From touring the art landscape to becoming a promoter of art legacies and spaces, renowned architect Theo Lawson is a force behind restoring monuments. One of such is the just unveiled Kuti Heritage Museum in Abeokuta, home of the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s parents, Mr and Mrs Oludotun Ransome Kuti, Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme reports.
Immortalising the Afrobeat legend
Renowned architect Theo Lawson is not a stranger to the creative sector. Since he built Motherlan,’ the popular creative hub famous for hosting musician Lagbaja’s shows, Lawson has navigated the creative landscape with finesse.
Apart from reconstructing the Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s former residence at Gbemisola Street, Ikeja, Lagos, to a museum, he also redesigned the former colonial prison on Broad Street, Lagos into a recreational cum creative hub, known as the Freedom Park.
Unveiling Kuti
Heritage Museum
Penultimate Saturday, the family home of Kuti’s parents in Abeokuta, which has been transformed into Kuti Heritage Museum, was unveiled by Governor Ibikunle Amosun. The ancient building has Lawson’s imprint.
The aarchitect stated that the desire to refurbish the twin structures was informed by the poor state of the home, which was being abused by squatters and threatened by erosion. He noted that the premises had become a refuse dump and public toilet, especially its back side which has a valley, adding that after the death of Mummy Dolu, tenants in the house became squatters, bringing in different people.
“We were able to salvage the main house though we lost the basement to erosion,” he stated.
Recalling the beginning
He recalled that the battle to restore the failed structure started during the tenure of former Governor Gbenga Daniels but nothing tangible was realised. “The concept of the project started during the tenure of former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel. Unfortunately, nothing came out of it. We have been talking with Governor Amosun until the Kuti family started to do something to restore the house. That prompted the government to come to their aid.
On what is being preserved for tourists in the house, Lawson said:”We bought few things to complement what we salvaged to make it homely.”
He disclosed that the project is still ongoing, saying: “We are still curating the project. It is not easy getting information on Mr and Mrs Kuti. But, hopefully we should be done in a month’s time”.
He noted that the project should have been completed last October, but was shifted to February and finally last weekend for unveiling.
On how the project started,daughter of the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Yeni,said: “It started with Architect Theo Lawson, who had the dream of preserving the Kuti legacy just as he has done with the Kalakuta Museum in Lagos. I brought him to look at the house and he said that it was good to preserve the house that my grandmother had. At that time, erosion had eaten some part of the building and that was why, we lost one floor. We approached former governor of Ogun State Otunba Gbenga Daniel to renovate the building and turn it to a museum, but he said his tenure was almost over and that we should approach the in-coming governor Ibikunle Amosun. Amosun accepted the proposal and today, the museum has been commissioned.”
Excited over the house being restored by Ogun State government, she said: “I feel very happy, although it has not been completed, but I am happy. It is a good thing for us. It is not about building a house to live in; you live in a house and when you die, the house dies with you. But now, the house is a legacy that lives on and I am happy about it.”
Memories of the Kuti House
On what she remembered about the house, she said: “I lived in the house for a while and went to school. I remember we used to catch fish in the river behind the house, but I don’t know if it is a gutter or a canal now. I remember eating those insects that were usually caught after heavy rainfall. There used to be a gate behind our house. My siblings and I would sneak through the gate to the other side to catch fishes and come back to the house. I also remember my strict grandmother used to force us to eat food.
“The house was not exclusive and it wasn’t as crowded as it is now. There were a lot of green leaves but maybe because am older now, the house then seemed very big and grey. Then, there were fewer houses with trees and the street was very peaceful and quiet.”
Yeni further recalled that unlike her father, her grandmother was very strict, stating that the house also served as a boarding house ‘’which made us to be friends with all the students’’.
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