Government Joint Account. The NEC also supports the issue of State Police to curtail the rising insecurity challenges.
3. ANTI MULTIPLE TAXATION SCHEME (NAMTAXS) AND NATIONAL TRANSIT INSURANCE SCHEME (NATIS)
ALGON has taken the initiative of bringing to an end ‘Multiple Taxation of goods and services, and illegal road blocks across the country with National Anti Multiple Taxation Scheme (NAMTAXS) and National Transit Insurance Scheme (NATIS)’. This will optimally address food security challenges, reduce cost of goods and inflation in the country and strengthen the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Local Governments and Area Councils in collaboration with the States, Federal Government and their stakeholders. NEC is happy that the projects will seek to assemble all the road users and capture them into its tax net. NEC equally set up a five(5) man committee to properly harmonize all modalities for their take off and report back in two weeks for implementation.
4. CAPACITY BUILDING OF MEMBERS
On the sustainable paradigm shift to develop the capacity of members and collaborate with Local and International Agencies, NEC has approved continuous engagement with key stakeholders.
5. BROADCASTING OF ALGON ACTIVITIES
ALGON has engaged the services of BOOST COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED – owners of Clear View TV to broadcast the activities of the Association, using its platform in a program titled ‘ALGON Half Hour’.
6. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
A Vote Of Confidence was passed on the National President, Hon Kolade David Alabi, for his inclusive leadership by all Members of the National Executive Council (NEC) across the country.
