Can Musawa turn around Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy?

By Akeem Atoyebi

The bane of development of the country called Nigeria is the overriding importance attached to politics, cronyism, patronage over competence in political appointments.

The foregoing is one of the cardinal submissions of Professor Richard Joseph in his seminal book: Prebedan Politics in Nigeria.

The Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy is one of the most important in the country given the primacy of the triad on which the ministry stands.

The minister in charge of this sensitive ministry without prejudice is said to be brilliant lawyer, but analysts have doubted her suitness for the ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy.

This reservation came early, but it would seem the retardation, lack of creative activity, immense inability to harness the potential of the triad of the ministry: arts, culture and tourism – may have validated the position and doubts of those who earlier criticised her appointment as evidence of politics trouncing competence.

Professor Adeagbo Moritiwon a political scientist told this medium that ” the earlier Musawa is removed the better for the creative economy. Let me be frank with you that woman is a misfit in the ministry, she may do well if moved to another ministry because no one doubts her brilliance. When she was a columnist at Daily Trust I always followed her incisive commentary. Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy economy can generate money for Nigeria but I doubt her knowledge of what it takes to run the ministry to efficiency and money generation.

The Nigerian government has set a goal of generating $100 billion from creative sector involving tourism, culture and creative economy by 2030.

Dr. Funke Akinmade, a theatre arts scholar noted that “the creative economy has enormous potential to generate money but only waiting for creative manager as minister to harness the resources and potential therein.

The creative economy is already Nigeria’s second-largest employer, and it could create more jobs by 2025 if well harnessed.

GDP

The tourism industry can generate foreign exchange for Nigeria, which can boost the country’s foreign reserves. There are many countries of the world that rely solely on tourism.

Already the Tinubu administration approved the establishment of the Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Corporation.
The government is focusing on monetizing intellectual property and generating revenue from cultural and tourism assets.
It’s also creating access to international markets for Nigerian creative products and talent.

For clarity, creative economy includes arts, crafts, festivals, museums, libraries, and more.
But these enormous potentials are in danger of not being realized as a result of the Minister in charge, Akinmade declared in her chat with this medium.

Since the appointment of Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa as Minister of Culture and Creative Economy and Lately Tourism, the Ministry has been lackluster.

Analysts pointed out her lack of charisma, inability to bond with practitioners and stakeholders, her insistence on spotlights and press conferences when there’s actually nothing to showcase.
” Honestly it’s like a land full of gold lying fallow”, Akinmade continued, raising fears of possible collapse of the Ministry if President Tinubu failed to bring in capable hand to run the otherwise promising Ministry vitiated by incompetence of the current manager.

One commentator Frank Nwete said that “She is overwhelmed by an industry that presents plenty of advantages and numerate creative, hard-working Nigerians in the private sector and dwarfed by her own fears and inadequacies.

” I won’t waste my time highlighting many of her assumed operational deliverables, which are works of sorcery and kitted from the kitchen of black magic, painted in dramatic colours of deception and grandstanding.

” It’s indeed in the public space that her first ever and last stakeholders meeting targeting solely the creative community failed flat because madam minister had no Intel on how the creative community in Nigeria struggled without help from government to brace into international recognition and influence.

“Her ground zero operational evangelical approach stirred up bitterness and irked both public and private sector institutional memories minders

“How can a learner tell experienced drivers the mechanism of driving a bus on a busy highway, not minding that there were established institutional regulations and ethos before the learner came to be.
Though the above criticism by Nweke might appear harsh, many stakeholders are agreed that she has not done well.

“With over thirteen agencies under the ministry, the Minister that can effectively harness the potential must certainly be a person of long standing presence in the creative ecosystem, who has not only the experience but the drive and enthusiasm to make a difference”, Professor David Onieatan, a culture enthusiast and literary scholar told this newspaper.

Musawa has been accused of policy grandstanding, and many have pointed out her determination to work and operate outside government structured administrative ecosystems as one of the reasons for the alleged dislocations and dysfunctional in the system in the past two years.

Nweke said ,”Sadly, how she survived the last cabinet reshuffle speaks volumes of the seriousness and promises of President Ahmed Tinubu to harness the economic values of the industry.

In the last two years, Hannatu Musa Musawa ranks tops as the most travelled minister in this president Tinubu administration, allegedly on government funds without identifiable deliverables.

Early in the week a viral video called for the sacking of an alleged Hannatu Musa Musawa appointed Director of General Services by the ministry workers. The video trended all over . The Ali Abu Sufiyanu ( the Director General Services) must go calls was another embarrassment.

There have been a lot of controversies, but the icing on the cake is the near revolt of the staff of the ministry seen in form of protest calling for the sack of Ali for incompetence and a slew of grievances that bother on contracts awards without due process.
It’s high time the President reviewed her appointment by moving her to another ministry and bring a competent hand.

Atoyebi a journalist wrote in from Lagos