By Yinka Akanbi
Former Commonwealth Secretary-General and elderstatesman, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has unveiled a library and museum at his Obosi country home, Anambra State, in commemoration of his 91st birthday.
The respected statesman announced that the centre would promote the study and practice of democracy, management of diversity in Nigeria and Africa, respect for human rights and climate change as well as assist the education of underprivileged children in Nigeria.
He described the inauguration as the fulfillment of a dream which he and his wife have had for a long time.
“We have always wanted to support education, and by opening this library and museum, we hope that it will help both the old and young to acquire reading culture. The attributes of Nigerians that worry me is the absence of reading culture.
“Our mission is to promote the study and practice of democracy, management of diversity in Nigeria and Africa, respect for human rights and climate change. It also assists in the education of underprivileged children in Nigeria.
“My wife, Bunmi, and I founded the foundation called, ‘Emeka and Bunmi Anyaoku Foundation Centre,’ in October 2008, which avails scholars, researchers and the general public, access to my repertoire of close interaction with the people and government of the 54-member Commonwealth nations across the six continents.
“The centre houses a museum that exhibits cultural artefacts from Nigeria, Africa and multi-racial Commonwealth countries. It also has a library of books and materials, which include some of the personal papers of Chief Anyaoku, from his days in office, as Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations,” he said.
The nonagenarian said pluralistic countries could only remain if they manage their diversity well.
He said, “Some countries have succeeded in managing their pluralistic nature. Switzerland, for example, is a country of four major ethnic groups; Canada with two major ethnic groups, and India, with seven ethnic groups. These countries have succeeded because they have deliberately addressed the challenges of how to manage diversity in their country.
“But some pluralistic countries that were not able to manage their diversity have failed. Like Yugoslavia, which ended up breaking into eight states. Take Czechoslovakia, a country of two major ethnic groups, the Slovaks and the Czechs, but they could not manage their diversity, so they peacefully decided to part.
“I hope that this centre will be a hub of collaboration with universities, schools, institutes to promote studies in various areas, and it has enough materials to help leaders address the challenges posed by our diversity.”
