To preserve the rich cultural heritage of great Benin kingdom, the administration of Mr. Godwin Obaseki has deliberately made Arts, Culture, Tourism a cardinal goal that must be achieved and stakeholders are proud of this developments.
President of Edo State Bronze Casters Guild, Chief Kingsley Inneh on Monday, this week commended the State Governor for his determination to develop the state’s historical site to world standard.
Speaking during a visit by the Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Osaze Osemwegie-Ero to the Bronze Casters Guild at Igun Street, Chief Inneh who is the Ine N’ Igun of Benin expressed the appreciation of the guild members to the state government for making arts and culture one of its cardinal goals.
“We are so much honored with your visit to the guild, which goes to show that you and the state government have the interest of our arts and culture at heart. You are the first Commissioner to visit the guild made up of 130 members and we are proud of you and the governor for this gesture today and this will go a long way in to our history books.

A Nollywood actress, Princess Isoken Ibie Osagie also poured encomiums on Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs for the reviving the cultural heritage of Benin Kingdom.
“It is a great thing that the government and His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare11 are doing, moving in the right direction.
The Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs while on a walk round monuments in and around the Kings square and other significant relics in Benin City assured the Bronze Casters that the state governor is passionate about promoting the Benin culture.
“Without the support of the governor we cannot do much. He believes that with our arts and culture, Edo state can earn revenue, that is why his vision is to turnaround Igun Street and develop our historical sites to world standards,” he noted.

He said the products of Igun Street are known all over the world and 95 percent of the stolen artifacts in their museums abroad are from Igun Street produced by the bronze casters, noting that “as a proud son of Edo state, we will do our best to revive Edo culture.”
He further revealed that, “the state governor has plans to revive Igun Street. We want to develop an interactive web site to document all the historical works and produce pictorial booklets that will be placed at strategic places like embassies and hotels.
The Commissioner, who said the governor has plans to empower the guild, added that there are plans to go with some members of the guild to Europe for an exhibition where they will be entitled to 80 percent of the proceeds.
Earlier, the Commissioner who was at the National Museum in Benin, where he was conducted round by Comrade Omokhua Ikhuerhi, the Chief Exhibition officer, said the idea of going round the museum was to appreciate the beauty of the place which was recently rehabilitated.

“We must appreciate what we have. The museum is recommended for anyone visiting the state. Edo state is safe and we have one of the beautiful museums in the world,” he added.
While going round the Kings square to see the historical monuments of Benin Kings adorning the city center, Mosis Obakpolo, the director of culture in the ministry, disclosed that the statues of the traditional rulers are in the kings square to commemorate the 30th coronation anniversary of the former Oba.
In his observation, the Commissioner who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Sam Aigbirio, directors, and some Edo’s in Diaspora, frowned over the defaced statues and he thereby directed that the ministry officials should ensure they have proper description written on the monuments and he reiterated the importance of the corporate organizations in the state to be involve in their maintenance because the government cannot do everything.

The Commissioner was also at the oldest upstairs in the defunct Midwest region built in 1906, Egedege N’Okaro, where he hinted government’s intention to see how the building can be preserved because it is on the list of monuments in the ministry.
Some Edo’s in Diaspora who joined the Commissioner in the walk, promised to join the state government to take the campaign to the next level, noting that it is a privilege to see the beauty of Edo state with its rich monuments.
In their words, “the Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs is very passionate about what he is doing and has good intention to preserve the heritage of the people. We have seen a building of over one hundred years old still standing. It is what people should come and see.”