By Naomi Sharang

Director-General of Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), Aisha Augie, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s leading position in cultural diplomacy on the African continent.

This, she said, was even as the country geared up for the golden jubilee of one of its most historic cultural events—FESTAC.

Augie, while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday after a closed-door session with the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, emphasised Nigeria’s enduring legacy in promoting African culture globally.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism is chaired by Sen. Ogoshi Onawo (PDP-Nasarawa).

Augie described Nigeria’s cultural impact as ‘unmatched’, citing the FESTAC ’77 as a landmark event that placed the country at the centre of Africa’s cultural revival.

According to her, the FESTAC at 50, slated for 2027, offers another opportunity to showcase the richness of African heritage.

The director-general, who stated that FESTAC ’77 laid the foundation for cultural unity and cooperation across the continent, said that preparations for the anniversary were already underway.

“As we approach 50 years since that historic gathering, we must build on the legacy,” she said.

Augie also noted the significant infrastructure and policy milestones that accompanied the festival, many of which, she said, had continued to serve as cultural landmarks in Nigeria.

“From the National Theatre in Lagos to FESTAC Town, the legacy of that moment endures,” she added.

The director-general said that the committee acknowledged the importance of adequately funding cultural institutions in order to harness Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

“The senate assured us that cultural bodies like CBAAC will receive the budgetary backing needed to carry out their mandates,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq