The Ekiti State Government has set in motion the process for the establishment of Ekiti State Arts, Crafts and Tourism Village in Ado Ekiti.
The State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Prof Rasaki Ojo-Bakare made this revelation in a press parley aired in Lagos on Sunday.
Prof Bakare said that it became imperative for the state to establish such a village to ensure the sustainability of the cultural-tourism enhancement policy of Dr John Kayode Fayemi.
He disclosed that the village, which would be located in Ado-Ekiti, would warehouse all the unique traditional arts, crafts, indigenous apparel, culinary heritage, cultural occupations and creative endowments which are the transgenerational inheritance of the indigenes but ebbing towards the ocean of extinction.
Prof Bakare said the village would showcase excellently those unique cultural and traditional values which make Ekiti State not only homogenous but why the indigenes are who they are.
He commended Governor Fayemi for his keen interest and passionate commitment to the development of arts, culture and tourism in Ekiti State which has led to the recreation of Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism which has paved the way to the initiation, passing and signing into law the Ekiti State Arts, Culture and Tourism Law, the inauguration of Ekiti State Performing Arts Company and the engagement of private sector in the management of tourism sites in the state within 10 months of creating the Ministry and appointing a Commissioner.
Prof Bakare revealed that, due to the tenacity of purpose of Governor Fayemi on arts and tourism development, Ekiti has participated gloriously both at international and local events, which include, Nigeria Independence celebration in Hungary 2019, International Drum Festival Abeokuta, EDO 2019 NAFEST where the state bagged 1st position as the Most Creative and Innovative State in Nigeria, reinvigorated Ekiti State Festival of Arts, EKIFEST in 2019.
He also disclosed that Governor Kayode Fayemi has also sponsored a delegation to Rio De Janeiro Festival in Brazil where Ekiti State tourism asset was marketed for investors and tourists who COVID-19 pandemic has prevented from visiting the state in June and July 2019.
Prof Bakare revealed all roads would lead to Ekiti in December when the multi-purpose Dr Kayode Fayemi Cultural Centre would be inaugurated with an unusual command performance by the newly unveiled Ekiti State Performing Arts Company.
