Gov Amosun Converts Kutis’ Family House In Abeokuta To Heritage Museum

Kunle ADELABU & Mariam AKINLOYE

Tourism in Ogun State added another major landmark addition to its rich and invaluable cultural and tourism heritages as the government of the state made good its promise to convert the home of the legendary , popular and phenomenal family of the Ransome Kutis in Abeokuta into a tourist centre.

The house, which is now renamed ‘The Kuti Heritage Museum’,  is located at NEPA Road, Isabo, Abeokuta, and was commissioned by the Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, on Friday, April 26,  as part of the activities marking the just concluded 2019 African Drum Festival.

Among those that graced the  commissioning event were  the wife of the Ogun State governor, Mrs Amosun , the deputy governor of the state, Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Onanuga, Nobel Laureate and Consultant to the government on African Drum festival, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Post Master-General, Barr. Adebisi Adegbuyi and members of the Kuti family among many others.

The Ogun State government, in partnership with the Federal Government, had in 2017 officially announced the conversion of the historic building, which is the family house of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, into a museum.

The building had been abandoned for long and dilapidated before the intervention of the government.

The family house was renamed ‘Heritage Museum’ during the visit of the Minister of Information, Culture & Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Governor Ibkunle Amosun in 2017.

The structure is now housing important archival materials on the life and times of the Ransome-Kuti family – Revd Oludotun Ransome Kuti,his wife,  Madam Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti who was a prominent and influential nationalist and first female to drive a car in Nigeria, and their children; Professor Olikoye Ransome – Kuti, Mrs Dolupo, Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Beko Ransome-Kuti) whose respective exploits shaped the global medical, music and human rights crusade.

The Museum now has three structures with the main building in the middle housing the historical materials of the Kutis.

Statues of the parents of the legendary Kuti children are erected in front of the house with the husband (Oludotun) seated and the wife (Olufunmilayo) standing.

At the ground floor of the main structure are photographs of the family tree of the Kutis and other important photographs with inscriptions like ‘The Ransome Kuti family’ , ‘Music in the family’ , ‘The many faces of Olufunmilayo’ , ‘The Kutis with staff and students of Abeokuta Grammar School’ and ‘Reverend Israel OludotunRansome-Kuti’, among others.

At the upper section of the building are bed, dinner table, shelf containing mugs and tea cups, wardrope, chairs, stereos, family photographs and others.

Governor Amosun, while speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the ‘The Kuti Heritage Museum’, said the turning of the Kutis house into a museum was part of his administration’s efforts at celebrating Ogun sons and daughters and also preserve the cultural heritage of the state.

He noted that heroes and icons do not die as their homes will be turned to museums and a Mecca of sort which future generations and scholars will use as research centres.

“This house has a lot of history. This is the house where all the Kutis were raised. From Mama Dolupo to Prof Olikoye , Fela and Beko, who were giants in their own right. When you are writing the history of Nigeria, all of them will have a pride of place.

“For us, we cannot allow all these giants to be unsung. We don’t want their memories to die and we don’t want our young ones to forget them. Once upon a time, there lived a couple, Mr and Mrs Kuti”.

Prof. Wole Soyinka, while commending the Ogun State Government for rehabilitating the Kutis house and turning it into a museum, also recalled his two years as a student of Abeokuta Grammar Schoool, under the principalship of his uncle, Revd. Ransome-Kuti, with nostalgia.

Senior Consultant to Governor Amosun on Culture and Tourism, Yewande Amusan, described the government’s initiative as a good ideal which is meant to preserve the legacies of the Kutis.

Yemisi Kuti, who spoke on behalf of the Kutis, sang the family’s anthem, “Ise Oluwa Ko le Baje”.

She stated that the Museum symbolizes all the family had fought for.

She emphasized that virtues such as integrity, values, selflessness and patriotism were exhibited by her family in the match towards nation building and these,  according to her, is what the government and people are celebrating in immortalizing them.

The large crowd outside the building added colours to the unveiling event as they chanted the governor’s name while thanking him for renovating the structure and converting it to a museum.