Creative industry embodies the following professionals: Visual arts, fashion designers, movie producers, movie distributors, information technology and other related functionalities.  

The benefits of arts and culture cannot be overemphasised, according to Chief Kingsly Okafor. As the National President and Chairman, BOT of the Association of Professional Creative Artists and Designers in Nigeria (APCAD),  the umbrella art association, he has been in the struggle for the placement of Nigerian art and culture at the world stage through advocacies in the US and Europe.  Apart from the education and information contents, arts and culture enhance employment and increase revenue accruable to a nation.

He has  been an advocate of the discovering of the enormous creative talents in the country and the ultimate mobilisation of these talents for human capital development and increasing Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, through the revenue from arts and culture activities. He has witnessed exhibitions all over the world showcasing Nigeria’s culture and highlighting the positives inherent in them. 

The visual art sector requires the jet age and modern technology compliant of intelligent people, like Chief Kingsley Okafor, who have been helping to drive the sector. Any support from the government towards this industry will encourage and assist in achieving professionalism,  especially when all aspects of the industry is embraced, without neglecting or victimising any.

Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released an empowerment package of N200billion to the creative industry and at the point of distribution, visual arts wassidelined and given nothing from this package. What aberration!

Chief Okafor, a creative arts development economist, sculptor and art promoter per excellence,  advised the CBN governor and Bankers Committee otherwise for nonchalant or oversight negligence by intentionally excluding the visual artists in the approved Creative Industry Financial Initiative valued at a whooping N200billion.

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He also extended the advice to the DG of National Gallery of Art for insensitivity towards the creative arts, saying as a professional, who is supposed to know his onions, excluding any segment of the members of the industry, does not amount to ensuring that the incentive was judiciously distributed, as those isolated may contribute the needed impact to boost the economy and achieve the aim for which the fund was intended. This empowerment initiative has four pillars, according to CBN; namely fashion, music, information technology and movie, but visual arts was conspicuously omitted. That was why there were protests that it should have been allocated part of the incentive.

Artists spend a lot of money and effort on materials to provide intellectual work. Nothing kills creativity than a lack of support and patronage. To receive patronage, the artist needs support and encouragement by way of financing. This will enable artists to reach the expected standards and apply quality materials to boost patronage as well as compete effectively in the international market.

You cannot talk about the creative industry without mentioning the visual arts, the core and integral part of the creative industry. It highlights and projects the culture of the people, the most. It is the culture of the people that chronicles their history, their values, and origin. The most authentic way this can be captured is through visual art. Visual art tells the history of the people and their lifestyle. Therefore, it needs all the encouragement and support.

Unfortunately, the people in the critical and core government agencies that should promote the creative arts do not understand the industry. Creative arts is big business all over the world. Sadly enough, the people running the critical agency of government ans saddled with the responsibility of promoting the art industry at the National Gallery are simply absent, missing in action. The gallery has done more to obliterate the visual arts than build the industry or support it.  Total lack of focus, direction, and institutionalised corruption have stifled the agency, with this type of negligence in extending the incentive to the relevant professionals. The industry really needs desired attention.

•Brady Chijioke Nwosu, 2019 Imo State former governorship candidate writes from Enugu.