How arts and culture can promote national development
The colonial policy of discouraging the growth and development of indigenous skills is mostly responsible for Africa’s state of technological backwardness. As s a result, there is a disconnect between real deployment of resources and technology to create things – goods and services to drive economic development. Culture is not just about the different attires, […]
The colonial policy of discouraging the growth and development of indigenous skills is mostly responsible for Africa’s state of technological backwardness. As s a result, there is a disconnect between real deployment of resources and technology to create things – goods and services to drive economic development.
Culture is not just about the different attires, people wear and the various dances they exhibit, it is about how the people are able to achieve what they did using their creativity. Societal growth and development is therefore hinged on creativity and innovation and the idea is to be creative, to always come up with something new and better.
The need to base our economic and industrial development on our indigenous cultural industries have overtime been stressed at different fora as well as in books written by numerous scholars. The central objective of these scholarly exploits is to espouse creative initiatives and innovative insights into the challenges and opportunities that abound in our environment and to take up the human and professional challenges accordingly.
Research findings have variously traced Africa’s Development crises to the absence of cultural components in policy formulation and execution. African culture enthusiast, erudite scholar and cultural administrator extra-ordinaire, currently Head, History Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Dr. Sule Bello has this to say in a paper titled: “ Engendering Creativity for Nigeria’s Economic Development: Perspectives on the Role of Nigeria’s Arts and Crafts Sector”, presented at the Investment Forum of the 2nd edition of the African Arts and Crafts Expo in June 2009, ‘Social development is anchored in human creativity expressed in the capacity of human beings to produce knowledge about itself and its environment as well as fabricate tools, and other material goods in addition to creating and recreating the social, political and economic conditions of their own existence. Art is the foundation of human creativity and defines all aspects of its productive output. Crafts, in this regard refer to the artistic skills and dexterity (invention, design, plan and execution) informing manufacturing or the processes involved in the production of articles from their primary stages to finished goods either by hand or machinery. Dr. Bello further stated that, “Crafts as creative technological activities and processes are not, and cannot be restricted to any particular form of individual, social or technical expression of any specific craftworks”. He concluded by saying that ‘the usual and erroneous presentation of Third World arts and crafts as ‘traditional’ in opposition to dynamic ought therefore be seen as attempts to ossify and truncate their technological processes in favour of those of their colonizers”.
One of the scholars that was actively engaged in the research and writings on ‘African Culture’ was the late Professor P. J. Shea of the Department of History, Bayero University, Kano. Professor Shea’s research works on Africa’s Cultural Tradition were many and varied but for the purpose of this article, I will discuss the example of ‘Turkudi’, a textile material from the ancient city of Kano that has survived through generations but is today a dying heritage.
In a paper titled “Treasuring Turkudi: Tomorrow Is Too Late”, presented at the ‘NAFEST 2003 Colloquium’, Prof. Shea posits that “some of the most beautiful and valuable artifacts in modern Kano are not treasured by artists and historians”. The artifacts in question are called ‘Turkudi in Hausa language and they are indigo dyed cloths which have been an important trade items in Hausaland for centuries. “Regrettably, the production of these artifacts is a declining industry and if nothing is done, they will soon become a lost part of the nation’s artistic heritage.” Prof. Shea urged government to ensure the preservation of these artifacts by encouraging museums not only to preserve but also train people on how to produce such cloths.
Also in a paper tagged “The Role of Financial Institutions/Government Agencies in Culture” presented at the ‘NAFEST 2009 Colloquium’ in Minna, Niger State in October 2009, Professor Sylvester Monye of the National Population Commission noted that if well funded, the arts and culture sector is capable of creating wealth for the nation through employment opportunities. The scholar, whose paper centered on wealth creation, stressed the role of culture in the economic and technological development of the nation. Monye, who defined ‘Culture as the sum total of human ingenuity”, said that “financial institutions and government interventionist agencies must join forces to ensure the development of culture and the creative sector’. He therefore urged all and sundry to participate in the funding and sustenance of cultural industries.
The aforementioned are no mere assertions or postulations; they are facts which time and experience have proven to be true. And the fact that the National Council for Arts and Culture has been the prime mover in most fora where these intellectuals made these statements of facts underpins its efforts over the years as it strives to achieve optimal management of our cultural resources.
In about forty years of its existence, the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) as the apex cultural parastatal in Nigeria has been consistent in pursuing its mandate to propagate, promote, present and preserve the nation’s cultural resources. Supportive activities such as the recent African Arts and Crafts Expo held at the Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Garki, Abuja organized by the NCAC seeks to create a forum for thought and action, a platform where we can stimulate the search for ways and means to harness our creativity within the different fields of arts and crafts with a view to improve the quality of life of our people. The fact that the cultural sector has inherent and abundant resources from which people can seek and sustain a decent means of livelihood is one basic message that the African Arts and Crafts Expo sends across to interested investors and participants.
African Arts and Crafts Expo was established to provide an avenue that will stimulate the emergence of a new breed of entrepreneurs who will be interested in investing in traditional skills, knowledge and crafts which will eventually lead to the eradication of poverty and improvement of the living conditions of the people.
And since our arts and crafts are marketable locally and internationally adequate investment in production techniques, polishing and packaging will enhance their quality, this in turn will give our arts and crafts competitive edge and better prospects in the world crafts market. The ripple effects of this will undoubtedly generate employment to thousands of unemployed youths and impact positively on our drive towards national economic development in today’s very competitive world.
The realization by the authorities in recent times that the efficient management of national resources through the transformation of indigenous skills and technology is synonymous with self-reliance, self-sufficiency and true independence would in no distant future provide the essential catalyst for development.
AFAC EXPO is not just an avenue to market our arts and crafts as well as an essential tourism product but is also about celebrating and promoting Africa’s diverse cultures. AFAC has become an artistic experience that crafts people and enthusiast in Africa eagerly look forward to witness in June.
Finally, government’s deliberate policy which calls on the big players in the private sector and other investors to invest in the cultural sector is timely and should be embraced by all. Government on the other hand must ensure that all necessary support including legislation is given to the would-be investors and entrepreneurs.
Bashir Hafsat – Shehu wrote from the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC)