What Makes Life Worthwhile

The Arts is what make living worthwhile – without music, drama, paintings and dance we’d simply be living a colour-less life. The Arts aren’t just the things that give pleasure to life – they are the means by which we express ourselves, connect to and with other people, share experiences and discover new things about nature and our world.

Imagine a life without the Arts. A world without theatres, galleries or concert halls. A world without Victor Awaifo or Fela, Prince Nico Mbarga’s Sweet mother or Timi Dakolo’s Great Nation; without Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka or Sefi Attah.

Or you want to talk about Oresegun Olumide- the Nigerian painter who could be placed at par with the world’s popular Italian polymath painter in the Renaissance who is known for his enduring works such as “The Last Supper” and “Mona Lisa”- Leonardo Da Vinci? Now, just imagine having to live for just one day in that EMPTY world.

Over the years and at present our ears have complained about the incessant sayings of a country whose interlocks are fabricated upon the dais of ART but has not come to realize and appreciate such rare gifts from mother nature rather she gets the ‘ear’ more wearied with statement like [This country got potential or we are blessed]. You see, People always say, when they hold up a seed- “This seed is so potent though tiny but when made to interact with the soil, its potency is realized.” But as the seconds fades, we seem not to have realized anything from this supposedly called ‘privileged gift’- seed.

We are on the path of a slow fade, losing every day bits and dribs of these forms upon which our heritage is hoisted and consequently, we sell out the integrals of what should remind us of our history, identity, symbols, unity and above all, the purpose why we are called a nation! It’s so

appalling that a country whose fabric is all a knit of diverse arts has not come to terms with reality about its forms and worth.

A great man once said: “a nation that refuses to pay premium to its ARTS is at the verge of losing its thread of nationhood”. So, the story goes, during World War II, it was suggested to Winston Churchill that he should stop investing in the Arts to help pay for Britain’s war effort. He was said to have responded “Then what would we be fighting for?” At the moment Public Funding for arts & culture (including museums and libraries) amounts to 2% total Government Spend yet supports an impressive national network and returns £7.7 billion to the UK economy or even more. They do this because they recognize the value of art and culture to their local quality of life, to attracting tourists and skilled workers, to boosting their creative economies, and to the reputation of their place.

The Arts is a powerful tool that goes beyond the borders of shaping a nation. Imagine a country living on the returns from the Arts. It’s possible! Nations that understand the power of IT and ITS reward for commercialization have become beneficiaries to this course.

Can and will this nation ever explore this WORLD; the world of creative abilities, the new economy called the Arts?