November 04, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Army will make a strategic presence at the National Festival For Arts and Culture (NAFEST), slated for Monday, November 7, 2022, in Lagos. Meanwhile, this has never happened in the history of the iconic cultural festival.
Director General of the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, who disclosed this on Thursday, said such a move signalled a change of policy in the strained civilian-military relationship.
The decision resulted from Runsewe’s courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, in Abuja, as part of creating windows for wider participation in the Nigerian development ecosystem.
Runsewe, during the meeting, requested for the military architecture presence to support NAFEST, thereby, noting the military could use the same channel in establishing a solid relationship with the civilian population to heighten arts and culture activities.
“The Nigerian military is a strong partner in the quest to have a peaceful, united Nigeria, and it is the same message which NAFEST through our rich diverse culture wishes to sustain and you will agree with me, that security is a strong pillar for Cultural preservation and promotion. So, we are happy the CDS, General Lucky Irabor, will deploy the three sister military architecture of the army, Navy, and Airforce, to showcase their social responsibility platforms and other sundry activities which civilian population can leverage for a greater Nigerian nation”, Runsewe explained, adding that no one should panic at full military presence and deployment during the one-week festival, dubbed Eko NAFEST.
About the Author
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
