(Lokoja)
Mr 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 potential for the benefit of the people of the State after Coronavirus must come and gone.
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.”
Duaglobalnews reports that the World Cultural Day is celebrated comes up May 21, to encourage people around the world to unite in celebrating cultural diversity
It is also an avenue for people to advocate for ways to protect and promote cultural diversity in their communities.
Bolaji described culture as “all that defines people, knowing that culture and man can not be separated,which is why despite all the odds brought to the entire globe by COVID-19, 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 citizens who care 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).
Other monuments are;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 described kogi as a state stressed that remained extremely blessed by nature,adding the post Covid-19 era would be used to fully explore those great blessings of the state.
The special adviser said the effort would be used to educate the 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 cannot 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 Lassa fever and the rest, thus it shows the strength and uniqueness in us,” he said. (NAN)
