The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) has called on Africans to deliberate in exploring the continent’s arts and cultural potential for improved economic growth.

CBAAC’s director-general, Oluwabunmi Amao, made the call during the centre’s annual international conference held on Thursday in Lagos.

Ms Amao said the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Document recognises arts, culture and creative economy as one of the major areas that can foster rapid economic development for any nation desirous of eradicating poverty.

She said that with the consciousness that Africa had large arrays of unexplored rich cultural resources under-utilised, the continent must consciously explore the potential in the sector further.

CBAAC boss explained, “The creative economy is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the global economy, offering new and high-growth opportunities, especially for developing and emerging countries.

“It contributes to meeting the sustainable development goals by generating income and export earnings and creating jobs, as outlined in the United Nations Creative Economy Report for 2020. Creative goods and services boost economies and contribute to inclusive social development.”

He noted that for Africa, arts and culture “represent creativity, and they remain critical” to advancing the creative economy in Africa.

“At a time when the rate of unemployment is alarming and the youthful population continues to grow geometrically, arts, culture and the creative sector hold the key to channelling such youthful energies to productive use,” she said.

Duro Oni, a professor of Creative Arts, said that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) could be achieved by properly exploring the economic potential of African arts and culture.

According to him, African artistic and cultural productions have much to contribute to actualising the MDGs and the continent’s development.

Mr Oni said African arts and culture could contribute to reducing extreme poverty and hunger by creating employment opportunities, thereby achieving the MDG objective of poverty eradication.

He noted that these employment opportunities would not just be for the professionals in the various fields of arts and culture on the African continent but also the teeming youths of the continent.

(NAN)