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22 Aug 2014
Nigerian President looks to heritage to kickstart tourism industry
By Tom Anstey
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Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan wants to improve the image of Nigeria using the country's cultural heritage
Photo: Flickr.com/abamtumbo
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Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has said a new heritage project will overhaul the country’s global image and boost revenues from tourism and culture.
The scheme, Nigeria, Our Heritage Project, will celebrate the cultural inheritance and economic endowment of Nigeria. Speaking at the launch of the project in Washington DC, US, the President expressed his regret that Nigeria has “come under a global media conspiracy that brought humiliation for the country.”
The President continued: “The project is a message to every Nigerian that we have a duty to ensure that Nigeria is not only what it should be but what others see it as. We have to be holistic in the way we look at things, especially our culture."
Edem Duke, tourism minister for the country, expressed optimism that his office could facilitate increased partnership with Nigerian companies, the media and government in a bid to lead the race towards revamping Nigeria as the “investment destination of the world.”
In the next phase of the project, initiatives will promote Nigeria's heritage including music, dance, costumes, food and natural sites, as well as a roadshow that will take the country's ancient and contemporary arts abroad for appreciation by the international community.
A documentary series, Fascinating Nigeria, will also be produced to convey Nigeria's rich heritage and scenic sites to the rest of the world.
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