FG to turn Olikoye, Beko, Fela’s ancestral building to museum centre

…As Ogun government begins renovation

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By Sola AJIBIKE (Abeokuta)

NIGERIA: THE Federal Government has promised to turn the ancestral building of the Ransome-Kuti family in Abeokuta, Ogun State to a museum centre.

This decision, according to the Information, Culture and Tourism Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, would be carried out after the ongoing renovation of the over 100 years building embarked upon by the Ogun State government.

The building is owned by the late women’s rights activist, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti and her husband, one-time Principal of the famous Abeokuta Grammar School, Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, the father of the late ex-Health Minister, Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, former Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association and pro-democracy activist, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Afro music legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, and Dolupo Ransome-Kuti.

The Federal Government’s involvement followed the move by the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun to renovate the abandoned building after media blitz on its state of disrepair.

Mohammed, who visited the site on Wednesday, promised that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari would not only support Amosun government in the remodelling of the structure, but turn it into Heritage Museum Centre.

While commending the state government on the renovation efforts, the Minister said the government at the centre would continue to partner others in the development of such heritage sites in the country.

According to him, the government at the centre would continue to support such creative industry as it will help in boosting the nation’s creative economy.

“It will also serve as a model to encourage and inspire youth,” he said, just as he showered encomiums on the Ransome-Kuti family for its contributions to the development of the country.

While speaking on Fela, who brought enormous fame to the Ransome-Kuti family, Mohammed said that the late musician lived far ahead of his time.

“Fela lived far ahead of his time,” he said, adding: “To many people, Fela was a musician, but he was more than a musician.”

“Fela defined era.  I could still remember that there was this still of trouser that was unique and was copied then,” the Minister maintained.

However, Amosun has said that the Ransome-Kuti family cannot be washed away in the history of Nigeria in particular and in the world as a whole, which necessitated the need to continue remembering the family, even by unborn generation.

The Governor, who visited the ongoing renovation home in company of the Minister, his Information Commissioner, Chief Dayo Adeneye, the eldest grandchild of the Ransome-Kuti family, Dotun Ransome-Kuti and other top government officials, promised that the renovation would be completed before the end of the year while commissioning will hold early next year.

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