In Jos, NGA Charts Way Forward for Art Teachers
By Oji Onoko
The three-day intensive workshop with the broad theme: “Repositioning the Visual Art Sector: Curriculum Review, Challenges and New Media in Contemporary Art Pedagogy” featured paper presentations, break-out sessions and interactive sessions.
In his welcome address, the Director General, NGA, Chief Ebeten William Ivara, said this year’s edition is a training and refresher programme for visual artists and those who plan to take the teaching of art as a career. According to him, “NGA will continue to strive in ensuring that Nigerian visual arts becomes a veritable tool for wealth creation, employment generation, self-reliance as well as huge foreign exchange earner for the country.”
Explaining the rationale for the workshop, the Director, Educational Services, Dr. Evelyn Otaigbe said it is a train the trainers exercise, meant to give the very best tutelage to art teachers in Nigeria. “Our resource persons are core professionals of international repute, seasoned and highly skilled. They will be training our teachers to equip their wards in order to navigate global spaces that recognize the evolution and dynamism of visual arts.”
Eminent personalities who graced the opening ceremony of the workshop include: Representative of the Plateau State governor, Mrs. Tamwakat Weli, Plateau State Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Hospitality; Representative of the DG, NGA, Tanko Ibrahim, Director, Admin & Staff Development; Representative of the Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Professor Gideon Baklit, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Unijos; Dr. Blaise Gbadem, Department of Fine Arts, Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State and Salome Audu, General Manager, Plateau State Tourism, Development Corporation among others.
