Aregbesola Bags Award For Promoting Culture, Values

[Defender]

The governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf  Aregbesola, has bagged the Most Outstanding Chief Executive award of the West African Culture Development Body for the promotion of culture, ethics and values in Africa.

Presenting the award to the governor at his official quarters in Osogbo, the state capital on Friday, the Editor, Tribe Times Magazine, Mr Hillary Damissah, who is also the organizer of Nigeria-Ghana Culture Showcase, said that Aregbesola was chosen among the governors in the 36 states of Nigeria and 10 regions in Ghana.

He said that the decision to honour the governor was taken at an event preceding the occasion marking the 2011 Nigeria-Ghana Culture Showcase organised by the West African Culture Development Body, saying that there was a nomination of Chief Executive of States and regions in Nigeria and Ghana who are keying into promotion of African values and culture, where Aregbesola eventually emerged.

At the end of the screening, he explained that the organising committee resolved that Aregbesola was deservedly nominated to be honoured with the award.

Damissah further noted that despite the fact that the Niger State governor, Dr Mua'zu Babangida was at the event and was in a close contest with Aregbesola in the nomination process, the body still insisted that he deserved the award having taken several steps to promote culture in the state.

He then requested that the governor, in his magnanimity for art and culture, should accept the hosting of the regional art and culture event, the Ghana-Nigeria Culture Showcase for 2012, which had been slated to hold in April, 2012.

Responding, the governor said that whatever the body might have seen in his promotion of culture, ethics and values should be taken as the beginning of the commitment of his administration in promoting culture, ethics values of the people of the state.

He revealed that it is the desire of his administration to develop a pan-Africa Heritage Centre in Ile-Ife, which, according to him, is considered to be the sources of all humanity, saying; "we are ambitious to promote the culture of our people".

The governor added that the his administration has been discussing with those who have anything at stake in the promotion of culture to assist the government to initiate whatever they believed would ensure the realisation of the project.

While appreciating the body for recognising his support for the promotion of arts and culture, the governor indicated interest  to host the 2012 edition of the Ghana-Nigeria Culture Showcase, directing the body to liaise with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism to know the requirements and work out modalities for the hosting of the event.

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