…says an avenue to attract investors
By Olanrewaju Adesanya
A Cybersecurity consultant, Artiste and Co-Founder of K FEST (Korean Festival), Tosin Doherty has counseled the Nigerian government to latch on the positive gains in deliberate exposure of young minds to global cultural perspectives, describing it as a germane ingredient needed to foster International unity.
The youthful and quite bold Doherty on Sunday called on government across levels to do more in opening school children’s minds to other people’s cultures for national and international integration.
Oluwatosin the daughter of the Chairman, Lagos State chapter of Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave the charge while speaking with newsmen at the maiden edition of K FEST in Lagos.
She said that the world had become a global community and the only way to enhance cohesion was to open children’s mind to tradition and customs other people.
According to her, the fact that a sizeable number of Nigerian youngsters are desirous of a community bonded by Korean affinity made K-Fest a dream come through.
The fact that human beings have and shared in common family ties, laugh, drink, listening to music, if we are able to expose children to those, we are better.
Doherty said that investing in cultural promotion like music, dance and others, remains a creative and nicer way to get people to open up, be more creative and redirect their energies to more productive ventures.
“I will say that the government need to finance it (cultures). Even in education, we must open children’s minds to other cultures. We need to prepare them for the wider society to be total children.
“With the internet, you cannot say you are only exposed to what you have in your home, the internet alone opens the door of the world to everything.
“I think the government should invest more, it is the easiest way to get across to other people,” Doherty said.
She said that her exploration into Korean Cultural Festival and celebration of it was another way to showcase her talents about foreign cultures for deeper international integration.
Tosin said that with huge investment in cultural promotion, many of the challenges facing the nation could be addressed.
“If young people are focusing on dancing, music, cultures, they will not have time to do things that are not beneficial to the society. An idle mind is a devil’s workshop.
“When you don’t have something doing, there is a likelihood of you being used to do something bad.
“It is an easier way to get people engaged and also to educate them about other cultures and tell them of what the world in becoming, a global community.
“No one country is separate from everybody’s else. We heard what happened in Ukraine and Russia and others parts of the world, there is a ripple effect of this on everybody.
“So, I think opening our minds to other cultures, we are also more aware of how our life is being affected by everybody else in the society,” she said.
On her reason for organising young Nigerians to celebrate Korean Festival, Doherty said that a lot of people watch Korean movies, listen to Korean music while many desired to go for study in such clime.
“It gives Nigerians a more Korean perspective without spending money to travel. It brings Nigerians closer to Korea to foster international unity.
“For Nigerians, before you travel because a lot of people here want to go and study in Korea, they won’t be there not knowing anything about Korea and not understanding their culture and behaviour.
“They must know what is deemed to be respectful and acceptable there.
“So, aside from having fun, this is also. educating. So, when we do go out or interact with these people, you are more aware of them.
“There are somethings, you would say or do that some other people in other cultures will find disrespectful.
“If we are aware of that, you are good to conduct yourself in other spaces, than just being oblivious. You are more aware of what is going on in other spaces,” she added.
Doherty, however said that Nigeria was not doing badly in cultural development with couples of Nigerian artistes winning international awards and gaining recognitions.
She however, called for more concerted efforts and investment in cultural preservation and promotion, saying a lot of young Nigerians were now interested in foreign music and movies including Korea.
Doherty said though there were appreciation in what Nigerian artistes were churning out to the world, more needed to be done to be more visible at the global level.
“Amusingly, our music are getting better, the quality of the sound and visuals are getting better.
“International people now see value in Nigeria and what we are doing now. We need to put more money behind it to get better, in the world today, Tech,Governance, music and culture, even company adverts now make use of the music as they are intertwined,” She said.
Doherty however, notes that the celebration of K FEST would be an annual one as the group continues to scout for more sponsors, especially with youth targeted brands.
The festival features lots Korean cuisines, Korean music and dance and display. Of Korean movies to bring Korean culture quite close to the participants.