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| Bayero Agabi with A Ghanaian artiste |
The 2013 edition of
the Ghana-Nigeria Tourism and Culture Showcase has continued to receive some
big boost ahead of the event scheduled for April 18-19th, 2013 at the Accra
Int’l Conference Centre in Ghana. The confirmation by the Nigerian Ambassador
to Ghana, His Excellency, Amb. Oluseyi Onafowokan as the Chief Host of the
event further adds to the list of very high profile personalities that have so
far declared their support for the premier tourism and culture event.
Also the Ghana
Minister of Culture and Traditional Affairs, Hon. Dr Henry Seidu Daana has
expressed the support of the government and people of Ghana for the
Ghana-Nigeria Tourism and Culture Showcase 2013 just has his other counterpart,
Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Aggyare Ghana Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts
has given the assurance of her ministry during a courtesy visit by the event
organiser.
The event now only
in its second edition and credited to be unarguably not just the first
privately organized bilateral arts, tourism and culture forum in the West
African sub-region but as the most prestigious, best attended and the biggest
Private Public Partnership (PPP) collaboration for arts, tourism and culture in
the sub-region is geared towards promoting Africa’s tourism potentials as well
as the restoration and sustenance of the people’s cultural heritage.
Confirming his
willingness to play host to the event on behalf of the federal government of
Nigeria, Amb. ‘Seyi Onafowokan told a delegation of Tribe Media and Pan Africa
Ghana who paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the Nigeria High
Commission that the government was especially committed to the promotion of
Nigeria’s diplomatic cultural policy at such a crucial time the nation is
marking her centenary. The High Commissioner further assured the team led
by Bayero Agabi, President of Tribe Media Company-Nigeria and Ras Caleb
Appiah-Levi, President of Pan Africa Ghana co-organisers of the event that the
Nigerian House in Ghana will gladly host a cocktail in honour of the Nigerian
contingent to the event adding that the bilateral tourism and culture
initiative was one that should be sustained given that both countries share so
much in common.
In a related
development, the Ghana Minister of Culture and Traditional Affairs, Hon. Dr
Henry Seidu Daana also expressed the support of the government and people of
Ghana for the Ghana-Nigeria Tourism and Culture Showcase 2013. The Minister
stated this at his office while playing host to the event organizers recently
in Accra. Dr Henry Daana pointed out that the close socio-political and
historical tie between both countries was a good basis to annex the cultural
values of the two nations for socio-economic development and bilateral growth.
Responding, Bayero Agabi told the minister that the organizing team was driven
by the need to promote understanding, foster sub-regional integration and
economic development using tourism, arts and culture as a tool. Bayero,
a seasoned media strategist added that with Africa fast becoming an
emerging global market across different spectrum, it was pertinent that
westernization is not allowed to sweep away the people’s ethics, norms and
ideas which are often expressed via language, fashion, food, music and
religious belief around which the conference is centered.
In another separate
visit to the Ghana Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, the Minister, Hon.
Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Aggyare commended the collaborative efforts of Tribe Media
Company, Nigeria and Pan African Ghana towards the promotion and sustenance of
African values through culture and tourism with such a laudable bilateral forum
such as the Ghana-Nigeria Tourism and Culture showcase. The recently appointed
Minister then assured of her ministry’s full support during the event. On his
part, the president of Pan Africa Ghana, Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi briefed the
minister that the two-day event will feature a conference with stimulating
intellectual discussions, presentation of papers, interaction and exhibition of
arts, craft, fashion while the gala/award night will aside other varieties
entail a musical concert featuring top Ghanaian and Nigerian artiste with the
Theme: One Band, One Stage, One Tribe.
The team had
earlier on been received at the Ghana Tourism Authority by the management of
the agency led by the Acting Executive Director, Mrs Abigail Tagoe who recalled
that the 2011 edition was quite a memorable one. She promised that her
organization will accord the event all necessary logistic support.
The Ghana-Nigeria
Tourism and Culture Showcase 2013 will hold at the Accra Int’l Conference
Centre on April 18-19 and is expected to be declared open by His Excellency,
John Drammani Mahama, President, Republic of Ghana. Other keynote speakers
already confirmed for the event include; His Excellency Amb. Seyi Onafowokan,
Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, Governor
State of Osun, Hon Dr Henry Seidu Daana, Ghana Minister for Culture and
Traditional Affairs, Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Aggyare Ghana Minister of
Tourism and Creative Arts, Dr Munzali Dantata, DG, Nigeria Institute for
Hospitality and Tourism, Prof. Ablade Glover, a former Uinversity Don at Kwame Nkruma Uni of
Science and Tech among others.
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