Former governor of Osun State and chairman, Board of Trustees of Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), Osogbo, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has described Osogbo art as having become a trademark comparable to any other art form anywhere in the world.
Speaking during the exhibition of 50 years of the Osogbo art and launching of the centre’s journal and Orisa dances in Abuja, Oyinlola said the art has boosted corpus of knowledge in the field of creative arts.
He said that it has equally validated the richness and vitality of Yoruba culture as part of the common heritage of mankind.
According to him, the very high confidence reposed in the Yoruba artists was not only sustained but has been proved to be true and right.
“These men and women with humble backgrounds have become great cultural assets and remarkable reference points as part of Yoruba folklore and the Nigerian story,” he said.
The former governor who was represented by Mr. Femi Adelakan, noted that the artists remained true heroes who have inspired generations with their creativity, selfless commitment to community development, hard work, humility, entrepreneurship and their can-do spirit.
He said the CBICU journal was designed as a regular outlet for all to ventilate their views, opinions, ideas, philosophy and general worldview.
“It is a journal devised as a veritable vehicle to convey both nationally and internationally, the promotion of intercultural and inter-religious dialogues, for social cohesion among inter-connected human cultures,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director General of National Gallery of Arts, Abdullahi Muku, assured that government was focusing on boosting arts as a veritable tool in achieving diversification of the economy.
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