Shonekan, Anyaoku, others decry state of Nigerian arts, museums

By Tajudeen Sowole
(First published, Friday, November 28, 2008) 

 FORMER Head of Interim Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Secretary of
Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Prof. Fried High of the University of
Wisconsin, United States (U.S.) have expressed concerns on the current state of
Nigerian arts and national museums.
 Shonekan, Anyaoku and High spoke at the 5th Ben Enwonwu Distinguished Lecture
held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos,
on Wednesday.
  At the event organised by The Ben Enwonwu Foundation (BEF), Anyaoku, who was
the chairman of the annual lecture, called the attention of the gathering to the
good old days of Nigerian art when he recalled an event, which took place over
two decades ago.

Widow of Ben Enwonwu, Mrs Caroline Enwonwu (left) D-G, NGA, Joe Musa and former Scretary of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku during the lecture.

 He said that about 25 years ago, under the leadership of former director of the
National Museum, Ekpo Eyo, there was an international tour art exhibition titled
2000 Years of Nigerian Arts, held in London and Nigeria. He said the show was
described by the British press "as a side of Africa that was unknown in
Europe."
 But today, Anyaoku appeared to be apprehensive about the preservation of those
works and other museum objects, describing the state of things as "national
disgrace."
  He, however, urged the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation to
do everything possible to rescue the situation, adding that "art and
culture are important part of every nation."
  Anyaoku also narrated how his intervention made the Federal Government, during
the administration of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, to set up a committee
under the leadership of the former Director of National
 Museum, Ekpo Eyo, to rehabilitate the national museum.
   But at the point of funding of which about N700 million was said to have been
approved by the Presidency, it was revealed that the exercise ran into a hitch
so soon due to the complication that arose in accessing the fund.
  On what led to that committee, Anyaoku said that he ran into the decaying state
of the national museum in company of his foreign visitors, three years ago.
  He explained: " Three years ago, I had visitors from Canada and I thought
it would be right to take them to the Nigerian Museum. I took them their and
what I saw was a shock to me. It was in my view, a national disgrace. When I got
home, I called the President and he reacted immediately by setting up a
committee. He called Ekpo Eyo to head the committee saddled with the
responsibility of rehabilitating Nigerian museum. That committee produced a
report, which before the end of the tenure, gave a budget for the rehabilitation
of the museums."
  That was three years ago. But Anyaoku, however, informed the gathering that he
had met with the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation,
Adetokunbo Kayode. The minister, the former Commonwealth scribe disclosed,
assured him that President Yar'Adua was interested in seeing that the state
of the museums improved.

Earlier, Anyaoku had extolled the creative virtue of Enwonwu, arguing that
before the artist stamped his authority on the global art landscape,
"primitive art was the expression commonly used to describe African
art."
 Also, Shonekan, who was the special guest of honour at the event, advised on
the need to appreciate artists and the cultural value they stand for.

Speaking through his representative, Joop Berkout, Shonekan noted that artists
live much longer after their demise on earth and, therefore, charged the
 BEF on using the image of Enwonwu to wake up more interest in art.

The lecturer of the day, Prof. High, who spoke on the theme, Positioning Arts
and Culture for Sustainable Influence in Nigeria, explained that sustainability
could be achieved through conservation and preservation of works by the museum.