The Honourable Minister of Culture, Tourism & National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, has stated that the Annual NYSC Cultural Festival would be incorporated into the Annual Abuja Carnival, so as to further promote and expose the abundant talents among corps members.
The Minister, who disclosed this in his address, as Special Guest of Honour at the grand finale of the 13th edition of cultural festival, on Wednesday, 5th February, at the NUC Auditorium, Maitama-Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, said this was imperative because of the extraordinary performances which had strengthened his desire to work with the NYSC.
According to him, the synergy between the Abuja Carnival and the Annual NYSC Cultural Festival would jointly solicit sponsorship from the organized private sector and corporate bodies so that participants would not dissipate their energies in vain, adding that under such arrangement, at the end of the day, their laurels would be accompanied with some financial rewards.
Chief Duke said that apart from facilitating by giving them a bigger platform to perform, his Ministry (Culture, Tourism & National Orientation) in collaboration with the ten (10) culture parastatals under it, could explore ways on how the troupes and individuals that had excelled at the festival would be sponsored on foreign trips to places such as Trinidad & Tobago and China.
Towards this end, he urged the Director-General, NYSC to seek audience with the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, suggesting that the winning NYSC Cultural Troupes could be contracted to perform when Mr. President will be hosting the Super Eagles after their 3rd place win at the just concluded CHAN 2014 in South Africa.
The panellists at the competition were Professor Emmanuel Dandaura (HoD, Theatre & Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi), Professor Abdulrasheed Adeoye (HoD, Performing Arts, University of Ilorin), and Dr. Eme Ohitoke (Lecturer, Theatre Arts, University of Abuja).
Philemon Udeh
Corporate Affairs
NICO HQ