Stakeholders in the creative industry have called on the Federal Government to make art a major and compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools, as well as tertiary institutions.
They said making creative art a compulsory subject would help children and youths to acquire practical skills in drawing, painting and crafts making.
The stakeholders made the call at the Art and Craft Expo, organised to commemorate the 2025 World Art Day in Abuja.
Supreme news reports that the art and craft expo was organised by Uzzity Centre for Arts and Culture in collaboration with Fespida Creative Industry Academy and National Troupe of Nigeria.
Mrs Memunat Idu’Lah, a retired Director, Ministry of Creative Arts, Culture and Tourism, urged the Federal Government to revive the act of making children develop creative talents in the 1970s.
Idu’Lah, who was also the Chairperson of the event, said the government should make art a major and compulsory subject in the schools as every person has some forms of creative talents in him or her.
“I want to use this period of 2025 World Art Day celebration to call on the government to be serious about art as a subject in the schools because sometimes in the 1970s, art was a serious subject.
“In that time, children were made to make some art works and their teachers scored them. Even if the parents helped them to make that art works, the teachers used to know.
“So, we have to go back and see how we can make our youths and children start developing their creative talents in them because every person has some forms of talents.
This is imperative to youth employment and poverty reduction. So, the government should not take this for granted and schools should begin to make sure that they have art as one of their major subjects.
In his remarks, Prince Ike Mbaike, Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Uzzity Centre for Arts and Culture, said the centre held the arts exhibition/World Arts Day to promote the cultural heritage of Nigerians.
Mbaike, who described the centre as a non-profit organisation, said it provided infrastructure for artists to showcase their art works and creative talents.
“Uzzity is at the forefront of providing infrastructure where the government is lacking in providing infrastructure.
“The National Troupe is collaborating with us because they do their rehearsal here, and we have gone steps ahead to be doing collaborative engagement with the troupe by showcasing the dancing, music and drama here in the centre on monthly basis.’’
Also speaking, Dr Festus Ojieh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Fespida Creative Industry Academy, said economic empowerment through arts and crafts is also a means available for jobless youth, men and women to obtain the basic needs.
Ojieh said they can obtain basic needs either directly by themselves, or through the assistance of those who have access to funds that can be used to encourage and develop their skills actualisation and sufficiency.
According to him, the expo is aimed at reinforcing the links between artistic creations and society as well as encourages greater awareness of the diversity of artistic expressions and highlights the contributions of artists to sustainable development.
“This is in line with the 2025 World Art Day with the theme; “A Garden of Expression: Cultivating Community Through Art,’’ Ojieh said.
He recalled that the World Art Day was created by the International Association of Art, a UNESCO partner NGO, in honour of the birthday of renowned artist Leonardo da Vinci.
He added that the members of the 17th General Assembly in Guadalajara proposed the establishment of World Art Day.
“In 2012, the first World Art Day was officially celebrated, marking a significant milestone in promoting artistic expression and cultural diversity on a global scale.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I know you may ask why Da Vinci, but from available literature, he was chosen as a symbol of world peace, freedom of expression, tolerance, brotherhood, and multiculturalism as well as art’s importance to other fields.
“Now that you have a better understanding of the significance of World Art Day, I’m sure you can see the reason why Uzzitz Centre for Arts and Culture in collaboration with Fespida Creative Industry Academy came up with this Art and Craft Expo.’’
The Fespida CEO described the expo as a platform to showcase, promote and develop the creative talents and skills of local artists, especially the artists from the local community.
In her remarks, Mrs Bankole Adeola, Founder/Creative Director, Tade Craft Ltd., said she made most of the cooking ware locally with clay, which were toxic free and good for people’s health.
Adeola said, “These pieces that I make are pieces that you can use to cook, store your water to serve the food. They are not toxic, they are good for health.
“Based on the research, most of the cooking ware we use at homes are toxic and have negative effects on our health.
“So, clay pot is the best alternative that researchers validate that we can use in place of toxic ware. I also make innovative pot with water dispenser to give us natural water right from the pot.’’