AS the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III commemorates his 50th coronation anniversary, the historic city is set to record another milestone by hosting Nigeria’s and arguably Africa’s first Black Women in History Museum.
The museum is part of the larger Oranyan Heritage Foundation (OHF), an initiative of the Iyalaje of Oyo, Chief Comfort Titilola Orija-Adesoye, which will occupy a 50-acre land in the ancient city.
Oba Adeyemi, the grand patron of the foundation, will perform the ground-breaking ceremony on Wednesday, January 13 as part of activities marking his 50th year of ascension to the throne.
Commenting on the OHF facility, the project consultant/manager, Lanre Olagoke of Lumin-Artica, said it is dedicated to women’s achievements across generations and beyond.
Olagoke, an artist and protege of the late Professor Ben Enwonwu, further explained that the “main objective of the Oranyan Heritage Foundation (OHF) is building a 21st-century Museum of Black Women in History. Kabiyesi’s golden jubilee will be used to lay its foundation on the land he generously gave Chief Orija-Adesoye.”
He disclosed that British Museum director, Hartwig Fischer, and UK-based museum expert, and former Trustee of The British Museum, Bonnie Greer (OBE ), are interested in seeing the OHF project become a reality.
Though the Alaafin invited the duo for the ground-breaking ceremony, they won’t be attending because of travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But ahead of the event, Greer, a former Deputy Chair of The Board of Trustees of the British Museum, sent a statement. He said: “I am fascinated by museums. I returned to the museum in late 2019, by invitation of the Director, Hartwig Fischer, to create and work with him on a project called “The Era of Reclamation.” Much of our work will be concerned with Africa’s Africa’s history, of African peoples and people of African descent worldwide.
“He is impressed by what I told him about the vision of Mrs Comfort Titilola Orija-Adesoye and asked me to convey congratulations and best wishes. I am pleased to relay this to you because I believe in Africa’s future as one of the chief engines of the 21st century. Nigeria, in my personal view, will be one of the nations at the forefront.
“A museum dedicated to the achievements of Nigerianwomen, past and present; all of these goals and morelocated in one museum, is an idea that I want to be a part.
“And a museum with this scope, depth and reach, basedin Oyo, will be ground-breaking. We all know that when girls and women are thriving: the family is thriving; the nation is thriving; the entire world is thriving.
“This potential new museum dedicated to the historyand achievements of women will be rooted firmly in its community. It will also have an active digital life which will serve all. I believe that it also must have a female director and a female architect to design it,” Greer added.
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