The month of February has witnessed recognition of Nigeria’s creative talents at the global stage.
On February 3, four Nigerian artistes, Burna Boy, Asake, Davido and Ayra Starr, were nominated for the first ever Grammy Afrobeats Awards Category. Similarly on February 11, 2024, the US Superbowl featured an inspiring commercial titled ‘Everyone Has A Role To Play’ directed by Nigerian photographer and filmmaker, Andrew Dosumu.
In a press release forwarded by the minister’s SA, Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa who attended the Grammys Award in Los Angeles met with music industry figures, to explore ways in which Nigeria can build and promote the reach of its young talent.
Musawa said the ministry’s strategy is reflective of the fact that the nation’s burgeoning art scene is gaining in popularity globally.
“African art and culture is surging in popularity and Nigeria is riding the crest of a wave with its unique artforms, which the whole world is embracing. Our artistic community forms an integral part of our cultural economy which we aim to significantly expand in the coming years, as part of the nation’s drive to attract investment and facilitate greater opportunities for Nigeria’s creatives.
It will be recalled that sometime after the Grammys, news surfaced of Nigerian government and the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy are seeking to collaborate with the awards to establish a local version of the awards in Nigeria and Africa. This allegation was met with fierce rebuttal by the Arts and Culture stakeholders in the country, who stated that such move will devalue the originality of the Nigerian and African music culture, not to mention stunt its natural growth, which at present its beauty lies in its independence to grow organically and at its own pace and originality.
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