The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has inaugurated the Nigeria-Ethiopia friendship club to strengthen cultural exchange programmes between the two countries.The Director-General, NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday through his Media Aide, Mr Frank Meke.

Runsewe who doubles as the President , World Crafts Council (WCC) during the inauguration in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday said this was necessary to preserve the cultural potential of Nigeria and Ethiopia. The event was Africa union’s designed programme to celebrate Africa tagged “Africa  Celebrates” to tune up the tourism possibilities of the Africa continent. It was attended by top Ethiopian Tourism Ministry officials, the tourism board big wigs and the newly established Africa Tourism Board. This came barely two years after inaugurating Nigeria-Ghana friendship club.Runsewe said the event signaled the great, impactful diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Ethiopia. He said it drew attention of the huge crowd at the event to the growing cordial and peaceful relationship between Nigeria and Ethiopia.He noted that an official friendship platform would enhance the various value chains in the basket of investment opportunities in both nations. Runsewe said that the recent visit  by President Muhammadu  Buhari to attend the second inauguration of Ethiopian President was indicative of the bond of brotherhood between both nations to be sustained by the citizens of both countries through culture and tourism trade. Runsewe raised the Nigerian and Ethiopian flags, signaling the birth of the relationship and friendship between the two frontline black African nations. Dancing to a multi mixed cultural music and joined by the enthusiastic crowd, Runsewe boxed up by tall and pretty Ethiopian tourism models, unveiled the new vista to sustain cultural tourism engagements up the horn of Africa.The event was witnessed by lelise DUGA JABESSA, and Nega WedaJuwerete, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner respectively of the Ethiopian Tourism Ministry, who thumbed up the Nigeria and Ethiopia Friendship Club initiative. WedaJuwerete stated that the presence of Runsewe in Ethiopia would help change the culture tourism narratives of both countries, create more jobs and opportunities for the recreational needs of the continent. Culthbert Ncube, Executive Chairman, Africa Tourism Board, also in attendance, praised the initiative and promised to help in opening such vista of relationships between African countries. Ncube noted that Nigeria must be at centre of Africa tourism equation as the biggest black population and economy in Africa. (NAN)