The Permanent Secretary, Gabriel Aduda, disclosed this at
the Inaugural Nigerian Cultural Show exhibiting Nigeria’s diverse cultural
heritage, sites and traditional festivals held at the Cultural Centre, Nigeria
House, New York.
Mr Aduda also said the repatriation of the artefacts would
go with building an ultramodern museum in Edo and the training of some
curators.
He said Nigeria had reached an advanced stage of discussions
with Germany to return thousands of different pieces of Benin Bronzes back to
the country.
The Nigerian official said the ministry had been at the
forefront alongside relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to
facilitate the repatriation of thousands of Benin artefacts from the Republic
of Germany.
“We are working with relevant MDAs, we have had several high
level meetings with the republic of Germany and we are at stage where thousands
of art works are to be returned to Nigeria.
“There are over 7,000 different pieces of artefacts that
Republic of Germany wants to give back to Nigeria,’’ he said.
“We have talked deep into this that the reparation is not
only at giving back, but they are coming to put a modern day museum in Edo
State and they are training 25 curators that will man the museum for sustainability.
“We have gone far and we are thinking that this will be
concluded in October this year.
“We are hoping it will be a window to reach out to other
European countries to return to us what was taken from us years back,” he said.
The permanent secretary commended the Consulate-General in
New York for inaugurating in April, a Culture Centre and Library, equipped with
books, cultural artifacts, research materials and historic documents on Nigeria
for public use.
He said the participants were part of history as Cultural
Centre hosts its first Cultural Show, saying “I believe that we will leave this
event with a better understanding of our country.
“Also, with a heightened sense of admiration for our rich
and unique ancestral heritage that has been the bedrock of our unity as a
nation.
“We are encouraged by your interest and being a part of our
story telling today and I invite you to Nigeria to witness these festivals
coming up later this year.’’
Mr Aduda said the Argungu International Fishing Festival and
the Osun-Osogbo Festival promoted at the event are just two of the many
festivals that characterise Nigeria.
In his remarks, a New York Senator, Robert Jackson, urged
Black people to be proud of their race and culture.
“If we are not proud about out race and culture, how do you
expect other people to do it for us?
“I have come to be part of the cultural event and to learn
about the rich culture of Nigeria,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of the African
Tourism Board, said culture was a viable tool for development and should not be
underestimated as the colonial masters did.
Mr Ncube said the board was open to engaging like-minded
stakeholders as Africa re-writes its own narratives and starts identifying the
capacities God had deposited in its citizens.
“Culture is a veritable social capital deployed for growth
and development and can translate to economic and technological capital,’’ he
said.
The Show was organised by the Consulate-General of Nigeria,
New York, in collaboration with the New York African Chorus Ensemble, the
African Tourism Board and the Nigerian-Americans Public Affairs Committee.
The Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, Lot Egopija; his
Atlanta counterpart, Amina Smaila; and Deputy Permanent Representative to the
UN, George Edokpa, were among the dignitaries that attended the event. (NAN)
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