Nigerian’s
cultural heritage is our greatest asset for tourism. Hence the concept “ cultural
heritage which connotes a cherished and preserved tradition has emerged and
broadened the idea or culture so much that in practice it now includes almost
everything that is a record of people’s upheld behavioral pattern” whether
indigenously developed or extremely instigated. Our cultural heritage consist
of both the material and non-material art forms which are testimonies form the
past, including cultural landscape and historic objects. Since the social,
economic and geographical environment in which the cultural materials survived
are parts of the heritage. Tourism as a factor, had helped in a very big way in
the promotion of these cultural heritage which the country posses.
Consequently, the recently staged Abuja carnival, Argungu fishing festival,
Osun-Osogbo festival, Masquerade festival of the south-east of the country etc
is most welcome. These festivals have contributed in the upliftment of our
tourism industry. These festivals have attracted both domestic and international
tourist respectively.
Positioning our tourism industry towards the
sustainable development of our cultural heritage is a very welcome development.
Tourism promotion in Nigeria will help in marketing our rich cultural heritage.
Nigeria is one of the richest countries in terms of culture. Almost all the 36
states that make up the Nigerian country have one or more cultural heritage to
show the entire world. It is quite unfortunate that these our cultural
materials are facing destructions because of lack of knowledge. Christianity in
this country has lead to the destruction of our cultural heritage. Christians
sees these cultural material and activities as fetish, thereby preach against
them. We cannot continue this way because these cultural materials and activities
have something to showcase. Let’s take Abuja carnival as an example; this is a
carnival that have attracted tourist in and outside the country. This is also a
carnival that has showcased the rich cultural heritage of this country, thereby
bringing the entire ethnic group in the country together.
With
this carnival and other cultural carnival in the country, we can boost for our
cultural ingenuity among our people. It suffixes to say that Tourism being the
movement of people from the place they reside to another destination for the
purpose of Leisure, Business, Sport, site seeing, Meeting etc can help in the
promotion of our cultural heritage. A tourist visiting a particular destination
to experience the culture of the people will spend what he/she has in order to
enjoy him/herself. This situation will boost the economy of the destination
visited. Tourism being a factor of development will help to develop a
destination where people visit for cultural activities and their natural
attraction. Provision of access road, good drinking water, electricity and
security will be in its earnest for the satisfaction of the tourist, thereby
attract more and more tourist to a particular destination because the type of
attraction in a giving destination will determine the type of tourist that will
visit the destination. Making tourism a priority to our cultural heritage will
help in continuity of our various cultural heritages. The Nigerian community
should have it in their mind that these cultural practices are the only thing
that makes us the most popular black African country in the world. We should
protect what the almighty have given us and work towards harnessing them.
Christians should stop the destruction of our cultural materials and activities
because it is wickedness to what our fore- fathers have left for us to look
after.
Conclusively, Making Nigeria tourism
friendly will help in the preservation and protection of our cultural heritage.
Tourism industry in Nigeria should provide a conducive environment for our
cultural materials and activities so as to attract more tourists. Many countries
has benefited in this context, Nigeria should bear in mind that our cultural heritage
is being cherished by people all over the world. Tourism knows no doubt is the
key factor in harnessing of our cultural heritage. Therefore, Nigeria
government and other tourism experts should map out a strategy in promoting our
cultural heritage.
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