By Simeon Mpamugoh
Desirous of propagating and sustaining Edo culture in the diaspora, an author and community advocate, Nekpen Obasogie, has unveiled a multimillion-dollar worth of art gallery in the City of Brampton (Toronto), Canada. Queen Idia House Art Gallery was established out of Obasogie’s enthusiasm for art collection rooted in her Edo cultural origin.
“The dream to establish Queen Idia House Art Gallery in Toronto is a part of my effort to propagate and sustain the Edo cultural heritage in the diaspora. The art gallery has been well-appreciated by some political figures and art enthusiasts in the region,” she told Daily Sun.
Obasogie, who is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, stressed that “as an indigene of Benin, the art gallery was inspired by my cultural root and 80 percent of the artworks in the gallery comprise of Benin cultural artifacts, made in Benin Kingdom in Nigeria. Thus, setting up the gallery is an opportunity for me to illuminate the rich artistry of Benin and her cultural heritage,” she added.
She revealed, however, that the art emporium was still a work in progress. “We are still working on the art gallery. With the support of some stakeholders, we hope to improve the gallery’s infrastructure soon. We look forward to transforming it into a world-class art gallery in Canada that will attract audiences from different parts of the world. It’s a part of our campaign for the Restitution of Benin artifacts from Western institutions.”She named the gallery after the legendary Queen Idia, who played a significant role in the rise and reign of her son, Oba (king) Esigie, who ruled Benin from 1504 to 1550. She was known for her military prowess, a great warrior who fought alongside her son and played a significant role in his reign. She was also the first woman to earn the chieftaincy of the Iyoba (Queen Mother) in the Benin Empire. and led soldiers to war. “The mask crafted from ivory represents Queen Idia’s esoteric beauty and royal status. It was originally worn by Benin Obas as a pendant during ceremonies and rituals. The mask became the symbol of the Festival of African Culture (FESTAC) held in 1977 in Nigeria to celebrate African heritage and culture,” she remarked.
According to her, “The Queen Idia House Art Gallery aims to unravel the history and artistic nature of the ancient African culture of the Benin Kingdom, especially the rich history embedded in the artifacts. It will illuminate the historical method and history of using artifacts to record events in the ancient Benin Kingdom, as well as teach the Canadian society the relevance and colourful cultural heritage of an African society (the Benin Kingdom), which has been in existence for more than 1500 years.”
The author of two prominent history books on the historical relationship between the Benin Kingdom and the Europeans since the 15th century till date disclosed that the books had given her global recognition and motivation to propagate the cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom in the Western world.
“We have different African artists, such as sculptors, artists that produce the paintings, fabric makers and other guilds for the gallery,” she added, assuring art collectors and enthusiasts that the gallery would bring out the aesthetics and cultural value of the world-famous Benin bronzes.
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