By Hyacinth Nwafor
A new narrative for Nigeria’s border communities took centre stage on Thursday in Idiroko, Ogun State, as the 5th edition of the Festival of Art for Economic Development (FAED) opened with a strong call to reimagine borders as engines of growth rather than flashpoints of risk.
Declaring the International Colloquium open, the Customs Area Controller, Ogun I Area Command, DC Oladapo Afeni, described the festival as a strategic platform that reflects the Nigeria Customs Service’s evolving understanding of border management one that blends enforcement with cooperation, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
Afeni noted that sustainable border security cannot be achieved by surveillance alone, stressing that inclusive economic opportunities and cross-border collaboration remain critical to reducing illicit activities and strengthening lawful trade in border communities. Anchored on the theme, “Rebranding Borderline Communities through Creative Empowerment and Entrepreneurship,” the colloquium, he said, aligns with Customs’ commitment to value addition, small-scale enterprise development and regional integration as pillars of stability.
The Customs chief also commended the Nigeria–Benin Inter-Border Forum, led by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Bonny Abisogun Botoku, for advancing preventive diplomacy, structured dialogue and operational cooperation between both countries.
Speaking earlier at the grand finale of the festival, Dr. Botoku, Executive Producer of FAED, declared that the initiative was more than a cultural event, describing it as a movement aimed at unlocking the untapped potential of border communities long defined by narratives of insecurity and marginalisation.
He challenged the dominant perception of borders as danger zones, arguing instead that they are meeting points of culture, gateways of trade and spaces of shared history, adding that the Nigeria–Benin border represents a shared civilisation rather than a dividing line.
Botoku emphasised culture as an economic force, not mere entertainment, explaining that FAED deliberately places art, music, fashion, crafts, food systems and storytelling at the centre of development, peacebuilding and people-to-people diplomacy.
Beyond dialogue, he said, the festival delivers practical impact through its Borderline Creative Empowerment Programme, equipping women and youths with marketable skills in catering, textile production, cassava processing, event management and creative entrepreneurship.
As the festival marks its fifth edition, stakeholders agreed that rebranding border communities demands policy support, sustained partnerships and investment in the creative economy, insisting that when borders are empowered to create and trade, they cease to be barriers and become bridges of opportunity.