By Kazeem Akolawole
The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runswe, says that a new E-library and view Centre, which will capture Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage history and link it up to about 150 countries globally will be situated at Nigeria’s new Culture House in Abuja.
The E-library/ view Centre platform which is one of the positive falls out of Runsewe’s engagements in China will be strategically deployed to harness basic information, history and tradition of Nigeria’s cultural tourism heritage and showcase them to the global tourism community, cultural heritage experts and students of cultural studies all over the world.
Fielding questions from journalists in Beijing, after a visit to the Great Wall of China, a notable heritage tourism site, Runsewe explained that the E-library/ view Centre which became a new platform for marketing natural resources and Heritage sites during the COVID-19 pandemic is now being deployed by other countries to market their tourism and heritage opportunities to the world.
He said: “The beauty is that once Nigeria keys into the E-library/ view Centre, we’re going to be connected to over 150 countries in the world, which will change the way the world sees Nigeria, including the wrong things they read about us which is not correct.
“The platform will also serve as avenue to tell Nigeria story by Nigerians, Nigeria will use the opportunity to tell the world of what we’re doing, what is happening and share our history, cultural heritage and our icons which will generate positive discussions and interests about our country.
“I am happy because we’re going to be connected digitally by this E-library to about 150 countries of the world, an advantage which also brings us to study more about digital opportunities which we can leverage to market and promote Nigeria.
“His Excellency, the ambassador is all over the place in Nigeria, coordinating and bringing the people of the two countries together, particularly Nigerian youths whom he has provided opportunities to learn about the history and language of the Chinese, and also facilitating the Chinese students coming to Nigeria universities and communities to learn about the history and culture of the Nigerian,” he said.
The Nigeria Culture House, which will also serve as the new address of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), will be unveiled in June 2023 in Abuja.
