BRIEF ON AFAC

In pre- colonial times, cultural industries played critical roles in fast tracking the growth of rural economies through the abundant array of crafts and ancillary industries that served ad adjunct to farming. These can be found in ivory, bronze, brass, and glass castings and leather works, textiles, basketry, etc produced in different parts of the country and distributed largely by itinerant traders in what the served as long distance trade.
These trades thrived significantly owing to the large patronage it enjoyed especially from royal personages and courts. Unfortunately, the disarticulation caused by both the advent of colonialism and subsequent discovery of oil relegated the once thriving industry to the background. It is based on the desire to recapture the very essence of this industry and to re-enact its wealth creation potentials that the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation through the National Council for Arts and Culture initiated the African Arts and Crafts Expo in Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.
Instituted in 2008, the first two editions had the theme - “Stimulating the Economic Growth Potentials of the Arts and Crafts Sector”. The Expo was largely designed to via this theme:
• re – energize the sector through a well coordinated plan of action that will attract African craftsmen and women
• serve as a forum for sharing ideas, exchange and refinement,
• attempt to create an organized market as outlet for the sales of these crafts
It also afforded the relevant government agencies the opportunities of information sharing with various producers. More importantly, it became a forum for the financial service sector and practitioners to bridge the gap in obtaining investment support funds that will further boost the Small and Medium Enterprise development programme.
The successes of the first two editions therefore inspired the choice of the theme of the third edition: “Growing the Rural Economy through the Crafts Industry”. The intention is that in implementing this theme, the Expo will serve as a way of building on the progress recorded as well as perfecting and tightening every loose end observed in the first two editions with a view to making Nigeria and indeed Africa a tourism destination of the world.
Africa indeed has abundant reservoir of Crafts products and practitioners. If properly harnessed, they can become sources of employment and wealth creation. Conservative estimates indicate that over 80% of the total population of Africa are rural dwellers who engage in farming along with various forms of crafts production including metal crafts, pottery, carving, textile, weaving, spinning, embroidery, leather works, calabash decorations, blacksmithing, bronze and brass casting, tie and dye, etc. these constitute major aspects of our rural industries.
Indeed any major development initiative that is designed to be sustainable cannot afford to neglect this sector, because it is second only to agriculture in possibilities for job creation and holds the key to a sustainable technology and development revolution.