Story by Dili Utomi.
A call has been made to all Nigerians to make sure that our culture is passed to the next generation. This call was made by the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Video and Films Censors Board at the second edition of the exhibition by the Creative Designers Guild of Nigeria (CDGN).
The event which took place at the NECA building at Alausa, Ikeja on Thursday had such dignatories as the consular general at the German Embassy, Daniel Krull, the representative of the Lagos State governor, Adebukola Agbaminojo, Actress Ashan George, Dr. Bolaji C. Akinyemi, Bishop Joseph Ighalo Edoro and many orders in attendance.
The president of the association is Joy Osawaru-Akinyemi and she used the occassion of her opening speech to detail some of the objectives of the exhibition. Mrs. Osawaru-Akinyemi noted that “Culture as a Catalyst for Nations History has shown that before nations conquered global markets, they conquered global imagination. America sold her dream through Hollywood long before she sold her technology. China’s global trade rise was preceded by films that projected discipline, innovation, and identity. India told her story so boldly through Bollywood that even before her medical miracles, the world had already fallen in love with her people”.
Her words “Nigeria’s Turn. Nigeria stands at that same threshold today. Our music has conquered global playlists. Our films dominate streaming platforms across continents. Our fashion, hairstyles, and traditional ceremonies are setting trends in London, New York, and Johannesburg. From Afrobeat to Aso ebi, from Nollywood to Naija weddings, the world is watching and applauding. But applause is not enough. Applause must become advancement. Culture must now become capital. Creativity must become currency. And that is the mission of Creative Exhibition 2.0”.
In her conclusion, Mrs. Osawaru-Akinyemi admonished all participants that “Flying our flag as we unveil this exhibition, let us remember that our films are our ships. Our designs are our flags. Our culture is our passport. Let the world see us not as a people waiting for aid, but as a people exporting beauty, meaning, and wealth. So I say again, Awa Lokan! It is our turn to redefine culture for productivity, to transform creativity into prosperity and to lead Africa into her golden age of the creative economy”.
Bishop Joseph Ighalo Edoro in his submission warned that “To redefine culture for economic productivity in contemporary Nigeria and the larger world is to reawaken the understanding that culture is not merely costume, music, or ritual, it is capital. It is the living code that drives creativity, industry, and commerce”.
“In the twenty-first century, nations that grasp this truth have moved beyond preserving culture as heritage to projecting it as a strategic resource. Nigeria, through her resilient film industry, Nollywood, now stands as one of the world’s most compelling case studies of cultural entrepreneurship”.
According to projections, the Nigerian entertainment and media industry, valued at about USD 9 billion in 2023, will rise to USD 13.6 billion by 2028, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 8.6 percent.
Many Nigerian cultural heritage including , fashion, food and cultural items were displayed with some of the states/regions of the federation having their Stands. The consular general at the German Embassy, Mr Daniel Krull and other participants were taken round the various Stands.
Dr. Bolaji C. Akinyemi in his submission noted that “What we are witnessing today is not just art on display; it is a revival concept for our national economy through culture. The Creative Exhibition 2.0 is rekindling what we lost when we separated leadership from cultural values”.
He veered a bit “In the same spirit, PVC-Naija will follow with a cultural revival of leadership — a movement it calls “Training Before Tribute”.
Speaking on the intersection between culture and the economy, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Video and Films Censors Board, Mrs. Adebukola Agbaminoja opined that “Redefining culture for economic productivity means understanding the intersection between our artistic expressions and economic strategies. We must advocate for policies that foster creativity, ensure fair compensation for our artists, and promote our cultural products on global platforms. By doing so, we create an ecosystem where culture thrives and, in turn, fuels economic development”.
Mr. Daniel Krull suggested that “A cultural partnership’ between Nigeria and Germany, linking Nollywood and the German film sector, could yield profound mutual gains. Nigeria possesses the stories, rhythms, and colours; Germany possesses infrastructure, training models, and global distribution networks”.
“Exchange programmes in set and prop design, art direction, cinematography, and post-production can merge Africa’s rich cultural symbols with Europe’s technical ngour. German studios can benefit from the warmth and emotional depth of African narratives, while Nigerian designers can learn the science of visual storytelling through structured apprenticeships. This synergy could foster an entire sub-economy of cultural engineers. Afficans trained to export the essence of their heritage with global quality assurance”.
Several other speakers echoed these facts and urged urgent actions in the creative sector of the national economy so that the intrinsic values and derivable economic benefits may be acheived.
Several questions were again thrown at some of the participants on their percepectives at the exhibition. Mr Daniel Krull said of the exhibition “I am happy and really delighted at what I saw at the exhibition, this was a very comprehensive composition on Nigerian culture. I came here to learn and to find out what the creative industry in Nigeria and that of Germany can through cooperation do together”.
Abebukola Agbaminoja, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Video and Films Censors Board said that the fact that the CDGN invited students to the exhibition shows that they are very intentional about passing our culture to the next generation. She added that the current trend of role reversals in some homes where children are sent out into the street to go and hustle as bread winners does not augur well for our society. She advocates the proper teaching of our cultural values at homes and schools for a healthy and more balanced society.
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