As the days draw near to the prestigious National Festival of
Arts and Culture, Mrs. Tonye Briggs Oniyide, the Honourable Commissioner for
Culture and Tourism, Rivers State, said that Rivers State is set to host the 36
states of the federation in the National festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST),
2018.
Speaking with a staff of the Rivers State Council for Arts
and Culture, who chooses to remain anonymous, said he gathered that, all advertisements
are in motion, dancers have been hired, artistes to perform in different
capacity have been brought in, even the nollywood actors and actresses have
been brought into Rivers State all in the name of Re-branding Nafest,
but what
still remain untold is the fact that NAFEST which is to be hosted in Rivers
State is an event that is usually hosted every year by the National Council for
Arts and Culture in different state of the federation and NAFEST competitors
are usually the Council for Arts and Culture from each state in Nigeria but this year reverse is the case with NAFEST.
The staff further said that, Rivers State re-branding NAFEST
has caused a lot of controversies between the ministry of culture and tourism
and the state Council for Arts and Culture, he went on to say that, in Rivers
State the ministry of culture and tourism have taken over all NAFEST activities
and in order to curtail any uprising has given sub-committee heads to some
senior staff of the Council.
Naijacultures, speaking with another staff of the council for
arts and culture rivers state, on Wednesday, gathered that the Hon.
Commissioner is busy advertising the national festival of arts and cultures but
has fail to paid attention or release fund for the competitive events of the
festival.
The staff told naijacultures that he gathered that, the Hon.
Commissioner had sent message through the management of the Council, that she
has not been given money by the governor and that she goes to the governor
every day to plead for the release of funds for the event he promised to
re-brand, but he keep saying that there is no money.
But the question remains that, if funds have not been released,
where are the funds for the adverts and other productions coming from.
Naijacultures gathered that, The Hon. Commissioner, Mrs.
Tonye Briggs Oniyide, who promised the Council for Arts and Culture that she
was coming to address them concerning the NAFEST on Tuesday, 16th
October, 2018 did not show up, but sent message that she was going to see the
governor when we all know that the governor was not in the state at the time.
We are all asking:
What is the Commissioner up to?
Is she trying to sideline those who are
the real host of NAFEST?
What is the Union (RATTAWU) saying about
this?
Is NAFEST now a ministry affair?
Will the Rivers State Council for Arts
and Culture ever have a say in NAFEST matters after this?
Seeing this delay, will Rivers State
really host and win this NAFEST?
Is the Governor truly responsible for
the delay of funds?
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