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CBCIU IWALEWAHAUS sign MOU to return Ulli Beiers' works to Nigeria

The Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Bayreuth, Iwalewahaus, Germany, towards promoting cultural and artistic enterprise of the black world.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the CBCIU by its Chair, Board of Trustees, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, while the Director, Iwalewahaus, Dr Ulf Vierke, signed on behalf of the institution at the event held in Germany on July 4. .

According to a statement from the CBCIU, the MOU is for the purpose of executing the mandates of both institutions.

Also at the signing of the agreement were Emeritus Professor Michael Omolewa; Executive Director of CBCIU, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso; and President, Bayreuth University, Prof. Stefan Leible.

The CBCIU noted that apart from the opportunity to cooperate more, the MOU was a culmination of years of hard work by Oyinlola, who played a leading role in the establishment of the centre and who continued to lead it diligently as chair, BOT, to get back Beire's photography archive.

It further stated, "Both institutes will collaborate for the purpose of staging exhibitions in Germany and Nigeria, while also cooperating to jointly stage programmes together at the locations of the two partners, or any part of the world. As the first step, CBCIU will host an exhibition with photography from the era of Beier's presence in Osogbo, curated by Katharina Greven and Lena Naumann. In return, Iwalewahaus will also host the CBCIU exhibition '50 Years of Osogbo Art - A Celebration."

It added that Beier, who spent years teaching and working in Nigeria, played a vital role in the emergence of the Osogbo Artists Movement and was a close friend of Oba Moses Oyewole Oyinlola, the ex-Osun State governor's father.

Iwalewahaus agrees that Ulli Beier Photographic Estate as contained in the inventory list (hereinafter referred to as UBPE) as it was handed over to Katharina Greven on behalf of Iwalewahaus and was shipped to Iwalewahaus, deposited with it by Dr Ulli and Georgina Beier, is the property of CBCIU under the leadership of Oyinlola as communicated to it by Mrs. Georgina Beier, and as affirmed by the Federal Ministry of Information and Information via letters communicated to UNESCO and made available to Iwalewahaus. Iwalewahaus agrees to transfer the UBPE to the chairman of CBCIU, for onward delivery to Oyinlola, who is recognised as the lawful chairman of CBCIU Board of Trustees,the parties noted in the MOU.