Former ambassador desires separate ministry of culture to advance arts and crafts.

According to Baba Garba, a former Nigerian ambassador to Morocco, culture should no longer fall under the ministry of information if Nigeria’s arts, crafts, and culture sector is to flourish.

If it must be connected to the ministry of information, he claimed, there should be a distinct division of labor between the two divisions.

Garba gave a speech during the Nigeria Morocco Crafts Exhibition and Morocco Traditional Wedding Festival, which are both taking place at the Chida Hotel and Events Center in Abuja in their inaugural year.

The Moroccan crafts, which are on display at the exhibition alongside those of Sokoto State, are exquisite, elegant, and delicately created. They range from ceramic crockery to trinkets, apparel, wooden works, leatherwork accessories, and raffia goods. In contrast to Nigerian crafts, which are undoubtedly distinctive in their own design but fall short of their counterparts’ polish, they all scream high-end (and are pricey), but they are also extremely finished.

This is remarkable because redskin leather, which Morocco has been using since the 1830s and which is highly prized in Europe, was originally procured from Sokoto and transported through caravan to Fez, Morocco, and then to Europe.

Currently, the Sokoto State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture is working in conjunction with the Moroccan Chamber of Arts and Crafts to ensure the success of this exhibition, which runs from October 24 to October 29.

For the Nigerian arts and culture sector to flourish, according to Garba, the nation must see the industry as one where people take ownership and responsibility for cultural projects, much like Morocco has done with its Arts and Crafts Chamber of Commerce, which demonstrates the nation’s recognition and investment in the sector as a source of income.