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Exhibition Of Benin Arts: Develop Edo tourism sites, Oshiomhole urges investors
 Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has called on investors to develop the state’s tourism sites, assuring them that there will be good return on investment.
Speaking last weekend in Stockholm, at an exhibition of Benin arts by the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm, Sweden, declared open by the Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, HRM, Ambassador Eheneden Erediauwa, Edaiken of Uselu, Oshiomhole while enumerating the huge tourism potentials, said such investment would be guaranteed by appropriate legislation and legal framework, saying the centrality of the state coupled with the robust market will ensure high return on investment.
He listed the area to include Museum for Artefacts, Musuem for Contemporary Art, cultural centres, development of five-star hotels and motels, restaurants, casinos and eateries, holiday resorts, amusement parks, trading outlets; including plazas, shopping malls, games and film villages/theatres/cinemas, landmark site development and zoo development.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism, Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo, he explained that his administration believed in the sustenance of Benin traditional/ cultural heritage so that the state and the country would benefit from its inherent social, cultural and economic values.
He used the occasion to call for the reparation of stolen Benin Artefacts from different part of Europe. The ugly and unwarranted episode of 1897, when the British Government planned and invaded the Benin Empire marked the turning point in the history of Benin and the black civilization in general. To us, the invasion of Benin City and the subsequent burning of the palace and the city are comparable to late Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, which eventually led to the occupation of Iraq by the so-called Allied Forces.
“Both incidents involve brazen show of strength by nations with superior weaponry against peace loving nations. The British came with the pretence of trade and soon developed uncanny interest in Benin Court Art. They quickly provoked Oba Ovonranmwen by defiling the land with an unplanned and unscheduled visit to the Oba and subsequently invaded the city.
“It is in the light of this, that Edo State Government would want the world and in particular, the United Nations to compel the British Government to pay damages to the people of Benin Kingdom for the brazen destruction of a city that was aptly described as “well planned” by a Dutch visitor, Mr. Afonso D’Avero in 1600.
“The United Nations can no longer look away from the calls on Britain and other looters of Benin Court Art to return all our stolen artefacts and also pay reparation to us for the economic benefits that accrued to them. More importantly, these master pieces of Court Arts were commissioned by successive Obas (Kings) for commemorative and religious purposes and there is urgent need for atonement,” he said.
Concluding, the Special Adviser told the audience that the interest shown by Edo State Government in the on-going exhibition is a reflection of our determination to partner with strategic and culturally responsible governments and agencies to develop the state’s Cultural and History Tourism industry. Edo State is equally blessed with beautiful landscape, with a combination of savannah and rain forest, ideal for Eco Tourism.
More importantly, he invited the large audience to Africa’s premier cultural festival, the 2009 Edo State Festival of Art and Culture (EDOFEST).
According to him, the festival will showcase Edo rich and undiluted cultural heritage; featuring masquerades, food fair, traditional fashion, exhibitions of bronze art, artefacts, music fiesta and lots more. Come and be entertained as Culture comes Home.”
Declaring the exhibition open later, Crown Prince Eheneden Erediauwa supported the call for the reparation of Benin Artefacts and solicited the support of Sweden to realise this.
He also disclosed that he had finalised plans to build a museum in the palace of Benin to provide home for some of the artefacts that may be returned and also serve as tourist centre.
“I will like to use this opportunity to inform the Swedish authorities as well as this Museum that I have put machinery in place to establish a museum in the Oba’s Palace in Benin and to appeal for assistance from the Swedish authorities in realising this objective.
“The one assistance that I need is your support for the call for the return of Benin Artefacts that were carted away in 1897 as this will go a long way to the actualization of the Palace Museum project.
The people of Nigeria and particularly Benin will be grateful for this assistance,” the Crown Prince concluded.
The exhibition is expected to last 15 years.
Dignitaries from all walks of life attended the event, including the Enogie of Obazuwa, Prince Edun Akenzuwa and Dr. G.G. Igali, Nigerian Ambassador to Sweden. |
