Ecobank, in a clear demonstration of commitment and passion to preserving culture and traditional heritage, has partnered with EPAC Studios, in collaboration with the Sijuwade Royal Family to celebrate the life and the time of His Imperial Majesty, late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, Ooni of Ife from 1980 to 2015.
Tagged “The Crown and the Legacy’ Memorial Art Exhibition Honouring Late Oba Sijuwade” was organized to celebrate the immemorial moments of culture, power and tradition as elegantly flaunted by the iconic king who joined his ancestors a decade ago.
Oba Okunade Adele Sijuwade, Olubuse II, the 50th Ooni of Ife, who reigned for 35 years, had the archival exhibition put together to deploy his iconic reign as a platform to further project Yoruba culture, tradition and heritage on the global stage.
The 13-day exhibition, hosted by Ecobank at its headquarters located on Ozumba Obadiwe, Victoria Island Lagos, the Curator and Consultant to the Sijuwade Royal Family, Dr. Oludamola Adebowale, stated that “the exhibition is both a tribute and an educational platform, preserving history and illuminating Yoruba heritage.”
Commending the partnership, Adebowale called for more corporate interest in cultural heritage projects, citing Ecobank an exemplary model, adding that preparatory to the exhibition that “In March, there was a series of events. We went from virtual drama school, obviously attended, to college, to King’s College. Then started working on the exhibition materials, gathering the archival, newspaper, the clothes, making sure what to fix. Function as a creator and also capital. So the entire programme recorded, everything around this memorial falls on my desk. And last week Friday, I guess, we had a grand symposium at Harbor Point and launch of the exhibition, which was very brief, which was big.
“But prior to that time, we’ve been having a conversation with Ecobank to see how we can come up with a partnership where they give us the space, we just bring the exhibition. It’s a very important exhibition.”
Head, Corporate Communications, Ecobank Nigeria, Austen Osokpor, said that “the exhibition aligns with Ecobank’s mission to preserve and promote African heritage.”
According to him, “Hosting this memorial exhibition in partnership with the Sijuwade Royal Family is a privilege and a reflection of our commitment to celebrating and empowering our rich, diverse communities across the continent.”
Yeye Olori Oladunni Sijuwade described the exhibition as “The Beauty of His Majesty,” which provides nostalgic feelings “offering art enthusiasts a rare and intimate glimpse into the monarch’s regal attire, cultural elegance, and enduring legacy—10 years after his demise.”
Atinse Robert, of the National Museum, who conducted journalists on tour of the fair saluted the Sijuwade Royal Family for celebrating their patriarch and Yoruba heritage, noting that “such an exhibition should be encouraged to preserve culture and tradition.”
He added “Like the curator rightly said, we hardly loan out our objects to anybody. But because of the magnitude of the person that is being celebrated, we decided to come out with all of these objects. And if you look at all of these objects. They are all objects that are attached to reality. We call them figure because it’s a standing object. So it’s a complete figure of the Ooni. We understand that this object is prominent across the world, and one reason why it is prominent is because of one being full object that was discovered by one man from German. He’s an archeologist and also an ethnographer.”
Ooni Okunade Sijuwade, who succeeded Ooni Adermi Olusoji, stepped into the royal regalia with immense glamour, vigour that registered his reign across the globe as a historic era in the history of Yoruba race, the debatable cradle of humanity.
In his December 1980 inaugural speech, late Oba Okunade Sijuade registered his forever believe in unity in diversity, saying “Now to my brothers, the Emirs, Obis, Obas etc from all over the federation, I extend very fraternal greetings of welcome. Our task is enormous and cannot all be adequately accomplished working in mutual isolation. We have many problems in common. Modernity does not in any way imply abandonment of our heritage, so we all have a lot of work to do.”
And the over four-decade old quote remains a defining denominator in the national cohesion of Nigeria as a country.
