Make travel to Nigeria less cumbersome--- Tec Mac, others

How we can grow tourism – Tee Mac, others

 A renowned musician, Mr Omatshola Iseli, popularly known as Tee Mac, says the process of visa procurement by foreign tourists wishing to visit Nigeria needs to made less cumbersome.

He spoke at the 2016 Arts and Culture stakeholders’ Summit held in Ikeja to chart a way forward for the sector in Lagos.

Iseli said that the visa process needed to be eased to attract more tourists to the country.

“Our crafts and arts can only gain prominence when the foreign tourists can move in and out of the country with ease,’’ he said.

Mrs Funmilola Olofinjana, a sculptor, also urged the Federal Government to give priority to the tourists by ensuring that visa issuance was done at the point of entry into the country.

“This is the only thing that can speed up the growth of arts and culture in the state and tourism at large,’’ she said.

On his part, Mr Ayankojo Ayanwola, the Governor, Association of Professional Drummers of Nigeria, urged the Lagos State Government to involve technocrats and professional in the state’s quest to grow tourism.

“Involving professionals and technocrats will go a long way in boosting the growth of tourism in the state,’’ he said.

Mr Adebowale Alexandra, the Governor, Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria, said that the state should ensure that the stakeholders’ information be collated and frequent meetings held.

He said that such a step would help to move arts and culture forward in the state.

“In the arts and culture sub-sector, nobody can be looked down upon because everyone is loaded with unique ideas; we should be invited frequently to air our views and move the state forward,’’ Alexandra said.

Dr Sola Fosudo, an artiste, suggested that the five theatres that the state government was proposing to build should be managed by professionals and not civil servants.

“It is only professionals that can handle the management of theatres,’’ he said.

Mr Christopher Sewanu, another participant, suggested that new artists should be involved in the upcoming “One Lagos Fiesta”, and they should be picked from the five divisions of Lagos.

Mr Adewale Ashimi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, in his response, told the stakeholders that the renovation of the heritage museum had been approved by the governor.

Ashimi said it would be completed before the end of May 2017.

He assured the stakeholders that the state government was not planning to involve civil servants in the management of theatres.

Ashimi also assured the stakeholders that all suggestions and requests would be communicated to the governor.

He said that it was a fact that arts and culture had been relegated over the years but noted that  plans were on the way by the governor to reawaken the sector.