Nigerians should embrace their nation’s cultural diversity, according to Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, who views it as a source of strength and unification.
Speaking on the occasion of the 2024 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, often known as World Culture Day, Minister Musawa stressed the need of valuing and advancing Nigeria’s rich cultural legacy.
She asked Nigerians to be proud of their culture and to understand how it can promote social and mental well-being, economic growth, and national cohesion.
The Minister stated that rather than letting differences split us, the nation’s diversity of cultures and ethnicities should be used to foster communication, understanding, and peaceful coexistence. Instead of viewing their diversity as a cause for division, she urged Nigerians to embrace it as a source of strength and togetherness.
“We have the chance to be reminded of the importance of cultural variety and the crucial role it plays in promoting peaceful coexistence as a critical component of socioeconomic development on World Culture Day.
It’s a day to consider carefully where our country is at. Given that there are many different cultures and ethnicities in our beautiful country, it is our responsibility to change the way that people who are different from us are viewed in order to combat negative vices like terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry and to move forward as a united nation with a shared vision.
In keeping with its Eight-point Plan to establish Nigeria as Africa’s Creative Capital by 2030, Minister Musawa further declared that the Ministry will keep up its relentless efforts, in collaboration with its agencies and partners, to advance Nigeria’s creative economy and enhance the country’s image.
“I want to reassure you that the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy will keep working tirelessly with our agencies and pertinent stakeholders to improve the lives of our people and enhance Nigeria’s image through the Ministry’s Eight-point Plan for Nigeria’s destination 2030 to become Africa’s Creative Capital. This is in line with the Ministry’s mandate to harness the potentials of Nigeria’s Creative Economy for socio-economic empowerment, economic diversification, and job creation.
“I urge all Nigerians to proudly and appreciatively showcase our culture, and to keep in mind that diversity is our source of strength and unification, from which we can all work together to create a progressive nation.”
Every year on May 21st, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sets aside a day called World Culture Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development to increase public awareness of the importance of culture for long-term socioeconomic development.