It was a marriage of arts and sciences as the Natural History Museum at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), in collaboration with Martins Aworinlewo Odeyemi Museum of Antiquity and Contemporary African Art, held its Third Chief John Agboola Odeyemi Annual Lecture. Paul Ade-Adeleye reports.
DESPITE its abundant mineral resources, Nigeria has not utilised half of the endowment because of the discovery of oil, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr Kayode Fayemi has said, compared with some other African states. Nigeria has abandoned its mineral resources for oil, he said at the Third John Agboola Odeyemi annual lecture at Ile-Ife, Osun State, last Friday.
He said: “Nigeria’s resource portfolio has over 44 known mineral assets. We have reason to believe that the available data of our reserves understate what our country has been blessed with by providence in many instances. Today, based on current data, Nigeria’s solid minerals sector only makes up about 0.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is much smaller than its true potential as most of our mining assets have yet to be exploited.”
He observed that ‘the curse of oil’ is responsible for this negligence, and he diagnosed Nigeria as suffering from the ‘Dutch Disease’. He said: “Oil wealth has made us lazy and unimaginative. Our fixation has blinded us to the immense scale of riches we have in this sector and their potential to power a new age of economic growth. In the field of development studies, Nigeria is one of the archetypal poster children for what has been called the Dutch disease or resource curse.’’
The lecture, which had as its theme Harnessing our natural and cultural heritage for national Development provided a platform for rumination on the state of the nation and sought to provide answers.
In his address, the Director, Natural History Museum, Dr B. A. Ogunfolakan referred to the natural resources available to Nigerians as part of the cultural heritage of Nigeria. He said: “The present situation in our country calls for sober reflection. Our dependency on crude oil led us to the situation we find ourselves; there must be a way forward. It is on this premise that this year’s edition and theme was chosen.”
Calling on well-meaning individuals to donate and contribute to the development of the museum, he said: “I hope the sense of urgency we need to associate with our rapidly deteriorating natural environment and culture heritage will be brought to bear. We should ask ourselves at the end of the day that; ‘what can I do to help preserve Nigeria’s botanical, zoological and cultural monuments?’ For a start, you can support the Natural History Museum in achieving her mission.”
Present at the event were such dignitaries as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Eniitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Ogunsua of Modakeke Dr. Francis Olatunji Adedoyin; Prof Babajide Alo; Alhaji Ahmed Mantee; Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Prof Ademola Ajayi, representing the Vice Chancellor of OAU; several Chiefs of Ife and members of the academia.
Oba Ogunwusi, who was present in a paternal capacity, admonished against reliance on imported goods that can easily be substituted for homemade products, which will have meritorious effects on both the culture and economy of the country. He said: “We shouldn’t deceive ourselves in the society; all is not well. We have lost morals and our natural heritage. Limestone has been on the ground for many years, yet we used to import cement. I worked on the site in Kogi State, the abundance of limestone there is in excess of kilometres, just beneath the ground; butt everyone wants to live the fast way. Every single thing I wear is made in Nigeria – from my crown which was made in Ile-Ife, to my beads, which were made in Benin, and my shoes, which were made in Lagos.”
He also spoke on the importance of morals claiming that none of the fingers of the hand is equal to another one in size. However, if any one finger is missing, it will hamper the efficient functionality of such a hand. Therefore, regardless of anyone’s position in the society, such a person is important and as such should not be downtrodden. He concluded that this can only be possible if we re-embrace the morals our forebears left us.
Meanwhile, the lecture also served as a felicitous marker of the 77th birthday of its eponym, Chief Odeyemi. While his citation was being read out, it was interjected with bits of his family praise song (oriki). His contribution to the cause of culture is immense and bedazzling.
His philanthropic activities and dedication to the preservation and promotion of culture, not excluding his building and donating a museum of antiquities to the institute of cultural studies, OAU, as well as his donation of a field vehicle to the Museum of Natural History led to his being awarded severally. He was honoured as a Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2005, given a State Distinguished Merit Award for Philanthropy and Community Development in 2007, and had a town named after him in 2012 by the Ooni of Ife.