Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, characterized the Digital Benin website as having the largest collection of Benin artifacts yesterday. Obaseki made this statement at the Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, Airport Road, Benin, unveiling of Digital Benin, which was a part of the celebrations for the Alaghodaro 2022 Summit.
A time back, the state proposed creating a catalog of all the Benin artwork dispersed throughout the globe. In 131 places around the world, the state now has a digitized archive of 5,246 pieces of Benin and Edo artwork. This accomplishment deserves praise.
The largest museum in the world for Benin collections is currently Digital Benin. It is a virtual museum where you may learn all there is to know about the past, present, and future of Benin. Visit the website to view every item of Benin art that is present anywhere in the globe. The artwork, its significance, and its locations are all visible.
He expresses gratitude to Prof. Gregory Akenzua and the Benin Debate Group members who, for the past 20 years, have maintained the pressure and a dialogue about how to return the artworks that were taken during the invasion of 1897.
Bamidele Obaitan, the commissioner for arts, culture, tourism, and diaspora affairs, commended Obaseki in his speech for his inspiring leadership. He pointed out that the introduction of Digital Benin offered a chance to inform the populace about the outstanding advancements made by the Obaseki administration in the field of arts and culture.
This project provides a forum for individuals to learn more about the rich cultural history of the Benin people and the objects that are part of it that are dispersed throughout the globe.
Obaseki and the Oba of Benin were praised by Prof. Dr. Barbara Plankensteiner, Director of the Museum am Rothenbanm Kulturer and Kunste der Welt-MARKK, for their tireless efforts to locate the stolen Benin relics that had been dispersed throughout the world.
While this was going on, students from the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) program schools charmed local and foreign investors with their presentation at the Alagodaro summit’s closing ceremony.
The all-female student performers, who were selected from secondary schools, gave a spoken-word performance titled “Alaghodaro!” in which they discussed how the Obaseki administration’s historic projects are altering Edo while enticing outside investors to put money into the state.
The kids’ 15-minute performance featured eloquent praise for the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hubs, Edo Innovation, the Ossiomo Power Company, the EdoBEST program, and the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), all of which were established under the Obaseki-led administration.
