The director-general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has said the council is ready to create over 2500 jobs for Nigerians in the next two months as it opens its cultural market to the public.
Runsewe made this known during an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend in his office yesterday in Abuja.
According to him, it is a shame that in the whole of West Africa, Nigeria is the only country that does not have a cultural market.
“When I got to office, I stopped intrusion into NCAC land, I succeeded and I must give credit to three distinguished Nigerians who have helped this agency. The minister of FCT, Mohammed Musa Bello, warned that government land should return to the government and alternative land given to the contenders.
“The inspector general of police, Mohammed Adamu, has done very well, knowing full well that the said land is a government land he took action, and of course the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed also gave us great support. The good news is that in the next one or two months, the cultural market will be opened to Nigerians and it is going to create over 2500 jobs. I can tell you that Nigeria has benefited because the value of that land is N9.8billion, so with the new move in the next couple of months we will open a brand-new market where most of the diplomats can go for shopping.
“I have also built new conveniences as there were no toilets there before now. The place has been reorganized. It was because of this land I was arrested on social media because they carried fake news about Otunba Segun Runsewe being arrested, they said I was arrested on Thursday but I was in my office reading and receiving calls about my arrest. That is why we should not bother ourselves about social media. Today Nigerians will be happy that the market returned in full, creating jobs and adding value to our culture and economy,” he added.