pannigeriannews 
By Wale Oyebode
The National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Ogbomoso branch yesterday joined museums globally to commemorate the International Museum Day at its Sun-un Sùn-ùn station in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Onisapa of Isapa Kingdom, HRM Oba Bolarinwa Ezekiel Olajide
The Director-General of the National Museums, Mr. Olugbile Holloway, in his address on the year’s theme, “The Future of Museums in Nigeria’s Changing Communities” read by the branch’s Curator, Prince Reuben Oyebisi Adeoye, highlighted the importance of the museums and the need to embrace innovation in this digital era.
“It is with great honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I welcome you all to this year’s commemoration of International Miseum Day, a significant event celebrated globally every 18th of May. This annual celebration, established by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) during its 12th General Assembly in Moscow in 1977,.aims to raise awareness about the important role museums play in the development of society.
“For us in Nigeria, where our heritage is rich and diverse, museums play a critical role in preserving indigenous knowledge systems, promoting intercultural dialogue, and fostering national unity.
“They help us connect with our roots, educate our children about their history, and empower communities through cultural pride and awareness. As change sweeps through our sovietues, museums must not remain static. We must embrace digital innovation, inclusivity, and community engagement.
“Museums of the future must be interactive, participatory, and accessible to all. They must represent the voices of youth, marginalized groups, and dynamic realities of our time,” Holloway said.
In his personal remark, Prince Adeoye, said as the world undergoes profound changes, museums are increasingly recognized as vital institutions for resilience, innovation and inclusivity.
He called for supports and collaborations from individuals, organisations, philanthropists.
He thanked the organising committee of the Ogbomoso branch of the NCMM for putting the programme up.
The Onisapa of Isapa, HRM, Oba Bolarinwa Ezekiel Olajide 1 as Royal Father; Agbaakin of Okin-Apa and C.E.O. of “Ori Africa’, Chief Olaonipekun Amstrong Olaleye as Special Guest; the Protocols and Public Relations Officer of Federal Polytechnic Ayede and Publisher of Pan-Nigerian News, Mr. Sunday Adepọju as Guest Speaker, among other dignitaries were present at the forum aimed at discussing the future of museums in Nigeria amidst the Nigeria’s changing communities.
Oba Olajide, who decried the dwindling cultural inclination among the youth, emphasised the need to reawaken the youth’s consciousness culturally.
Oba Olajide called on the leadership of the National Museum and the Ogbomoso branch to work towards improving the standard, saying the Nigeria’s rich culture and history will be eroded if they are not strategically preserved and conserved.
The monarch encouraged Nigerians to embrace the Nigeria’s culture, saying “What happens to our rich cognomen today? Our cognomen says a lot of our origin and ancestral belief system. Many of our children cannot present our cognomen. This is very bad.
“It is sad to note that some have tagged our cognomen to be diabolical and fetish. We, traditional rulers, sit on culture and history because history and culture, we would not have become kings.”
He lamented the cultural and indigenous communication system is not taking its proper dimension.
“Our children don’t speak our language properly and it goes our history and tradition. Our indigenous language is the frame with which we understand forum language.
Chief Olaleye, in his remark, encourage youths to properly represent Yoruba culture in their dressing and mastery of the Yoruba language and its resources.
“Many youths of nowadays do not see traditional caps as something good. They don’t speak our language with good mastery. This is sad and regrettable because it tells more on the future of our culture,” Chief Olaleye said.
Chief Olaleye also advised the NCMM Ogbomoso branch to encourage the sale of local drinks like palm wine, otika (local drink made from millet), birikiti, agadandigi (made from plantain), local cuisines, among other cultural practices like playing of ayo olopon.
He also recommended the inclusion of ewi, ijala, esa, among other chants in subsequent celebration of museum day.
While stressing his desire to project the Yoruba’s rich culture, Olaleye, businessman and 1998 graduate of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso’s Department of Fine and Applied Arts, said his new project, Ori Africa, would take his team to all the museums in Africa.
The Guest Speaker, Mr. Sunday Adepoju, noted that the future of museums in Nigeria depends on the adaptation to the changing technological landscape like the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, inclusivity, involvement of traditionsl rulers as chief custodians of culture and tradition.
He said the government should look into the challenges facing museums operations in Nigeria in the area of funding, maximum awareness and campaigns, educational integration, encouragement of community-based museums and participatory museums model.
He called on non-governmental organisations, business owners, philanthropists, individuals to contribute their quota in desired sustainable future of museums and monuments in Nigeria.
Other highlights of the event were cultural presentations by Baptist Secindary Grammar School, Sùn-ùn Sùn-ùn and Mother Comfort School, Ogbomoso.
The event also had questions and answers for schools and children.
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