NCAC seeks sponsors to expand indigenous trade fair

The National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC) Lagos Directorate, has called on corporate organisations, multinationals and banks to sponsor its indigenous trade fair, to enable it grow into a major annual event.

The Zonal Director of NCAC, Lagos, Mrs Ivie Uwa-Igbinoba, made the call, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, on the sidelines of an ongoing trade fair and exhibition in Lagos.

NAN reports that the exhibition, which will end on Sept.10 is being organised by NCAC in collaboration with AJ Folly African Fashion.

The event is with the theme: ‘Eko Wears and Wares.’

Uwa-Igbinoba said the initiative was created to promote Nigeria’s heritage through exhibition and sales of indigenous products, fashion and crafts, while fostering cultural pride and economic empowerment.

She said that, though the fair was planned as a zonal event, it could grow into a major annual cultural fair, with sponsorship.

According to her, free admission is deliberately introduced to attract more visitors.

“With financial support from corporate bodies, multinationals and banks, this can be bigger and louder.

“There is nothing wrong if a bank has a stand here; a company can come, have a branch here for some days.

“Some foreigners even came over, which shows the growing interest but for this to become a full-fledged annual fair, we must have funds and sponsorship,” she said.

Also, the Founder of AJ Africa Fashion, Sunday Olajide, called for stronger support to expand the initiative.

He said the event had the potential to showcase Nigeria on the international stage.

Olajide, who is also one of the collaborators of the exhibition, however, noted that, while patronage had been encouraging, the lack of funding, professional event planning and wider media coverage limited the fair’s reach.

“There is nothing bad if investors support us.

“If well planned, this can grow into something as big as the African World Expo that started in Michigan,” he said.