Authority of the oldest tertiary institution in Nigeria, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), in partnership with the Ford Foundation, unveiled the biggest Art Museum in Nigerian tertiary education system.
Aside from the launch of the museum tagged: ‘ Yaba Art Museum,’ the 73 years old college also unveiled a policy document called ‘ YCT Policy on Sexual Harassment and other Forms of Gender-based Violence’.
The Museum, a project supported by Ford Foundation, is housed in the basement of the College School of Art, Design and Printing, the foremost and oldest Art School in Nigeria.
Speaking at the occasion held at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium, rector of the college, Obafemi Omokungbe, who described the museum as the first of its kind, acknowledged that the college had produced great artists and lauded their contributions towards the realisation of the art museum project.
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“The Art Museum will serve both cultural and educational purposes, with the intent to teach, train and be a resource space for both researchers and learners,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to the Ford Foundation for support and award of $100,000 for the project.
“I thank Professor Paul Nwulu, Ford Foundation senior programme officer and Debaseki, Dr. MacIkemenjina, programme officer and Ms Joy EhinorEzezobor, grant manager of Ford Foundation West Africa,” Omokungbe said.
In his speech at the occasion, the regional director, Ford Foundation, Innocent Chukwuma, said the partnership between the college and the foundation was that of progress and development.
He assured the institution of a continuous and greater partnership years ahead.
It would be recall that, in May 2020, Yaba College of Technology won $100,000 Ford Foundation Project grant for the development of its art museum.
The project expected to incorporate advocacy against sexual harassment and gender based violence which was supervised by a team that made the proposal for the research grant.
The team includes A. Abiodun, Yabatech’s chief lecturer in the Department of Chemical Science, Funmilayo Doherty, a principal lecturer in the Department of Biological Science, and Odun Orimolade, a principal lecturer in the Department of Fine Art.
