Culture

Oyo Seeks Collaboration to Boost Tourism, Cultural Heritage

By Web News 1113

For tourism and cultural heritage to thrive, it is essential that stakeholders on the nation collaborate.

Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Culture, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun stated this during a meeting with the new Curator, National Museum of Unity, Aleshinloye, Ibadan, Mrs Oriyomi Pamel Otuka.

Dr Olatunbosun explained that there was growing awareness about tourism and cultural heritage, hence the need for the National Museum of Unity and the Oyo State Ministry of Information, Tourism and Culture to sustain it.

He said the Oyo State Government had done its best in creating partnerships with relevant bodies to help sustain awareness of the Yoruba heritage.

Olatubosun promised that the Ministry would work with the National Museum to retrieve artifacts that were taken from the state, as this would also attract investors to the state.

“If the artifacts are well managed, it will help increase our Tourism potentials and it will be a good source of revenue generation for the state”, he said.

Speaking earlier, Mrs. Pamel Otuka, said that the museum was put in place in 1976 to foster the Nigerian diverse culture and to help them to identify their origin.

She added that the museum had the power to change people’s mind-set, especially during this period when Nigerian culture needs to be preserved.

Otuka said that the gallery was the first museum of unity in the country, adding that it is a specialised museum that tells the story of the rich Nigerian history.

“The museum primarily is used to foster peace among Nigerians, knowing that we have different cultures and backgrounds. It also gives us a platform to relate our past with our present. We invite people to visit this place, so that we can learn from our past and for us to maintain peace in the country,” she said.

The Curator therefore urged people to visit the museum and learn, adding that the staff had committed themselves to research.

“The museum is a store for our artifacts. It is a store house where valuables are kept for posterity sake”, she said.

In another development, the Oyo State Government has reiterated its resolve to invest hugely in tourism, adding that revenue accruable from it will be committee to enhance other infrastructures in the State.

This assertion was made by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Oyesola Oyedele during a visit of the Body of Permanent Secretaries in the state to the tourists’ site.

He said the Oyo State Government has promised to drive the economy of the State through tourism.

Earlier on, the Body of Permanent Secretaries had visited Ikere Gorge Dam located at Iseyin in Iseyin local government area and Kunle Afolayan’s Film Village at Komu in Itesiwaju local government.

Oluwakayode Banjo

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Culture

Stakeholders Call for Preservation of Cultural Heritage

By Web News 943

Scholars of African culture, culture enthusiasts and practitioners have called for conscious efforts to promote the preservation and sustainability of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

The stakeholders, who included foreigners from Europe and America, suggested various ways that such preservation and sustainability could be achieved at an interactive session organised by the Center for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo, the Osun State Capital.


The focus of the colloquium was tagged ‘Osun Osogbo Across the Atlantic: Towards Preservation and Sustainability of Nigeria’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.’

A professor of Anthropology of Development, University of Ibadan, Aderemi Ajala, called on Osun State Government to come up with relevant laws that would protect Osun River and adjourning forest from further desecration.

He decried contamination of the river by miners, adding that lack of proper attention to the river since the demise of the late Osun priestess, Susan Wenger, had also contributed to its poor present condition.

Prof. Ajala said “I urge Osun State Government to come up with relevant laws that would protect and preserve Osun River from further desecration, pointing out that it was a cultural identity. 

“Also, I want to suggest that all the local government areas that Osun River passes through must be involved in the plan to protect it from desecration and abuse. 

“We also need to re-orientate our people about our material culture. The material culture of the European and Arabs are not evil. Ours as Yoruba people cannot be evil.”

Speaking in a similar vein, Osogbo-based Ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, backed Ajala’s call for laws for the protection of the river and harped on the need for well-planned efforts to safeguard Osun River from abuse.

According to him, the Osun River had immense potential that was largely untapped and challenged the government and other stakeholders to collaborate to ensure the river was protected against abuse and desecration.

One of the stakeholders, who made contributed to the discourse from Spain via Zoom, Ms Robbin Campbell, also stressed the need to improve the infrastructure at the Osun groove to make it more attractive to visitors, particularly foreigners.

Adenitan Akinola