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Oyo State contingent have emerged the winner of the cultural quiz competition at the on-going 32nd National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), holding at the Sports Complex of University of Benin, Edo State.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, disclosed this on Wednesday in Ibadan.
According to the Commissioner, 12 states participated in the cultural quiz competition, adding that the duo of Oluwagbotemi Olawale of Oritamefa Baptist Model College, Ibadan and Mercy Abidoye of God’s Blessing Comprehensive College, Ibadan, who represented the state came first.
“Oyo State emerged as the first position in the keenly contested cultural competition while Lagos took second position, Delta and Enugu made third and fourth positions respectively,” Olatunbosun said.
He emphasised the significance of culture in national development, stressing that the festival has provided opportunity for the states of the federation to bond and foster unity amongst each other.
The commissioner described the theme of NAFEST 2019, which is “Our Royalty, our Pride” as appropriate, noting that the festival has continued to serve as a veritable platform for fostering national unity, social integration, friendship, love, mutual understanding and cooperation as well as cultural exchanges among Nigerians from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.
He reiterated the commitment of the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration to partner with investors for the development of cultural tourism potential of the state, which he said include the upgrading and renovation of tourist sites and historical monuments.