By Segun Kasali

Celebrating one of the greatest and most influential women in Ibadan, Olubunmi Amao is long overdue considering the innumerable impacts made in public offices occupied and showing off her dexterity in furniture business having moved from re-arranging things in someone’s house to owning a furniture business.

While serving as the Special Adviser on Tourism to the late former Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Tourism sector witnessed great transformation as this evidenced through numerous awards received consequent of her efforts geared towards refocusing the tourism sector in the state unlike prior to her appointment where the sector never attained lofty heights.

Known for her openness and honesty with indisputable touch of empathy, The Daughter of the Asiwaju of Ibadanland left indelible imprints on the sand of time within the Arts and Culture sector when she was the Director-General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), as she rebranded the face of the Agency’s office in Broad Street, Lagos-Island head office with the unveiling of iconic mask of Queen Idia to the General Public with the view that the mask is a masterpiece, an emblem meant to project the image of the Centre to more Public knowledge coinciding with the Anniversary of the establishment of CBAAC by Decree 69 of 1979 as a foremost agency charged with the statutory responsibility of promoting and propagating Black and African Cultural Heritage in its entirety.

Celebrating black personalities and professionals that have played prominent roles in the emancipation of Africa and contributed to the development of the continent in diverse fields, Amao also unveiled a rich cultural and historical Black and African Hall of Fame, in fulfilment of the Agency’s strategic objective of preserving, presenting and propagating African Culture in its entirety and restoring Africa’s rich cultural heritage.

Pimarily targeting the curated pieces at reliving the echoes of FESTAC ’77 by celebrating those that participated, Some of those curated include former presidents during FESTAC ’77 like Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria; Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya; Muammar Muhammed Al-Gaddafi, Libya; Ahmed Sekou Toure, Guinea; Jean Bedel Bokassa, Central African Republic; Robert Gabriel Mugabe, Zimbabwe; Leopold Sedar Senghor, Senegal; Moktar Ould Daddah, Mauritania; Felix Malloum Bey-Ndi, Chad; and El Hadj Omar Bongo, Gabon.

Other personalities include Chinua Achebe, Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, Oluwafunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo, Kobe Bryant, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Malcolm X, Tafawa Balewa, Chief Abdul Ganiyu Fawehinmi, Nnamdi Azikwe, and Mike Adenuga, including foreign musicians like Mighty Sparrow, Archie She’ll, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba, Stevie Wonder, Nadi Game, Randolph Edward ‘Randy’ Weston, Sun Ra, Gilberto Gil, and Donald Byrd.

The Amazon understood the relevance of the Hall of Fame as history was returned to the school’s curriculum, highlighting the fact that knowledge of FESTAC 77 is key as it enables the students to know who were around about that time and those who performed.

Many dignitaries present at the unveiling attested to the fact that it was a step in the right direction to open up tourism in a bid to boost the economy better, acknowledging that tourism is great potential in the arts and culture sector of the country’s economy.

Having recognized the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 2008 and 2010 statement that the creative economy was not only one of the most thriving sectors globally but also the most transformative in terms of income generation, job creation, bridging inequality gaps, social mobility and export earning terms, Amao leveraged on African Arts and Culture to solving unemployment situation in the country by training Nigerians on bead making, Costume and Make-up, hair-making and many others in all the geo-political zones in the country.

CBAAC, under the leadership of Amao, collaborated with the African Union, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in the celebration of FESTAC77@45, where Africans experienced some nostalgic feelings of what the festival represented in 1977 through cultural presentations in African dance, folklore, music, drama and more, reminding us that about 16,000 participants representing 56 African nations and countries of the African Diaspora performed at the 1977 event.

Despite leaving the office as the DG, The dilligent amao became more relentless as she blossomed more in her furniture business where she designed a magnificent and ultramodern palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan for the recently deceased Oba Owolabi Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland. Reports had it that Despite the torrential rain, dignitaries and residents of Ibadanland turned out in large number to witness and participate in the inauguration of the ultramodern palace for the Olubadan.

Not surprising the late monarch decided to adorn Amao as the Yeyemeto of Ibadanland considering her incomparable efforts and application of expertise to the design of the palace, which would have been part of the elaborate chieftaincy conferment ceremonies if not for the sudden death of the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin. We pray that he continues to rest in the bossom of the lord.

With utmost faith and reposition of confidence in the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, We know that these great attributes of this Amazon will be looked into and consequently adorned with the same title for the progress and sterling performance of the kingdom.

Segun Kasali writes from Lagos