Addis Ababa (February 15, 2019) The Obi of Onitsha has stated that Nigerian creative arts should be indigenised for purposes of promoting the nation’s culture. His Majesty made the observation during a visit to the Zoma Museum, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. According to him, the Zoma Museum provides some lessons for Nigeria on how it could manage its creative sector. “Literally everything about Zoma Museum provides lots of learning opportunities for Nigeria on how to indigenize our creative arts as vehicles for projecting our culture,” he said.
His Majesty used the opportunity of his participation in an international dialogue on ending early girl child marriage which was held in Addis Ababa, to undertake a tour of the Zoma Museum. The museum is an environmentally conscious artist in residency project considered influential in the contemporary Ethiopian visual art sector.
During his visit to the museum, His Majesty interacted with the staff led by the curator Meskerem Assegued, on his interest in arts and Africa’s culture. He also spoke on the need to promote and preserve Africa’s traditions.
The Obi said he was impressed with the symbolism, sustainability and the idea behind the Zoma Museum. He said, “I was very impressed with the original thinking of the founders whereby the culture of the Ethiopians is entirely embedded in the planning and execution of the museum project, which is also in total synergy with the natural environment. Everything about the museum is sustainable.”
His Majesty is a well-known art collector. Besides buying art works, he supports artists and the industry through capacity building and resource development. The proposed Chimedie Museum, Onitsha, also gives expression to His Majesty’s passion for art, artists and aesthetic life. The museum will serve as a vehicle for promoting African arts and culture.
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