Nigerian woman gets accolade for curating World Cultural Diversity Day celebration in Glasgow

A Nigerian woman, Funmi Obisesan, from the renowned Obisesan family of Aperin and Akanran in Ona Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State, has added to the number of Nigerians putting the country in the spotlight for good reasons. YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE reports that she has continued to receive accolades not only for successfully curating the first UN World Cultural & Diversity Day in Govan, Glasgow but also making the first Minister of Scotland, Rt.Hon Humza Yousaf, adopt the African talking drum.

Funmi Obisesan is known in many quarters as a woman of many parts, having made a name for herself as an author, blogger, health and safety expert as well as a humanitarian, who has touched many lives through her nongovernmental organisation-Funmi Obisesan Development and Empowerment Initiative (FODEI).

As an indigene of Oyo State who is a proud decendant of the Obisesan family of Aperin whose family village is Akanran in Ona Ara Local Government Area, she ensures she is an ambassador of her roots wherever she finds herself.

Funmi Obisesan however added a feather to her cap on the international stage this month as she put Nigeria on the map of recognition in Glasgow, where she curated the event held in commemoration of the UN World Cultural & Diversity Day as the Event Organiser and Project Manager.

She was lauded for being able to protect the diversity of cultural expressions through the event as she conceived the idea, put together different music and foods from different countries (as reflected by residents in the community) and ensured that she promoted the African heritage especially from her Nigerian roots.

The event showcased the Nigerian culture especially the cuisine and the Nigerian jollof was given a pride of place on the list of food for tasting and given recognition by people from different nations.

The highlight of the event was the adoption of the African Talking drum (Gangan) by the Number one citizen of Scotland, Rt.Hon Humza Yousaf, the first Minister of Scotland who also tried beating the Gangan drum.

The purpose of the event was to bring together and highlight, the richness of different cultures of people from different nationalities that have found themselves living together on Scotland, and the role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.

Speaking on the event, Funmi Obisesan stated that based on available data, three-quarters of the world’s major conflicts have cultural dimension and bridging the gap between cultures has become urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development globally.

She said cultural diversity is an asset that is indispensable for positive community coexistence, poverty reduction and the achievement of sustainable development, adding that the event provides an opportunity to deepen understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to advance the four goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions adopted on 20 October 2005.

She emphasised the need to reshape policies and address culture as a global public good.

Highlights of the event which held at Govan Linthouse and Parish Church included a feature of cultural music like the Govan Samba group, Gaelic School Choir, Lorne Street Primary School Choir, the Ukulele, the African Talking Drum, the Govan Pipe Band, St Saviours Primary school and the Musicians in Exile.

Also, there were different cultural food for tasting. Foods that made the list include the Sierra Leone’s Cassava leaf, the Nigerian jollof rice, the Afghan, Chinese rice, Scottish Haggis and Tatties and the Indian Chicken Curry rice.

Funmi Obisesan has used her foundation, Funmi Obisesan Development and Empowerment Initiative – FODEI as a platform to reach out to the less – privileged and women in her local constituency in her little ways. FODEI is a household name within Egbeda – Ona Ara Federal Constituency of Oyo State, especially among women, youths and people living with disabilities through various schemes; loans at zero per cent interest to individuals to start micro and medium businesses or to expand their business so it can be more profitable as well as empowerment schemes and vocational training for youths, widows and people living with disabilities,hundreds of free Jamb sponsorship and various free food outreaches.

“To God is the glory for the positive impacts that we are making in the lives of those that we have managed to reach so far. By God’s grace, plans are on to expand our philanthropic activities and reach more people.

“FODEI reached out to association of the disabled people, as it is close to my heart because these individuals get more marginalised in our society with their ability to make a living more difficult,” she said.

FODEI was able to set up a soap making business for the Ona-Ara branch of the disabled people so that they can make some profits to support their members and had also put together, projects to teach youths various technical endeavours that can make them self reliant and financially independent.

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