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…Culture, tourism sector most affected by COVID-19 pandemic
By Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The director-general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, has revealed that the tussle over the Arts and Crafts Village, Abuja, is over, following a decision by government to allocate another tract of land to the plaintiff in the legal battle.
Runsewe, speaking with Daily Sun in Abuja, explained why he put his life on the line to ensure that the land was secured for the government.
Among other issues, he opened up on the culture and tourism sector, the negative impact of COVID-19 on the sector, innovations by the NCAC in overcoming challenges, including his battle against indecent behaviour in the country, particularly the world of transgender.
How has it been for the culture and tourism sector since the advent of the pandemic?
Honestly, since the advent of the pandemic, this sector was more affected.
Why do you say so?
This sector is the largest employer of labour all over the world. I know it takes time for people to celebrate the goodness in a society. But I can tell you that, under my leadership, we have succeeded in opening up new vistas, and I will name them for you. Nigeria, under my leadership of the NCAC, right here inside this Sheraton Hotel (where the interview was conducted) when the pandemic was on and it was biting, held a drive-in theatre show and it has never happened before. It was first of its kind in the history of Africa. And then we succeeded in using the drive-in stuff to make a statement that even with the pandemic and respect to the COVID-19 protocols, we did the first-ever drive-in in the history of the whole Africa. People thought, since the pandemic was on then, nothing would happen again and everything was over. And I said, no. In fairness, a lot of Nigerians commended my leadership role at that time because we actually did two drive-ins in Abuja and one in Jos during NAFEST 2020. I feel very excited and fulfilled that we have been able to come out of the pandemic and make a statement that, Yes, there was a pandemic, but life must continue.
What can government do to assist the sector?
What we need is support and government has been very, very kind to us in terms of support. And I must not run away from commending the National Assembly. They have given us tremendous support. In fact, I will be unfair to humanity if I don’t commend the National Assembly. They have really been fair to us; they have given us all the level playing ground for us to make sure this sector succeeds.
In terms of what?
In terms of budgetary allocation and in terms of oversight function to make sure that the funds given to us are properly utilised in the best interest of the Nigerian people. We have the skill acquisition, we have free medical test, we have been able to develop a lot of contents that history will be the one to tell our story of those benefits.
How do you see the bid by the Ministry of Information and Culture to have stolen artefacts returned to the country?
It is a welcome idea and one must commend the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture who spearheaded this move. And we must not forget to commend the Omo n’Oba, the Oba of Benin. He was a onetime diplomat; he is an international figure and he is not just an ordinary royal father. He has international network all over the world. He too has been able to contribute a lot. Today, our artefacts are coming back. We have a story to tell the younger ones and the unborn Nigerians. So, for me, it is a commendable move.
What do you think of the conditions given by countries rturning the artworks?
Well, two things. The conditions, are they in our best interest? Yes, to sustain and keep them and preserve them. The conditions are not really conditions, but they are just to reawaken our consciousness that our properties are coming back, we should safeguard them and maintain them properly.
What are the specifics of the recent signing of a joint culture and tourism statute between China and Nigeria and the inauguration of a sub-committee to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the countries?
First and foremost, I must commend His Excellency, the Ambassador of China to Nigeria. I must also say that, since he came in, there have been activities one after the other. The envoy is very passionate, he wants to sustain and expand the cordial relationship between China and Nigeria. So, for me, that committee is welcome, it is long overdue and it will be able to help us as the two countries have a role to play in our continents because the role China plays in Asia is the same role Nigeria plays in Africa.
So, the two countries are very important. The committee will help us to strengthen our bilateral relations; it will help us to strengthen cooperation in terms of education, security, works and power and many others. It is a welcome development and I do hope and I pray that this will add more strength to the already built relationship between Nigeria and China.
The Arts and Crafts Village, Abuja, is wearing a look of total abandonment. Although there is a legal tussle over it, how soon will the place come alive again?
I know that The Sun is a credible newspaper. It is a paper that, when it reports something, people take it seriously. And that is why I will be happy to give you the insight. As at today, we have succeeded in getting back the land. The land is for government.
Some people misunderstood Otunba’s approach. My approach was so unseen in the history of our country before – that a government official is fighting for government’s land with all my life. People thought it was my personal property or my parents’ property, but it is not. I will give The Sun the exclusive and the truth.
The Federal Government has come into it and that is why, today, I have said it in every forum and, if I have the opportunity, I will continue to say that the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Mohammed Bello, is a great Nigerian. I doff my hat for him! He stood firm, saying, you cannot take over government’s property for personal use. And he has directed, quote me accordingly, that whoever was given the land then should be given alternative land and return government’s land to government because this land will help to build over 300 direct jobs and over 1,500 indirect jobs. It is going to save lives. So, number one, I must thank him.
Number two, I must thank the EFCC chairman for coming up to be part of the recovery of that land. When the issue got to them, they looked at it on merit. There was no sentiment and he said, no, this land must go back to NCAC who is the custodian of the land on behalf of the Federal Government. And I must also thank the National Assembly, particularly the chairmen of the House and Senate committees, respectively. And I must say it that the chairman of the Senate Committee, Rochas Okorocha, has met with the minister, and the chairman of the House Committee, Ogbeide-Ihama, from Edo State, has even come with his entire committee in the House, the National Assembly, to the site to take on-the-spot decisions and what is the best interest. Of course, I cannot run away from thanking the Honourable Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for giving me all the support for us to make a case for the interest of the people.
Unfortunately, a lot of us don’t understand when they say something is in the interest of the people and not an individual. So, that is why, today, we are where we are. All these people have contributed and they have made sure that we arrived at where we are. As at now, the Directorate of Land is making arrangements to offer another land to the people and give us back our full land. We hope that God willing, in the next two weeks, that will be concluded.
Your campaign against indecent behaviour: Where are you on the issue, I mean the world of transgender?
You see, I have taken the path and I have chosen the path. I have played my part as a government official. I have played my part, reawakened Nigerians to let them know that this is not right and this is not our culture. But I have come to find out that some of the people involved in this thing have mental issues. They are not normal. This is the first time I am giving this story out.
All the people involved in this are mental cases. I believe, very soon, they will get to know and repent and beg for God’s forgiveness.
Number two, let every Nigerian know that these characters are challenging the nature God gave to all of us. If somebody says he is a man and he wants to become a woman, he is challenging God. If somebody says he is a woman and wants to become a man, he is challenging God. God knows best when He created us. So, for me, I have played my role to the level that I have been able to set a standard. The standard is simple. Why is it simple? Let us know that what these people are doing is not in our culture, it is not in our character and I am still standing firm today to tell Nigerians that every opportunity I have to correct, we need to correct them. They are sick and they have mental derailment. If not that somebody has mental derailment, a full-fledged man, they say they want to become a woman. It is sickness. We need to pity them; we need to pray for them.
Nine years ago, you granted an interview where you said rail system was the only way out for Lagos, in terms of transportation. Looking back, how do you feel now that the Lagos State government has taken the bull by the horns?
Honestly, I want to commend Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State. Honestly, Governor Sanwo-Olu has won my heart. Nine years ago on Channels Television, I granted an interview which is online. I said the traffic situation in Lagos was bad. Now, Lagos traffic situation is of two parts – One is the drainage system. You see, when government says don’t throw your dustbins in the canals, people don’t understand. It is because the canals are blocked that water cannot flow, and when water cannot flow, it becomes a disadvantage to anybody. That is number one.
Number two is the traffic situation in Lagos. If you live in a place like London, 80 per cent of those that come inside London in a day have their cars parked in their remote areas. For instance, in London, you can live in any area, but you park your cars at the train station and you come into London, finish your business and you turn back. This is what we need to do in Lagos. That is the only way. So, Governor Sanwo-Olu has made my day. By the grace of God, I am planning to personally send a letter to him because, if we have this rail system in Lagos, the era of traffic will reduce. All these traffic jams will reduce. It will even help people’s health. The traffic jams affect our health. You are sweating inside the car, you are doing everything, but if at the end of the day we can reduce the flow of traffic in Lagos State, life will be longer, people will live better.
I honestly used to wonder sometimes how people live in Lagos. The governor has now made it that, today, Lagos State will celebrate soon for having, maybe, the first world-class modern rail system. And that will reduce traffic. Why do you need to be coming from Iyana-Ipaja, coming from Ikotun and all these places, and you are bringing your car into Lagos? That will be a thing of the past. There won’t be need any longer. I must once again commend Governor Sanwo-Olu for this initiative.
