ROTIMI IGE, in this analysis, again brings to the fore the decadence that has become of the once glorious and prestigious Cultural Centre in Ibadan, which has been neglected for so long by successive administrations, while asking how long the edifice will be left to rot.
The Cultural Centre, Ibadan, is an imposing and sprawling edifice that would catch the eye of anyone who passes along its Mokola hill location.
Designed by revered architect, Professor Demas Nwoko and built in 1977 on a sprawling site on one of the seven hills that make up Ibadan land, it was said to be conceived to complement the FESTAC ’77 project, with the vision to bring foreign visitors and artistes in the country for FESTAC ’77 to Ibadan to showcase the then ancient town.
Truly, to anyone who appreciates art, the Oyo State-owned Cultural Centre is a wonder to behold, even in the present day. The intricate designs that adorn its walls, the wooden and metal art displayed at various points within the building, the centre is breath-taking.
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It was created to be an international tourism attraction, viable enough to generate sizeable internal revenue for Oyo State. And before the new event centres that now dot the entire Ibadan landscape were even conceived, the Cultural Centre had existed to serve all purposes. The Cultural Centre could rival the best venues anywhere in Nigeria, but not anymore, except in dreams.
Today, the edifice is a shadow of its original intention. A visit to the site by Friday Treat was quite revealing. Plagued by lack of maintenance, efficient management due to lack of adequate funding or partnerships, the centre has decayed extensively. The main hall and other smaller halls, as well as the beautiful art works are now largely covered in dust, due to neglect.
Around the sprawling complex, which is now largely covered with bushes and trees, street urchins openly smoke and defecate, while the car park area now serves as local restaurants and pubs for revelers. Save for these activities and a few others, the Cultural Centre is deserted.
Friday Treat also learnt from a source working at the centre and who pleaded anonymity that the centre still hosts few events; drama and dance rehearsals from local acts, movie exhibitions, among other small meetings. These are held in the smaller halls in the complex. However, the main hall remains largely unused, save for the street urchins who defecate in it. Its aso-oke covered chairs are torn and raggedy. The air conditioning system is non-functional and the wall paints are peeling.
Speaking to Friday Treat, a branding and tourism investor, Adedamola Layade, Chief Executive Officer, Hams Universal Consulting, said that it has become necessary that partnerships exist between government and private investors, moving forward, to restore the glory of the Cultural Centre.
“Public Private Partnerships (PPP) should be the way forward for most of the government owned abandoned projects. The Cultural Centre is one of them. That edifice is a sleeping goldmine that if reactivated could easily become the toast of the best events in the state. Imagine if all state government events are re-routed to the centre. That alone would re-awaken activities at the place as it would be forcefully given a facelift. A private management contract will accelerate the revenue drive of the place. Paint companies, among others, could also be lured by the state government to perform corporate social responsibilities by re-painting the centre. The possibilities towards changing the fortunes of the Cultural Centre, Ibadan, are endless,” he said.
Entertainers and stakeholders in Oyo State have also called on the new government in Oyo State to save the dilapidating structure from eventual ruin.
Speaking to Friday Treat, a spokesperson for the Association of Entertainment Stakeholders in Oyo State (AESOS), Adekunle Odugbesan, decried the current state of the centre, stressing that it was important that the place be given an urgent facelift.
“The entertainment industry is growing in Oyo State and Ibadan to be precise, and more entertainers are organising events daily in the city. Imagine if the Cultural Centre was in operation, it would be the first choice for any entertainment related event because the halls were built with sound acoustics in mind.
“In fact, the Cultural Centre is our own Eko Hotels Convention Centre. I implore private investors and the government to explore initiatives to bring the place back to life,” he said.
Also prominent film maker, Chief Tunde Kelani, in a quoted chat with a national newspaper last year, condemned the terrible condition of the cultural heritage, saying it was a disgrace for the Yoruba nation to abandon such an important heritage.
“The Centre should be revived for the use of our people. For now, it is in a very sorry situation. The space around the place could be converted to a library for our youth and a museum to display many of our works. It is painful that there is nowhere in Yorubaland where we can now exhibit the works we did at the Cultural Centre in those days.
“For now, there is no security in that place because it is not even safe. Even if you invite people for a programme in such a place, I am sure they won’t honour such an invitation. We all have a part to play in resuscitating the Centre, but the bulk of that responsibility depends on the government.
“I am using this medium to call on the entire Yoruba nation to stand up to defend the heritage of our nation before it is too late,” Kelani was quoted to have said.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, in a chat with Friday Treat on Wednesday, said that the present administration understands the value of the complex and is committed to maintaining its heritage.
“We are working on restoring the glory of the Cultural Centre and it will be done through partnerships with the private sector. We are on it and people will soon see the results of that effort,” he said.
and then