Glitz, colour of LIMCAF at 10 light up Coal City

7 years ago

Glitz, colour of LIMCAF at 10 light up Coal City

Two events gave distinctive colour to the grand award ceremony of Life In My City Art Festival (LIMCAF) held last weekend in Enugu. It was first time in 10 years that a sitting governor of the state would grace the occasion. Also, the International Conference Centre of the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, hosted the award night.

The event paraded notable personalities such as the Chairman, FBN Holdings, Dr. Oba Otudeko; Managing Director, FBN Holding, Mr. Urum Kalu Eke; Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe; Consul-General of France to Nigeria, Mr. Laurent Polonceaux; renowned sculptor, Prof. El Anatsui; Chairman, LIMCAF Board of Trustees, Elder Kalu U Kalu; Prof. Peju Layiwola who chaired the jury among others. Before now, Nike Lake had been traditional home of the grand exhibition and award presentation ceremony.

As chairman of the occasion, Dr. Otudeko commended the handlers of the project for sustaining it thus far despite all odds. He underscored the need to explore art and tourism industry in the bid to diversify the economy.

According to him, a fully developed art industry will not only promote careers and economic empowerment of many young artists and the art and culture industry, but also the prosperity of hoteliers, souvenirs producers and vendors of all kinds of goods and services, including entertainers and other culture workers. He noted that beyond the economic benefits of a developed art industry, there are tremendous socio-cultural benefits that festivals such as LIMCAF can promote.
His words: “LIMCAF is great example of the many prospective areas of growing the economy, and also recreating and consolidating the past through visual history, strengthening cultural understanding and national cohesion.”

He therefore, urged all persons connected with the festival to keep it going, saying, “I see great promise and opportunity in the fact that such a nationally revered and highly exposed traditional ruler as the Obi of Onitsha is Patron of this festival. It represents a most sensible synergy of the ancient and the modern, which can only benefit all undertakings. All areas of activity in our country must consistently be galvanized and synchronized for growth to achieve the overall greatness of our country.”

Otudeko referenced glory and pride that art had brought to Nigeria through the literary exploits of giants such as Prof. Wole Soyinka and the late Prof China Achebe, including the latest efforts of the young generation of writers represented by Chimamanda Adichie among others.

But for LIMCAF to attain its fullest potentials for the benefit of the youth and the country, the finance expert underscored the need for the government and the people of Enugu State to work with the National Gallery of Arts as well as the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

He said, “It is no longer news that our fortunes from petro-dollars have diminished significantly, thus presenting a compelling case for us to hurriedly diversify our nation’s revenue base. There are many examples from other parts of the world that indicate that fully developed art and tourism industry has contributed to economic growth and development. For instance, the Louvre Museum and Gallery in Paris, France, hosts over nine million visitors per year.

“Can anyone imagine the economic impact of that? If yes, then can we also imagine the economic possibilities from a fully developed art and tourism industry in Nigeria, which would include festival such as LIMCAF?”

What gladdened the heart of the Patron of the festival, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha was the capacity of the festival’s organising committee devising strategies that have ensured consistency and sustenance of LIMCAF in the last 10 years in spite of challenges. According to the monarch, 10 years of art promoting and sponsorship in Nigeria at this time is not a joke, adding that he was not sure the founder of the festival, Chief Robert Oji knew what the festival would