Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: arts and culture

  • Stakeholders Call for Culture to be Used as a Tool for National Unity

    Stakeholders Call for Culture to be Used as a Tool for National Unity

    The Nation reports that cultural stakeholders and government officials in Lagos used the return of the Fanti Carnival to advocate for culture as a tool for national integration.

    Speakers argued that Nigeria’s diverse traditions should be framed as a strength, with the carnival’s heritage displays serving as a platform for dialogue on peace-building through the creative arts.

    The Punch and Tribune also noted the event’s public resonance and calls for more state-supported cultural festivals to counterbalance security and political tensions.

    Echotitbits take: Cultural diplomacy is an underused soft-power lever in Nigeria’s national-cohesion toolbox. The carnival’s reception suggests a public appetite for shared-identity events. Expect more festival revivals and culture-led peace-building programming in 2026, especially where states want non-security pathways to reduce tensions.

    Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/stakeholders-advocate-culture-as-tool-for-national-unity/ 2026-01-30

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Funke Akindele Honored by Federal Government for N2 Billion Box Office Feat

    Funke Akindele Honored by Federal Government for N2 Billion Box Office Feat

    Reporting by Channels TV indicates that the Federal Government has lauded Nollywood filmmaker Funke Akindele for a record-breaking box office performance reportedly surpassing N2 billion. The Ministry of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy described the feat as a benchmark for the creative economy and a signal of Nollywood’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to GDP.

    Officials said the recognition reflects growing interest in positioning the creative sector as a serious economic pillar. Plans were also referenced around institutional support through a Creative Economy Fund, aimed at enabling larger-scale productions and industry financing.

    Vanguard corroborated the commendation and quoted the minister praising Nigerian stories as commercially powerful, while The Punch amplified the milestone as a historic Nollywood commercial height in a single theatrical run.

    Echotitbits take: Funke Akindele has evolved from superstar to commercial institution. This N2bn signal is exactly what investors look for—expect more private equity-style financing structures, distribution partnerships, and higher-stakes marketing plays across Nollywood.

    Source: The Punch — https://punchng.com/fg-hails-funke-akindele-on-box-office-record/ 2026-01-29

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • Demas Nwoko at 90: Nigerian creative icon marks milestone with tributes and thanksgiving

    Demas Nwoko at 90: Nigerian creative icon marks milestone with tributes and thanksgiving

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-24 07:48:00

    Writing in Punch, the report says renowned Nigerian artist, architect, and writer Demas Nwoko has marked his 90th birthday with thanksgiving activities and tributes focused on faith, mentorship, and cultural legacy.

    The celebration was framed not just as a personal milestone but as recognition of influence—how his work and guidance shaped younger professionals in art, architecture, and cultural thought.

    Part of the programme reportedly included a dedication tied to his late mother, highlighting family memory and community symbolism rather than a purely social party atmosphere.

    The event also drew attention to the broader cultural value of “living legends”—figures whose work bridges post-independence creativity and contemporary design identity.

    ThisDay reported the anniversary featured “a thanksgiving and the inauguration of church Belfry in honour of his late mother,” while The Guardian described him as “a patriarch of African modern design.”

    Echotitbits take: Nigeria’s culture economy needs better documentation and monetisation of legacy—archives, museums, design foundations, and structured mentorship. Watch for whether institutions turn these milestones into lasting cultural infrastructure, not just ceremonies.

    Source: The Punch — December 24, 2025 (https://punchng.com/renowned-artist-demas-nwoko-marks-90th-birthday/)
    The Punch 2025-12-24