TOURISM A KEY FACTOR TO OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
BY
EZEANI JOHNPAUL
Tours.logbaby.com
08063502100
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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