Diversifying From Oil To Creative Industry Will Boost Our Economy- Lai Mohammed
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said
that the nation has gradually begun diversifying its economy from oil to
the creative industry to boost its internally generated revenue (IGR)
and meet international standard.
The minister represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs
Grace Gekpe, said this during the grand finale of Queen Moremi Ajasoro
(QMA) beauty pageant at Oriental Hotel in Lagos.
NAN reports that the event ended in the early hours of Monday.
The minister said that the government was focusing its attention on
developing the creative sector as an alternative means of boosting the
nation’s economy.
“The ministry has discovered that the creative industry is an
alternative to oil and that is why we are doing a lot to support the
sector,” he said
According to him, the creative industry is an area that opens up
employment opportunities for the talented youths, thereby, reducing
unemployment and possible youthful crimes.
The minister commended Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, the Heritage Ambassador
to QMA, for her efforts in promoting culture, and advised other groups
to encourage the youths to develop more interests in promoting their
cultures.
“Promoters of our culture and tradition such as Princess Ademiluyi
should be encouraged because she is complimenting the efforts of the
government to ensure that our culture does not go into extinction.
“ Such a cultural pageant as the QMA will also empower young girls not
only to learn their traditional language and history, but also make them
to be creative and productive,” he said.
The minister also encouraged more groups in the entertainment industry
to key into programmes that would promote Made-in-Nigerian fabrics,
foods, dances and local languages which would make the country the
world’s tourist attraction.
NAN reports that the 2017 QMA pageant produced 22 year-old, Oluwatosin
Shola-Shittu, an indigene of Ikere Ekiti , Ekiti State as the new queen.
Shola-Shittu emerged the winner out of no fewer than 500 young girls
who registered for the second edition of QMA cultural beauty pageant.
Shola-Shittu received a cash prize of N5 million, which she was expected
to use for investment as part of the empowerment programme of youths
initiated by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi , the patron of the
pageant.
The new queen was crowned by the outgoing queen, Blessing Animasahun
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