Report From Guardian Newspapers Nigeria

UNESCO opens African Cultural
Institutes in Osogbo, Abeokuta

By
Kabir Alabi Garba [Lagos], Tunji Omofoye [Osogbo]
and Charles Coffie Gyamfi [Abeokuta]:

Thursday 8 January, 2009

NIGERIA recorded another outstanding success yesterday as a member of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the commissioning in
Abeokuta, Ogun State, of the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding
(IACIU), as well as Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU) in
Osogbo, Osun State.

On the occasions, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua pledged his administration's support for the
two institutes and African cultural growth. The two ceremonies were performed by the
Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura who arrived in Lagos on Tuesday for a
three-day official visit to the country.

Nigeria secured the final approval to host the two culture outlets, regarded as first of their
kind in Africa, as Category 2 facilities under the auspices of UNESCO, last October in
Paris during the 180th session of the Executive Board of the international organisation.

While Matsuura was present in Abeokuta, the commissioning in Osogbo was performed on his behalf
by one of his assistants, Prof. Nureni Tidjani Serpos. Indeed, Matsuura, who is having his last
official visit to Nigeria as UNESCO Director General (DG), was scheduled to handle the
two events personally; and that was why the event in Abeokuta was initially billed for Tuesday;
and that of Osogbo, on Wednesday. He was expected to have arrived in Nigeria on Monday night.
But he did not arrive until midnight on Tuesday due to bad weather at the Charles De Gaulle
International Airport in Paris, France, thus, the event at Abeokuta and that of Oshogbo had
to be held same day yesterday.

In Osogbo, dignitaries were not aware of the changes in the timetable of the commissioning as
they began to troop in as early as 7.00 a.m. And before 9.00 a.m. that was initially announced
as the kick-off time of the event, the vicinity of the centre located atop Oke-Osun Hill
directly behind the Osun State Secretariat on Osogbo/Gbongan highway, Osogbo, was
already crowded.

Eminent Nigerians from all walks of life as well as traditional rulers from Yoruba land
including Benin Republic were in attendance. They included Ekiti State Deputy Governor,
Alhaji Sikiru Lawal; his counterpart from Ondo, Chief Omola Oluwateru; Minister for Youth
Development, Chief Olasunkanmi Akinlabi; former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer
Babatope; Culture patriarch and renowned broadcaster, Ambassador Segun Olusola; the National
Vice Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, (South West), Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo;
Senator Yinka Omilani; former Deputy National Chairman of PDP (South), Alhaji Shuaib
Oyedokun, among others. They were all waiting for the arrival from Abeokuta of the Osun State
governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Besides being the chief host of the centre in Osogbo, Oyinlola, in fact, led the Nigerian delegation
that presented an invitation to Matsuura on October 17, 2008, for the state visit. Also, the centre
in Osogbo, under UNESCO arrangement, is regarded as a branch of the institute in Abeokuta,
thus, the commissioning in Abeokuta has to come first before that of Osogbo, and Oyinlola should
be in the entourage that would welcome Matsuura to Nigeria. But no vacuum was created, as the guests
were richly entertained with a series of cultural performances from different cultural troupes from
Lagos, Osogbo, Ede, among others. The helicopter that brought in Oyinlola; Culture and Tourism
Minister, Senator Bello Gada and the Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Serpos landed
around 12.05 p.m. and the event kicked off 20 minutes later with recitation of the National Anthem.

President Yar'Adua, represented by the Culture Minister, reiterated the commitment of his
administration to the sustenance of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding.
He described the centre as a rallying point for both Africans at home and in the Diaspora, and
expressed delight that Nigeria had eventually succeeded in attracting the centre as well as the
institute in Abeokuta to the country. The President, praising Oyinlola for his relentless efforts
in making the centre a reality, noted that the facility was in line with the Seven-point Agenda of
his administration to explore culture and tourism to enhance the development of the nation. The
president also promised that the Federal Government would continue to render necessary support to
facilitate the survival of the UNESCO centre. Delivering Matsuura's speech, Serpos commended
Osun State for hosting the centre, noting that it would accelerate the development of rich cultural
heritage in a pluralistic society such as Nigeria as well as enhance the global cultural diversity.

The UNESCO chief while lauding Oyinlola for his initiative in providing a befitting physical
facility to host the centre also expressed gratitude to the citizens of the state for their commitment
to the project. Also, encomiums were showered on Prof. Ulli and Georgina Beier and other stakeholders
for their cooperation and support in making the centre a reality. Matsuura who underscored the
importance of culture in the development of human race noted that the centre besides expanding the
scope in the study of African culture would also make significant input in the delivery of
UNESCO's programmes to the world. Matsuura, who was conferred with a chieftaincy title of
Agbasaniyi (promoter of culture) by the Ataoja of Osogbo during the event, thanked the Federal
Government, Oyinlola and the people of Osogbo for their hospitality and commitment to the project.

Elated Oyinlola who bagged a gold medal award from UNESCO for his unrelenting commitment to the
promotion of culture noted that the centre had added another feather to the cap of his administration
during which time he said the Osun grove was also recently granted the status of a World Heritage
site by a UN organ. Describing the event as a watershed in an attempt to promote the rich cultural
heritage of the nation, he noted that the centre would enhance cultural dialogue among nations,
civilizations and religions. He said the government had taken delivery and secured the archival
materials belonging to the Beiers, which he noted formed the nucleus of the centre, at a cost of
$680,000 to the state.

Although Beier and his wife who were expected to be part of the event were unavoidably absent due
to ill health, the governor expressed gratitude for their support and cooperation calling on others
who believe in international understanding to fulfill their promise to the centre. "We have commenced
and we promise to improve and maintain the highest possible standards in the service to be provided
by the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding. We would welcome further
collaboration in the core areas of UNESCO'S mandate like education, science and technology and
communication," the governor said. On display on the ground floor of the two-storey building were
the collections received from the Beiers.

Located within the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), the event at Abeokuta
was attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Oyinlola; Gada who represented Yar'Adua; Ambassador
and Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO, Prof. Michael Omolewa; traditional rulers, among others.
The Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, was represented by the Secretary to the State Government
(SSG), Chief Adegbemi Onakoya. For Obasanjo, it was a dream come true as the journey to yesterday's
event was by no means smooth. He recalled the strong opposition to the location of the institute within
the premises of his library. The former president in his address, described the setting up of the
UNESCO's culture edifice in Nigeria as one of the "enduring legacies of Mr. Matsuura's
administration within the framework of the culture component of UNESCO's mandate." He said: "The
wheel of development of Africa needs to turn more quickly. The road ahead for Africa is dotted with
challenges of governance in sectors affecting human security, food and nutrition." Obasanjo praised
President Yar'Adua "for his passion for the establishment of the institute."

Before the actual commissioning, Matsuura had congratulated the Nigerian government for its initiative
towards acknowledging Africa's unique cultural diversity. The UNESCO boss also thanked the government
"for its decision to assure the financing of the centre, starting from 2008". In his speech titled:
"Taking Points," Matsuura paid special tribute to Obasanjo for his "personal efforts in moving the
process forward and in the actual creation of the centre".

(c) 2009 [Text of this News Report]: Guardian Newspapers Limited:
2003 - 2009 [All Rights Reserved]

(c) [Creative communications concept] 2003 - 2009...: Ugonna Wachuku [Mr.]: Communications Adviser

(c) All Copyrights: Nigerian Permanent Delegation to UNESCO

____