Minister seeks implementation of signed bilateral pacts in cultural sector

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has
stressed the need to actualize all the bilateral agreements between
Nigeria and other countries, particularly in the cultural sector, so
as to derive the maximum benefits that the sector offers.

The Minister said this in Abuja on Friday when he received the German
Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Bernard Schlagheck, on a courtesy visit to
his office.

He explained that while signing bilateral agreements is critical to
forging global relations and alliances towards the development of the
cultural sector, focus should be on actualizing the content of the
agreements for the mutual benefit of the signatories.

“When you look at the plethora of memoranda of understanding and
bilateral cooperation we have with various governments, there are so
many and it appears that we do not do anything after we have signed
these agreements. These agreements are good to be signed but then I
think that more importantly they should be operative,” Alhaji Mohammed
said.

The Minister directed the composition of a working committee in the
ministry to liaise with the German Embassy to map out concrete
guidelines for collaboration between the University of Frankfurt and
the Nigerian Commission for Museums and Monuments for the promotion
and preservation of the Nok Terracotta and culture.

He commended Germany’s support for the cultural sector in Nigeria and
described the request to restore the Nigerian old films “Shehu Umar”
and exhibit it at the Berlin Film Festival in 2017 as a welcomed idea

The Minister appealed to Germany to extend a similar gesture to other
old Nigerian movies.

“It is the kind of passion that Germany has demonstrated towards our
cultural relationship which is quite encouraging,” he said.

In his remarks, Mr. Schlagheck said Culture is an important component
of Germany’s international relations and emphasised the country’s
readiness to impact positively on the development of various
indigenous cultures in Nigeria.

Mr. Schlagheck, who has just assumed office, said he is impressed by
the depth of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Germany,
particularly in the cultural sector.