……….Recommends the site for tourists
In a time when cultural sector is being given a shot
as an alternative to oil in terms of revenue generation, the Director General
of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, has
thrown her weight on the promotion of the Nzeh Mada cultural Festival.
The DG who made this known during the third Nzeh Mada
festival in Akwanga, Nasarawa state, said Nzeh Mada festival, when fully
developed, would not only be of economic value to the country, but also engage
the teeming unemployed youth.
According to the NTDC Boss, who was the chairman of
the occasion, the onus of developing tourist sites doesn’t solely rely on the
government, adding that NTDC as a government agency would do everything within
its powers to promote Nzeh Mada festival. She therefore urged tourists to visit
local sites.
“Mada culture is rich, the location is safe and
serene, and the people are very hospitable. As you know, most of the tourist
sites are not all in the cities, I therefore encourage tourists to explore the
local sites and communities, which is embodied in Mada hill, its waterfall,
serene climate and the hospitability of the people.”
In his reaction, the Chun Mada, HRH Samson Gamu Yare,
thanked the NTDC boss for volunteering to promote the Nzeh mada festival. He
therefore honoured her with a symbolic axe and wooden flatter as a sign of
recognition of her support for the Nzeh Mada festival.
The Mada chief also noted that NTDC’s partnership
would surely go a long way in repositioning the festival to international
standard.
He said: “We have a very rich cultural heritage. We
are endowed with the Cave, the stagnant water at the top of the Numan hill, the
sounding rock and Nni-ngahaan tourism centre. With the professional touch in
terms of packaging and organisation and right partnership from different
stakeholders like NTDC, I believe we will go beyond our contemporaries.
“Also, I can see unity in diversity that is why I want
to see Mada people putting heads together. We should not allow primordial
sentiments keep us apart,” the chief yearned.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary/CEO of National
Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Prof. Barclays F. Ayakoroma, noted
the importance of cultural festivals in the area of creation of employment, and
promotion of indigenous culture especially now that the sector is beginning to
be a viable alternative to oil when properly exploited.
He said: “We always identify with people who promote
their culture and festivals that is why since 2014 we have identified with Nzeh
Mada festival, because we believe that that is one of the platforms for the
unification of the people, promotion of the culture of the people and a means
for gainful or meaningful employment.”
Ayakoroma therefore pledged his support to make sure
that Nzeh Mada festival becomes one of the best in the country.
“Mada culture is unique, their costumes, dances and
even the venue for the festival itself – foot of the Mada hill – is also
astonishing. You can as well see how the people are really very enthusiastic about
the festival because it is their own festival of their culture. So it is our
hope that we will do the best we can to ensure that NICO and Mada community
partner in every way possible,” he said.
Earlier, the Festival Director of the festival, Prof.
Emmanuel Dandaura, pointed out that Nzah Mada festival, which was redesigned in
2014, is aimed at promoting the culture of Mada people as well as tourist
attraction.
“The annual Nzeh mada festival was redesigned as a
trado-modern tourism event, which now holds every Easter season in Akwanga
metropolis. That is why this year we intend to go into major discussion with
NTDC, NICO and other stakeholders that is hoped to culminate into signing an
MoU for partnership.
“We have also invited the private sector to witness
the festival so as to come up with the business ideas that will move the
festival forward, Dandaura noted.
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