Eno Louis Enobakhare
28 February 2008
Lagos — "The year is 2100. Bronze works are trademarked: Mercedes Benz Bronze - made in Germany. This will be the scenario in another hundred years, if something is not done real fast.
My organisation, Edorodion Ventures, organises the yearly Bronze Festival, Benin City. An exhibition of more than 3,000 and other bronze works. It has been on for three years. "The 2007 version was sponsored by GTBank and the Edo State Government. The objective of the Bronze Festival is to preserve a culture that has produced masterpieces being scrambled for today by the powers-that-be. I have written many articles about bronze works and matters arising from their "being" taken away or the going into extinction of the very act of bronze casting itself. It is time for action.
A Benin warrior on horseback
"The article ("1897-2008", stolen artifacts, the west and the rest us) leaves many questions unanswered. It may sound unrealistic to say that a punitive expedition was a blessing in disguise. A Benin man, fully grown is called okpioba - the king's man.
"A fully grown woman is called okhuoba - the king's woman. A morning greeting is - oba owie - the king's morning, afternoon is oba avan - the king's afternoon, good evening - obota- the king's evening. A word that is very controversial - Evbom oba - the king's word. Then, one morning, the king is taken away. What a devastating effect on a people whose lifestyle and culture is synonymous with thier Oba.
"But, I still insist that it was a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, how would the world at large have recognised that "Africa that has no sense of history, literature, art or beauty," can produce masterpieces that no one else have been able to match or mar? "This should make us realise our pontentials and, thus, add value to what our ancestors started. Let us celebrate the city of a kingdom of bronze. Let us celebrate bronze all over the world, Benin City, centre of the universe (edoisiagbon). Bronze, the art of wow!
"Now, to the Germans and their possession of "the largest collections of African art." The Germans, at no time, invaded Benin Kingdom. The bronze works in their collections today were sold to them by the British to recover the cost of the 1897 punitive expedition. "The ethnological advancement of the Germans may probably be due to their interest in ancient civilisations and their preservation. "For instance, I am in possession of a Bini/English dictionary, written by a German professor in 1937. There is also the German Cultural Preservation Fund.
"The Director-General for Museums and Monuments, a complete gentleman, was recently suspended, along with some of his directors, because of some missing artefacts. With the level of poverty and greed in the society, you will need a whole garrison to guard a museum housing "3,000 Benin works of art, said to be worth over N1.8 billion." Our house must be put in order before we demand for even what is rightfully ours. Some governments take children from irresponsible parents.
"Yes, these children rightfully belong to them, but these blessings from God deserve to be properly taken care of.
"Having said that, we can start a negotiation for 10% of all proceeds related to the different cultural artefacts - for instance, 10% of the N115.75 and N250.00 paid to the British Museum is about N40.00. One thousand of such payments will amount to 40,000.00- N10,000,000 (10 million naira). "This type of money coming to the Oba of Benin will rub off on the guild of bronze casters at Igun Street, guild of carvers at Igbesanmwan, all in Benin City. "Again, the bronze casters of this present generation should see the original works. This will fire them up and challenge them to improve their skills. I cannot imagine scoring the music of Fela or Rex Lawson without hearing their CDs.
"Though these great musicians have passed on, their legacies remain with us. Please, let the offspring of the original producers of these 482 Benin bronzes see these works. Maybe attach some of them to these museums and let knowledge flow in both directions. Africa-Europe-Africa.
"This is low season, Lufthansa can give some of their no-show seats to a group of 10 bronze casters and N100,000.00 is not what the Germans (with the 2nd strongest economy in the world and strongest in Europe) cannot afford as estacodes for these artists. A copy of this article and a request for a visit to Berlin by the bronze casters will be forwarded to my good friend, Cord Busche, Head of Cultural and Press Department, German Embassy. "Basically, for years, we have not learnt our lessons. During the workshop for the Bronze Festival 2007, it was advocated that 200 of our bronze works be patented in China and other countries. Then none produces them without royalty. That loose end must be tied up.
"During a pre-event visit to the Oba of Benin, the Bronze Festival 2007 Committee, comprising Edo State officials, GTBank (sponsors) officials, University of Benin officials and led by my humble self, it was advocated that bronzecasting be introduced into the university curriculum. Bronze casting is an ancient art, like classical music. "The way you have recitals is the way bronze works are exhibited worldwide. While classical music is studied in all universities with an inclination towards the arts, bronze casting has remained in the same elementary stage. Something must be done.
"The Malaysians came to collect palm oil seedlings from Nigeria. We now import palm oil from Malaysia. The Malaysians did not take these seedlings and write tons of articles and hold multiple workshops. They planted and now they are harvesting dollars. Let us cultivate bronze casting and we will harvest dollars.
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