By Tunde Ojudun
The Nigeria Customs Service has reaffirmed its dedication to partnerships that foster peaceful borders, resilient economies, and sustainable regional integration.
At the International Colloquium of the 5th Edition of the Festival of Art for Economic Development (FAED) in Idiroko, Acting Controller of Ogun 1 Command, DC Oladapo Afeni, emphasized that sustainable border management goes beyond enforcement. He noted that it requires cross-border cooperation, economic empowerment, and entrepreneurship development within border communities.
Afeni highlighted that the colloquium’s theme, “Rebranding Borderline Communities through Creative Empowerment and Entrepreneurship,” aligns with Customs’ mission to support legitimate trade, encourage value addition, and promote small-scale enterprises as drivers of growth and stability. He commended the Nigeria–Benin Inter-Border Forum, led by Dr. Bonny Abisogun Botoku, for advancing preventive diplomacy, structured dialogue, and operational cooperation between both nations.
Dr. Botoku, Permanent Secretary of the Forum, described the festival as a movement to unlock the potential of border communities. He stressed that borders should be seen not as risks but as gateways of culture, trade, and shared history. “What we are doing through this Festival is to change the story—from suspicion to trust, from survival to enterprise, from isolation to integration,” he said.
The festival placed culture at the center of development, showcasing art, music, fashion, crafts, food systems, and storytelling as tools of peace and diplomacy. Through the Borderline Creative Empowerment Programme, women and youth were trained in catering, textiles, cassava transformation, event management, and creative entrepreneurship—initiatives designed to provide dignity, income, and self-reliance.
Botoku noted that creative integration through joint training, exhibitions, and festivals reduces tension, encourages lawful trade, and strengthens people-to-people diplomacy. He emphasized that culture supports security “not by force, but by inclusion.”
The event drew participation from Nigeria Customs Service officers, sister agencies from Nigeria and Benin, traditional rulers, community leaders, artists, and youths. The high point was the exhibition of artworks reflecting daily life and community resilience.