Civil Society Honours NCAC Boss Obi Asika, Rallies Behind Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Youth Empowerment.
By Raymond Enoch
In a compelling show of support for creative leadership and youth empowerment, the National Civil Society Coalition on Arts, Culture and Creative Economy has honoured Mr. Obi Asika, Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), for his outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s cultural transformation.
The Coalition presented Mr. Asika with a Certificate of Credence during a high-level courtesy and working visit to the NCAC headquarters in Abuja. The visit was led by Ambassador Kingsley Enwelim Nwanze, Director General of the Centre for Leadership and Creative Entrepreneurs in Africa Ltd/GTE.
The delegation hailed Mr. Asika’s dynamic leadership and commended his achievements, particularly the completion of Nigeria’s New Cultural Policy, which is set for an official unveiling. They described his tenure as “visionary and transformational,” setting a new benchmark for cultural leadership in Nigeria.
The Coalition specifically applauded NCAC’s youth-focused initiatives, including the Innovative Creative Entrepreneurship (ICE) Program and the Creative Lead Acceleration Program (CLAP), both of which are designed to equip young Nigerians with the skills, mentorship, and global opportunities needed to thrive in the creative economy.
According to Ambassador Nwanze, Mr. Asika has not only positioned the NCAC as a hub for innovation and creative excellence but has also aligned the Council’s mission with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda — a policy drive that prioritizes youth empowerment, job creation, and economic diversification through creativity and entrepreneurship.
The visit also served as a platform for the Coalition to advocate for increased funding for the NCAC. They expressed concern over the Council’s underfunding and called on the Federal Government to significantly improve its budgetary support, noting that the NCAC plays a strategic role in reducing youth unemployment through arts, culture, and creativity.
“The NCAC is doing a lot with very limited resources,” Nwanze stated. “Imagine the national impact if this agency is adequately funded. It is a clear instrument of youth empowerment and economic inclusion.”
Mr. Asika, in his response, emphasized that culture and creativity are not merely aesthetic expressions but powerful tools for economic development and national unity. He reiterated the Council’s commitment to building sustainable structures that will benefit Nigerian youth and promote the country’s creative potential globally.
“We’re not just preserving heritage; we’re creating futures,” Asika said. “Culture is national infrastructure, and creativity is the engine of innovation. We must invest in both.”
The Coalition pledged continued partnership with the NCAC, noting that civil society has a crucial role to play in shaping policies and building momentum for the creative sector’s advancement.
As the Federal Government intensifies its implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the message from this visit is unmistakable: Nigeria’s creative sector, with leaders like Obi Asika at the helm, is poised to be a cornerstone of economic revival and youth empowerment in the years ahead.
