By Stephen Adeleye.
Hon. Femi Bolaji, the Special Adviser to Kogi Governor on Culture and Tourism, on Thursday says Kogi is ready to fully harness its cultural diversity and tourism potentials for the benefit of the people of the state.
Bolaji gave the assurance in a statement in Lokoja, to mark the ”World Cultural Day 2020”, with the theme: ”The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Cultural Day is celebrated every May 21, to encourage people around the world to come together in celebrating cultural diversity, and advocating for ways to protect and promote it in their own communities.
According to Bolaji, culture is all that define us, knowing that culture and man can not be separated which is why despite all the odds brought to the entire globe by Covid19, we still live together strong and united.
“In this era of pandemic, culture will be celebrated in a grand style as we shall be getting prepared and ever ready to explore our heritage being the heart of the nation known to the world as the giant of Africa.
“The history of our nation made it known to citizen who cares to find out that the great Britain started it all from Lokoja, gave the nation the name Nigeria after the river “Niger” (Niger Area) which is one of our numerous tourist centre of attraction.
“In our state alone, we are blessed with diverse cultural and tourism assets which are significant to the state and nation’s existence.
“Lokoja the capital of Kogi state has the Cenotaph used in world war 2, Lord Lugard’s residence and office, the Holy Trinity school by Bishop Ajayi Crowther in 1860 (the first school in the province), the European Cemeteries, Mount Patti with a flat top where one could see the confluence point of River Niger and River Benue, and the beauty of the state capital.
“All these and more are situated in the state capital alone; now is the time to make the world see them in a grand style,” Bolaji said.
He stressed that it was very clear that Kogi remained extremely blessed by nature and the post Covid-19 era would be to fully explore those great blessings, educate our people on the benefits, significance, cultural protection, generate funds, promote its culture globally and make Kogi the great state that Gov. Yahaya Adoza Bello so much desired.
“The effects brought to our cultural activities by COVID-19 can not be over emphasized and it is a great lesson to us; surely, we shall overcome because we have always won against pandemics and other diseases like Laser fever and the rest, thus it shows the strength and uniqueness in us.
“Our culture will win against Covid-19 pandemic, we will win because of you the great sons and daughters of Kogi state and our success will be attributed to the great effort of yours and when all this is over, the whole world will hear about us and our uniqueness,” Bolaji said.
