Tourism: FG collaborates with Bauchi to revive Durbar Festival

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By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
The Federal Government has identified Bauchi State’s tourism and cultural endowments as one of the major endowments the nation is shifting attention to in its bid to explore other sources of revenue owing to dwindling oil prices in the international market.
Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed who dropped hint for the new twist while receiving Governor Mohammed Abubakar during a courtesy visit to his office, said with the untapped potentials in Bauchi State and the efforts being made by the state in the tourism sector, the federal government has no reason not to partner the state in this regard.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed noted that both the Ministry and Governor are working for the same goal of making Nigeria successful, stressing that they share many things in common and discussed on how to harness the cultural and tourism potentials Bauchi is endowed with.
Lai while stating that Yankari Resort and Safari is also going to be accorded necessary attention to restore its place as an international tourism destination, said that himself and the Governor have also discussed on the revival of Durbar Festival in the state, saying Durbar is an international festival that requires revival because of its uniqueness, pageantry and great potentials to attract tourists from all parts of the world.
He observed that all over the world, the new oil is in culture and tourism and unlike oil, it can unite people and reinforce the bunch apart from being a very serious revenue earner, revealing that he initiated discussions on Durbar in northern Nigeria, especially Bauchi with the UNESCO during his recent visit to Paris.
According to him, Bauchi Durbar can hardly be replicated anywhere in the world and has the potential to create jobs and wealth for the people, and assured that his ministry will partner with the state government to ensure that all the tourism and cultural potentials in the state are fully harnessed.
The Minister commended the Governor for investing so much in non-oil sources of revenue and developing the tourism and solid mineral sectors, stressing “But for some last minutes hitches, we were supposed to commence the tour of Savanna scenic master plan from Bauchi because we want to commence our tourism tour with Bauchi”.
Lai stated said that his rescheduled visit to the state will not only be for exploring the culture and tourism potentials of the state, but also accord him the opportunity of letting the world know the “good job the governor of Bauchi state is doing”, since he assumed office.
Governor Mohammed Abubakar who earlier explained that he was in the Minister’s office to explore areas of mutual cooperation with the ministry, observed that information and communication are central to the success of democratic government.
Abubakar noted that the Minister is well groomed in information management, especially with the way he handled his assignment from the national publicity secretary of an opposition party before assuming office as the cabinet minister in charge of information, culture and tourism.

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