FG TO CONVERT FELA'S FAMILY HOME INTO MUSEUM

naijadropz Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has revealed plans to set up new tourist centres and monuments across the state especially for structures owned by individuals who have made the state proud in their areas of interest. He made this known on Wednesday, during a visit to the Kuti family home in Abeokuta, adding that it was part of efforts to expand the creative industry in Ogun State and in turn, boost the state's economy. Governor Amosun, while being accompanied by the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, said the house will be turned into a museum, the first among many more to come. Mr Mohammed who commended the exercise while speaking to journalists said: "It is laudable in the sense that this is one of the most positive steps to actually put our rhetorics into action. "We have always said that one of the important assets we have is our cultural heritage, our history and this project, which is going to immortalise the Ransome-Kuti family, is laudable and admirable. "The family, as you know, represents different things to different people, whether you talk about education, emancipation, music or entertainment. "Therefore, this attempt by the government at immortalising the family by preserving and restoring the ancestral home is very commendable. "The emphasis of this government, whether state or federal, is that the creative industry must be turned into creative economy and this centre is going to be a good model to encourage and inspire the youth." Also addressing journalists, Governor Amosun promised to deliver the project and ensure that the legacies of great legends live on. "The creative industry should be turned to a creative economy – we are going have museums for all of them, it is not just the Kuti family alone. "All our icons have a special place in our administration. These are the people who define us, when we go out there and say we are from Ogun State. We can't call ourselves who we say we are without those giants who lived before us. "They laid the foundation that we are all building upon and clearly, the Kuti family is one of those illustrious families that conquered the world, not only Ogun Sate or Abeokuta or Nigeria. "Fela was far ahead of his time. For us, it will be in our interest to let people know his origin, his root," the governor stated. Furthermore, he hinted that the project should be completed latest by the year 2018.