With its eyes focused on attracting scores of tourists annually, the Ogun State Government has finalised plans to establish an art gallery at the famous Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, the state capitL, in collaboration with the Nike Art Gallery.
The move, which will ensure a more vibrant tourism sector in the State, according to Governor Dapo Abiodun is expected to see a surge in the number of tourists visiting the site from the current 20,000 annually to over 100,000.
Governor Abiodun stated this on Wednesday when he received the founder of Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, in his Oke-Mosan office, Abeokuta.
Governor Abiodun said he had instructed that the Events Centre inside the tourist center be converted into an exhibition space for Nike Art Gallery.
The Nike Art Gallery, which was opened in 1983 in Osogbo, Osun State, boasts about 8,000 diverse artworks from various Nigerian artists and also provides training for hundreds of aspiring young performance artists and craftsmen.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times if something is done about Olumo Rock.
“I instructed our team; they’ve shut down the place, and the target is to ensure that it is ready by the second week in May because during that period, we are hosting the whole country for the National Sports Festival, and about 15,000 people will be here, and I want them to be able to see our tourist sites.
“Apart from Olumo Rock, I want them to see other tourist sites: we have the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Ransome Kuti’s home, the MKO Abiola’s home, the Centenary Hall, Ake, and the building where the Queen of England stayed when she visited; we have so many attractions, including the Adire market.
“I felt that all these sites put together must be showcased, and the only way to do that is to ensure that they are well presented.
“When I was there, I thought we need to have a befitting gallery at Olumo Rock. My mind went straight to you because I have visited your gallery many times, and I thought we must have a befitting gallery to complement the quality of work we are putting into the place.
“They have a hall there that has been used for events; I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery.
“I felt that since you are going to be exhibiting your work there, it should not be a little poky corner; it should be something big enough to present your artwork. Your place in Lagos is on four floors, but this is just a little outlet to showcase what you do.
“Now that we have ensured that we provide first-class roads, if you leave my office now, you will get to your gallery probably in one hour and twenty minutes, maximum. Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come to Ogun State by sea,” he said.
The governor added that his administration, in collaboration with Bolanle Austen-Peters, will establish a creative arts and entertainment village in the state, a facility he confirmed would be ready in the next two months.
Abiodun noted that his administration has promoting and supporting the Adire industry with solar equipment, dryers, among other things, since coming on board in 2019.
He also added that wearing Adire has been made compulsory in the state, adding that his administration has also launched the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, where Adire can be bought online.
Governor Abiodun said cultural festivals like the Ojude Oba, the Lisabi Day and others have given sons and daughters of the state the opportunity to express and showcase their cultural awareness while promoting their rich heritage.
“I am sure you have seen how the Ojude Oba has evolved over the years, and this year’s Ojude Oba is probably going to be one of the best that has ever been seen because a lot of people have been saying that they will descend on Ijebu-Ode for Ojude Oba because it allows them to just express themselves.
“The last Lisabi Day was unbelievable; it was also an opportunity for the people to express themselves. So, we will continue to push the boundaries in terms of culture and tourism,” he said.
In her remarks, Chief (Mrs) Davies-Okundaye affirmed the readiness of her foundation to collaborate with the Ogun State Government in promoting the Olumo Rock tourist center and other tourist attractions to the outside world.
She promised that her foundation would help bring foreign heads of state to the Olumo Rock tourist center.
“I am so happy. Today is one of my happiest days. I want to tell you that our coming to Abeokuta is a done deal. This gallery will bring many heads of state. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than ten heads of state, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. Any head of state that comes to Abuja will visit there, and the same will happen here. Ogun is just 45 minutes away, and now that there is rail service, we can easily bring them to see,” she said.
She also commended Governor Abiodun for being an advocate for the preservation of Adire, noting that Adire is the local textile of the people of Ogun State that can be sold to Europeans.
Nike-Okundaye commended the governor for creating an online market for Adire, even as she said that Adire would be better known and appreciated more than Ankara and Dutch Wax in the next two years.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. I truly appreciate our governor. Since he came on board, we all appreciate him and all the people who are involved in Adire. We thank Governor Dapo Abiodun for his efforts in promoting Adire.
“When President Olusegun Obasanjo was in power, all the Adire he wore was from us. Today, you people have made Adire popular at a time when nobody was wearing it.
“So, I always commend and say thank you to the people in Ogun State. Without you, nobody would be wearing Adire.
“Look at the market you created for the women; it is a collaborative effort between both men and women. This is a good that benefits everyone. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire.
“This is what we can sell to the Europeans because this is what we have. Even though we have oil, this is our native textile, so we thank you for promoting it, and since you became Governor, you have shown undiluted love for Adire,” she said
