By Mark C. Orgu, November 28, 2021. News/Comments
Arts practitioners gathered in Yusuf Grillo auditorium, Yaba College of Technology Yaba, Lagos during the week as parts of the activities marking the first one year anniversary of Yaba Art Museum, which also features the inaugural meeting of Art Schools lecturers in Nigeria. According to the organisers, it aimed at bringing together creative intermediaries and representatives of Art Schools across Higher Education Institutions in Nigeria to critically discuss and work out possible solutions, collaborations and development plans towards Art Museum across the Country’s Higher Institutions.
Meanwhile, the Rector of the College, Engr. Obafemi Omokungbe, represented by the Deputy Rector, Academics Dr. (Mrs.) T. A. Ukabam applauded the initiative and however said that, any recommendation made in the gathering should be included into the educational curriculum so as to move art education forward in Nigeria.
In a similar vein, the representative board of trustee Yaba Art Museum, Engr. Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon, founder / CEO of Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation and who is also currently Nigeria’s largest private art collector, spoke on challenges facing the art sector in Nigeria ,noting that the waste of the country’s arts work rather than economic values is worrisome.” Our collective attitude towards art work, especially ethnographic art work whom because of religious indoctrination are now labelled or seen as juju”. Adedoyin however blatantly kicked against the restitution of the Nigerian stolen arts work because when the arts work are brought back, those in position of preserving them for economic and tourist purposes lack the capacity to keep them safe. This didn’t go down well with Mackemjika Dabesaki , insisting that arts restitution of the lost or stolen ethnographic arts work should be brought back to their abode first.
During a chat with the curator of the museum, Dr. Odun Orimolade, revealed that the Yaba Art Museum is not just a museum for only showcasing artworks, but is also an education-based institution. Yaba Art Museum, a project funded by Ford Foundation was recently listed as one of Lagos State Tourism sites by Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Art & Culture, like the Museum, since it was unveiled in November 2020 has been at the forefront of presenting Art Exhibition that supports Youth Advocacy, Social Justice, Sexual Harassment Gender-Based Violence.
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