Culture

Ooni of Ife Urges Nigerians to appreciate, embrace their Cultural

Published

3 years ago

December 4, 2023

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has urged Nigerians to embrace, appreciate and showcase their cultural values home and abroad.Ogunwusi said this at the inauguration of the Erelu Yeye Odua (E.Y.O.) Cultural Renaissance Centre on Sunday in Lagos.
The event which was organised by the Erelu Yeye Odua Foundation, featured a Christmas Carol and Gala Night.

Ogunwusi, who was the Grand Royal Father of the ceremony said that most Nigerians had lost their cultural values to those of the western world.
According to him, most Nigerians no longer appreciate their cultural values as it was in the past.

“We have rich culture, heritage, norms and values that we can market to the outside world but most Nigerians now prefer western values to their culture.
“They have lost their cultural values to the western world and this is not good for the image of the country,” he said.
The traditional ruler urged the Federal Government to adequately fund the culture and tourism sector to reawaken the country’s traditional values.

He also implored government to encourage private investors to fully tap into the nation’s rich cultural resources.

Ogunwusi said that adequate funding of the sector would attract more investors to the art, culture and tourism world.

The traditional ruler also urged the present government to empower youths to explore and harness the culture, art and tourism potential of the country.

He said that if the federal government could properly fund the sector, it would in turn raise government’s revenue and help to address the nation’s unemployment challenges.

Speaking, Archbishop Adewale Martins of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, thanked the foundation for creating the centre, saying that it would further create wealth for the youth.

Martins said that the Christmas Carol was significant as people of diverse religion, traditional rulers and other factors could sit side by side to recognise the grace of God.

Also, Chief Abiola Dosunmu, Founder, Erelu Yeye Odua Foundation, said that one of the reasons the foundation was created was to address such controversy relating to history, culture, arts, lifestyle and other issues about Africans.

Dosunmu said that the new centre would focus on research, empowerment, education, training and promotion of culture and languages.
Other dignitaries at the event are the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero; the Lagos State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, among others.

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Culture

WAKE UP! Art Exhibition Returns for a Second Act

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The contemporary art and photography exhibition “Wake Up!” is back again for a second edition.

Curated by Awele Onwordi, Wake Up! 2 exhibition pays homage to the Nigerian youth and burgeoning street culture which many of its contributing artists reference in their works.

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Titled “Young, Wild, Free”, the exhibition celebrates the creativity, resilience, freedom and cultural influence found in Nigerian youth.

Taking aim at societal issues and economic concerns, the exhibit reflects the youth and their refusal to compromise or bow despite all the challenges stacked against them while charting youth culture through art, music, fashion, skateboarding, photography and community.

The exhibition will be held, once again, at the Angel and Muse Gallery at 25 Sumbo Jibowu street off Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

It will open on Saturday 5 September 2026 and will run until 11 September 2026
This second edition which focuses on celebrating, nurturing and exploring artistic practices rooted in youth and street culture will feature works from DENCITY and SUPERGLIDER HOUSE.

Exhibiting artists include Ajilore Kehinde – their work is deeply influenced by Nigerian street culture and works of other artists like Slawn, Peters Ejiro, etc, Chuka Onwordi – graphic designer who embodies themes of death, melancholy and beauty in his works, ZIDYEP – Abuja based creative whose works move between digital and physical spaces through art, graphic design and air brushing , Franklyn Okoye – graphic designer and artist whose works explore themes of identity and hyper-reality, Awele Onwordi – founder & curator of WAKE UP and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans character art, creative logo design, album covers and more , Oluchi Kogolo – digital illustrator whose work explores street culture, personality and storytelling through a raw and playful visual style and Kozetuo Apeji – multidisciplinary artists who work explores experimental approaches to problem solving through both digital and traditional art forms.

Commenting on the exhibition in her curatorial statement, Awele noted that “despite economic instability, limited opportunities and socio-political challenges, Nigerian youth continue to shape culture through music, fashion, art, skateboarding, raves, photography and community.”

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Continuing and harping on the raison d’etre of the exhibition she said, “Young, Wild and Free exists to celebrate Nigerian youth while also creating a platform that supports and amplifies them.”