PanNigerianNews 
By Pelumi ADEPOJU
The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in Ogbomoso has joined the world to celebrate this year’s International Day of Museums and Monuments.
While delivering the address of the Director-General of the commission, Prof. Abba Tijani, in Sunsun area of Ogbomoso, the curator of the Ogbomoso branch, Prince Reuben Adeoye, said the activities of museums could aid sustainable development and well-being of communities.
Tijani said, “The International Day of Museums has become a veritable avenue to advocate the role of museums in our society. This year, the theme is:
“Museums, Sustainable Development and Well-being” and the it has opened up huge possibilities for museums and cultural organisations to engage with the health and well-being of societies.
“Museums are key contributors to the well-being and sustainable development of our communities. A growing body of evidences shows that museums can bring benefits to individual and community health and well-being in their role as public forums for debate and learning.
“They work with specific audiences through targeted programmes and contribute to positive wellbeing and resilience by helping people to make sense of the world and their place within it as trusted institutions and important threads in our shared fabric. Museums are uniquely placed to create a cascading effect to foster positive change.
“The NCMM, as an agent of government charged with the responsibility of protection and promotion of the nation’s heritage resources, has contributed and is still contributing to achieving sustainable development goals, supporting climate action and fostering inclusivity, tackling social isolation and improving mental health.”
The guest speaker at the event, a former Deputy Director (Research) of the commission, Mr Bode Adesina, called on relevant stakeholders to support and sustain all the museum activities in the country.
Mr Adesina added that the museums and monuments were expected to be growing and progressing, and not regressing.
While dwelling on the theme, he said that the role that museums and monuments could play are enormous, saying that the nation’s sustainable development and well-being are achievable through the museum activities.
In his remark at the event, the curator of the branch, Prince Reuben Adeoye, welcomed the guests and lovers of museum activities, including students and congratulated the commission and its staff across the country on the celebration.
Prince Adeoye emphasised that museum and its gallery should be environmental friendly, clarifying that the lives of visitors and tourists are not endangered.
“The lives of visitors of museums are not, in any way, endangered whatsoever,” he said.
He also canvassed that outreach programmes to schools, churches, mosques, correctional centres, markets, among others, should be intensified to sustain its well-being.
As part of the yearly routine of the branch, cultural dance and other presentations also spiced the event.
