The Edo State Government has disclosed plans to establish cultural hubs in the three senatorial districts of the state to preserve and promote Edo’s rich cultural heritage.
The Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Prince Bamidele Obaitan, disclosed this to journalists in Benin City during a programme organized by the Ministry to mark the 2022 World Theatre Day.
Obaitan said the cultural hubs will leverage technology and the innovative potential of Edo youths to advance the preservation of the state’s cultural assets.
He noted that the state government through the state’s skill development agency, Edojobs, has undertaken several programmes to positively engage the youths and make them better prepared for the future.
The Commissioner said the theme of this year’s celebration, “Theatre and a Culture of Peace” is in line with the government’s objective of using arts and culture to propagate peace and ensure sanity in the state.
Obaitan announced that the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism is currently doing a collation of all local festivals across the state in a bid to develop it into a calendar to boost the development of culture.
On his part, the guest speaker, Dr. Peter Odogho, a lecturer at the University of Benin, spoke on the relevance of theatre, noting that theatre art is a veritable medium through which vices and challenges of any society can be addressed.
In her closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, lryn Omorogiuwa Esq., enjoined relevant stakeholders in arts and culture to project the gains and relevance of theatre to the people.