The Chief Promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams, has called on the Federal Government to separate the Ministry of Culture from the Ministry of Information.
Adams said the present arrangement of fusing Culture and Information Ministries has led to serious retrogression in the culture sector and that the situation could get worse if not quickly arrested.
The National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress disclosed this in Lagos on Monday at a press conference to announce the commencement of this year’s Olokun Festival.
He said: “The government should make the Ministry of Culture independent.
“They should take it away from Alhaji Lai Mohammed because the arrangement is not working.
“If we are keen on promoting our culture, the government should as a matter urgency make it independent and give it the necessary attention and funding that it deserves.”
Speaking on the festival, Adams said: “The Olokun Festival Foundation has become an important tourist and local attraction and this I make bold to say may not be largely unconnected with the agility and efforts of the organisers of the festival to sustain in our people their respect for deities.
“It is our collective obligation as a people to ensure that our culture is sustained and Olokun Foundation, through its annual celebration of Olokun Festival among other activities geared towards the promotion of our culture, has in a way been breaking down the walls of challenge posed by the fear of losing our culture to western education and imported faiths that tend to undermine the growth and awareness of our people around our culture.
“It therefore gladdens my heart to inform you that the programme continues on Tuesday, 4th of October with a quiz competition, while the Olokun Beauty Pageant holds on Sunday, 8th of October.
“Soccer enthusiasts would have the opportunity to savour an entertaining Beach Soccer match on Monday, 23rd of October.
“This will be followed by a Boat regatta on the morning of 25th of October, as what has been tagged: ‘Olosa Gala Night’ will also hold on the night of the same day.
“The grand finale of the ever entertaining and very competitive Ayo Olopon and Cultural Troupe display will round off activities marking the festival for this year on Thursday, the 26th of October….
“With the preparations made so far by the organisers of the Olokun Festival, I believe that with your usual cooperation, the 2017 edition shall be a grand success.”
Adams used the opportunity to thank Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, for honouring the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, by erecting his statue in the state.
He said: “I like to thank the Lagos Gtate Government for the honour done the Yoruba nation by immortalising our adored, celebrated, forever-living leader and symbol of our struggle for a just and ideal society, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whose statue was erected at the LTV 8 end of Agidingbi Road in Ikeja last week.
“It is an honour well deserved and the government deserves a huge commendation for this initiative.
“I will at this juncture implore those who have been criticising the features of the statue to rather focus on the laudable motive of the Lagos State Government for immortalising the late sage.”
FG should not lump Ministry of Culture with Information – Gani Adams
