Yinka Olatunbosun
The Honourable Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John has declared that promoting cultural tourism will help to drive economic growth.
She disclosed this at the opening of the King Kosoko Memorial Museum in Lagos Island recently. The event which was an assemblage of cultural enthusiasts and custodians of history is a significant move by the royal family of King Kosoko to shape the cultural narrative in Lagos.
The Minister described the unveiling of the King Kosoko Memorial Museum as a reminder of the rich history that defines Nigeria, particularly Lagos State.
She said: “The King Kosoko Memorial Museum preserves and showcases our forebears’ legacies, echoing stories of resilience, creativity, and cultural diversity that shape our identity.
“Museums, beyond artifacts, serve as beacons of enlightenment, fostering understanding and appreciation of our past while guiding our future steps. In a world of globalisation and technological advancement, institutions like this museum project authenticity, reminding us of our country’s beauty and complexity.”
She further reiterated the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Tourism to recognising and harnessing cultural institutions’ immense potential in advancing our national tourism agenda.
She added: “Collaborating with the museum presents opportunities to promote cultural tourism, drive economic growth, and foster social cohesion.”
In addition to promoting cultural tourism, the museum project is expected to open doors to capacity building through training programmes.
Also, there will be room for cultural exchange programmes that will serve as platforms for dialogue and mutual enrichment.
“Through alliance with the Federal Ministry of Tourism, the King Kosoko Memorial Museum can realise its potential as a driver of sustainable tourism development,” she said.
While reflecting on the initiative, Prince Abiola Oloja-Kosoko, Oloja of Lagos and the Chief curator of the museum revealed the next steps for the museum management.
He said: “The next thing is to begin the upgrading which is going to be sectional to enable researchers to make their findings. We have a need for finance but we will see what we can do and what can come out of this.
“Right now, we are having private consultants and we will still keep their names private. We spent 17 months assembling the museum. We want to do our little so that the government can support us.
“Kosoko died on April 15 and every year, we have this gathering to remember him. This year, we will celebrate what we call the Alliance, that is the collaboration between the Fulanis and Kosoko. We will also celebrate the return of Kosoko to Lagos.”
He said the Kosoko dynasty hopes to be a model and not compete with others in the state.
The museum boasts of relics from the trans-atlantic slave trade era till the colonial history of Lagos. Created with the need to contribute to the knowledge economy, the museum is said to be part of the renewed hope agenda.
