Nigeria's culture could contribute hugely to its annual earnings if properly harnessed and marketed, a don in the University of Lagos has observed.
Prof. Tunde Babawale, an erudite political economist, world class historian and culture developer, speaking at a public lecture, organized by the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital during the week, posited that the prospect of poverty alleviation and development through the country's cultural industries is high.
He urged the nation to take its cue from China which has a "Culture powered economy" and it's cultural industries contributed 4.59% to its GDP in 2023 as the sector is capable of generating employment and help wealth creation through manufacturing, creative design and content creation.
Speaking on the topic: 'History And Culture As Springboards For Sustainable National Development', Prof. Babawale noted that video films from Nollywood are already sought after from across the continent of Africa and the diaspora.
He pointed out that Nollywood has emerged as Nigeria's largest private sector employer of labour and has turned out to be a $500million movie industry, and the world's second largest cinematic industry after India's Bollywood with a production of nearly 1000 movies a year.
Making a passionate plea for the retention of history as a subject in both the primary and secondary schools in the country, Prof. Babawale said history offers opportunity for cultural understanding and practices as it is also an important catalyst for sustainable development.
Enumerating several inherent advantages of studying history as a subject, the erudite pointed out that history shapes cultural development and aids the understanding as well as the documentation of culture.
He warned that "when there is no history at all or when it is deliberately and systematically sidelined in the curriculum of schools, the journey to nowhere is certain.
In his welcome address at the lecture, the Provost of the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Dr. Rafiu Adekola Soyele explained that though public lectures are not statutory mandates of educational institutions to organize, but it is vital in fulfilling one of the core functionalities of higher institutions of education in community engagement.
He said "it serves as an avenue of rendering community service and development wherein the town meets the gown".
Dr. Soyele pointed out that the college has the mandate to sensitise it's immediate community of government plans, policies and goals.
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