40 years after the Second World Black and African of Arts and Culture, FESTAC , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo calls for its celebration of the 40-years .
He made the call at his hilltop home in Abeokuta , Ogun state while he received members of the Centre for Black and Civilization (CBAAC) of the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation .
Taking a throwback , Obasanjo was the head of state in 1977 when the last edition of FESTAC was held after the first edition in Dakar in 1966.
He lamented that 40 years after, “we are yet to have the third. That is the more reason we must take the lead again to celebrate 40 years after we held the last one.
The ex president reminiscing on the festival said
“This brings happy memory and nostalgic feelings. I think is is very thoughtful on the part of the management to put some events in video. I want to congratulate the group for coming alive with this, which is coming 40 years after it was held”
The visitors also brought a documentary of some of the events of FESTAC 77 , after watching it , hemade some remarks.
“it will ginger our people to be proud of showing the world the culture of Africa and the Blackman. “It will show the world that humanity starts from Africa. That migration starts from Africa before entering Middle East, Asia, Europe and cross to the Americas and Australia. We are the centre of the world and we must be proud of it’,he stated.
“We started the process of globalization and we exported humanity to the rest of the world. But, the past have eluded us, the future must not evade from our land. I am totally supporting this anniversary which will be coinciding with my 80th birthday anniversary,” Obasanjo said.
He has promised to facilitate the coming of past African leaders to the country for the anniversary..
The Director General of Centre for Black and Civilization, Dr Anikwe Ferdinand told their host of the mission, explaining that the Centre had come to intimate the Former President, “who incidentally was the Head of state in 1977 of the 40th anniversary of FESTAC’77
“Since the FESTAC’77 past African leaders have not look at the direction of hosting cultural festival of such magnitude.
We only use sports to show our culture since we realize that it is the only unifying factor. We did not tap from the experience of FESTAC’77 and we believe that it’s this 40th year anniversary that can allow us to bring Africa together once again like we did in 1977,” Ferdinand disclosed.
The ex-president described Africa as root of humanity and globalization, which was later exported to the rest of the world,adding that as part of reviving the continent’s mass and diverse cultural heritage, the 40th anniversary celebration of the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC), would get his support and mobilization.