The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa has extolled the efforts of the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runswe in constantly reawakening the consciousness of Nigerians on the need to sustain our rich cultural heritage.
The CDS made this remark when he received in audience a delegation comprising the executive members of the Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF) and top management of the National Council for Arts and Culture ( NCAC) led by the Director General to the Defence headquarters on a courtesy visit.
The CDS said that Runsewe is contributing meaningfully to the socio-political and economic development of the nation. He also commended NCAC under the leadership of Runsewe, adding that the passion, drive, records and achievements of the NCAC in the sector was evidently unrivalled.
The CDS stated that he was elated to receive the delegation in his office adding that the visit provides a platform to rob minds and share experiences on ways the Military can collaborate with the NCAC to promote a robust civil – military relationship through Arts and Culture.
General Musa who said the Armed Forces whose cardinal role is the protection of the nation’s territorial integrity can also achieve it’s mandate using Culture as a veritable tool.
”The defense of the territorial integrity of the nation is the defense of it’s Culture” the CDS added.
Speaking earlier, the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture Otunba Olusegun Runsewe commended the Chief of Defence Staff for the impressive gallantry of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the last couple of months and the effort aimed at routing Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and all forms of crimes and criminalities in Nigeria. He mentaied that the activities of criminal elements in our society have been greatly curtailed, neutralized and disseminated in recent times, leading to the relative restoration of peace, law and order in Nigeria.
Runsewe drew the attention of the Chief of Defence Staff to the close relationship between Culture, Peace and National Unity, and the potency of culture for engendering sustainable peace and social harmony.
He informed the CDS that the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has been complementing the efforts of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the task of restoring peace in our dear nation, using a variety of soft approaches, including the hosting of cultural festivals, skill acquisition programmes, civil inter-face, sporting activities particularly golf and football adding that the Nigerian Armed Forces has been participating in some of the activities of the Council which the Council avails to the Military institution in Nigeria to reach out to civil populace.
The Director General recalled that that in 2022, the Nigerian Armed Forces staged a colourful military parade and exhibition in Lagos during the 35th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) and in the same vein, the Office of the Chief of Defence staff collaborated with the Nigeria Golf Federal (NGF) under his leadership as the President, to host the first Chief of Defence Staff Golf Tournament to mark the 2022 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day.
Runsewe who doubles as the President of World Crafts Council for African region also used the occasion to solicit for a stronger civil military relationship where the civil society will always see the military as friends and not foes.
The Director General restated that the visit was to brief the CDS on activities of the NCAC and NGF and to benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience on how the two organizations can fine-tune and perfect non-military strategies in the struggle towards building a Nigeria free of insurgency and other violent crimes.
There were exchange of gifts and souvenirs during the visit.
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