Edo Arts Commissioner Expresses Govt Readiness To Preserve Cultural Heritage





















Edo Arts Commissioner Expresses Govt Readiness To Preserve Cultural Heritage

Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin


Edo state Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Uyi Oduwa-Malaka, has asserted that the state government is eager to preserve our cultural heritage by partnering with the private sector to sustain the rich legacy.

Uyi Oduwa-Malaka, made the statements in a Cultural Forum: entitled:" Promoting Indigenous Arts in Benin: Strategies for
Preservation and Innovation," hosted by the National Museum Benin in collaboration with the Goethe-Institute,
sponsored by the Ford Foundation, Edo state.

She posited that for our culture not to die, we must come together to preserve the rich culture in space. She added that in order for us to safeguard it Goethe-Institute strategic partnership is going to help us to continue to be relevance in the space.











She said" What we are seeing here today is been put together by Goethe-Institute and National Museum is a phenomeaon event connecting the dot and bringing up a whole new dialogue around the way we view Arts in our space. 

" My particular interest was the discussion around the dieing arts and what we can do to help to preserve arts. There are been a lot of conservations that have already talk about how, if we are not deliberate and intentionally about preserving our cultural heritage.

" We may soon loose all of that, I am particularly interested in the direction of meaningfully ways of working in that space to ensure we implement relevant as the cultural headquarters of the world, that is our unique selling point if you may do.

" Goethe-Institute strategic partnership is going to help us to continue to be relevance in that space. So is a great discussion for me, and I am looking forward to implementing all the outcome of this workshop.

" Even working together with the creatives to ensure that those who are suppose to be on that table are indeed present, and all the ones driving and owning the initiatives, so that will be my direction."

Speaking on how the state government can facilitate it, she said"The collaboration is being in the arts space, but not directly with the Edo state government, but as government we should own things that are working in our space. 

" And be part of whatever that are working in our space. You can see a deliberate move by the government to be part of the discussion because we understand that we cannot do it alone as government.

" We do need a strategic partnership with the private sector. An institute like Goethe coming to partner with us in our cultural space. It showcases us to the world items of culture in that regard.

" For us as a state government, it is a privilege that we should not be taking lightly. So we are all in this and we will be working with them very closely. There are other areas we will also need their inputs.

" We seemed in the last week collaborated within institutes like; the Ford Foundation, the Museum of West Africa Arts trying to preserve our cultural heritage. Is an exciting time for us as Edo people, the one that I think we should all embrace," commissioner added.

Speaking in an interview after the event, the Curator, National Museum Benin, Mr. Mark Olaitan, said the purpose of the event is to know how to connect with one another by promoting our culture.

Olaitan said to also make those people living outside the country to know the rich cultural heritage of the country, especially the Benin culture.

He explained:" the programme centered on works in a collaboration between National Commissioner for Museum and Monuments, National Museum Benin and Goethe Institute Connecting the Dot from Germany.

" The programme has been on for some months now, particularly in the last six months in Benin city. The purpose of the event is how to promote our culture.

" And how we will be able to connect with one another connecting those who are living outside the country with the one in the country. And let those who are outside the country to know more about our rich cultural heritage," added .

The Curator said the way forward after the event is for them to continue to do what they have started and stressed that one of the way is for the media to help them to spread what they have started to be know to the public.

He asserted that other way forward is to see that all hands must  be on deck by reviving our culture and preserve it for the next generation to see.

More so, the programme also featured other exhibitions like panel discussions on contemporary issues in heritage preservation, exhibitions showcasing collaborative projects and networking opportunities with peers and experts in the field

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