By Osa Mbonu-Amadi

Plans have reached advanced stage for the National Council for Arts and Culture and the Republic of Turkey to roll out several cultural Programmes geared towards the socio-cultural and economic development of both countries.

This move is chiefly for enhancing cultural activities within Nigeria and the Republic of Turkey to make their citizens more culture-conscious and improve the quality of their lives while opening up new social and economic horizons for networking artworks and various crafts between the two countries.

These were revealed at the Nigeria Culture House when the Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe, received in audience, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency, Hidayet Bayraktar, who paid him a visit in his office.

The Ambassador who was accompanied by Director of the Turkish Yunus Emre, YETKM, Institute in Nigeria, Musa Erbas, said he was delighted to be hosted at the Nigeria Culture House. He congratulated the Director General for the various achievements recorded during his stewardship at NCAC as the man who networks Nigerian arts and culture to the world.

Ambassador Bayraktar said part of his mission was to introduce the Director of the Turkish Yunus Emre, YETKM, Institute in Nigeria, Musa Erbas, to the Council, and to seek positive ways of collaboration between the NCAC and the Republic of Turkey where sundry cultural programmes could be developed and marketed in year 2024.

The envoy revealed that the embassy, through the YETKM institute, has lots of cultural programmes lined up for execution on the 2024 calendar, including youths cultural exchange programmes in arts and paintings. He also said games like archery, being an important sporting activity within the Turkish community, will be developed and competed for secondary school pupils in Nigeria.

He reiterated that the 2024 UN International Day for the elimination of racial discrimination on March 31, and the World Women’s Day, will be utilized by the Turkish Embassy to showcase her rich cultural heritage. He therefore solicited the strong collaboration of NCAC to provide the enabling environment and the cultural expertise to bring these lofty cultural ideas to fruition.

In his response, the Director General National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe, thanked the Turkish delegation for the visit which, according to him, has opened new vistas for cultural development between the NCAC and the Republic of Turkey.

Runsewe expressed the readiness of the National Council for Arts and Culture to collaborate with the Republic of Turkey in various area of cultural development as it will provide a veritable platform to deepen the concepts of cultural investment among members of society which will enhance economic growth for sustainable development.

Runsewe, who is also the President of World Crafts Council for African Region, pledged the Council’s commitment to provide proper collaboration and branding for all the cultural programmes that will be showcased by the NCAC and the Republic of Turkey.