Wole Soyinka, Adebayo Adelabu Others To Grace Grand Opening Of Tunde Odunlade’s Art Gallery In Ibadan
Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
One of Nigeria’s finest artist Tunde Odunlade is set to open an art gallery in the Pace Setter state in Nigeria on Thursday December 10, 2020 which will serve as an avenue for youth development, employment and empowerment.
The Art Curator made this known while briefing journalists in his art studio which he named Tunde Odunlade Art and Culture Connexions in Bodija area of Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
According to Odunlade, the purpose of having an art gallery in Ibadan is because it will serve as an avenue to boost the State Internal generated revenue and as well the gross domestic of the country.
The first Nigerian artist to be featured on CNN has said that artwork has been described as the only finished products which are exported from Nigeria on daily basis adding that when exported to other countries, foreigners don’t need to apply any process to it as it created for ready made purposes.
Speaking on the relevance of the art studio in Ibadan, the art director explained that it will contribute greatly to the growth and development of both the Oyo State and the Country at large.
” We have several artist that are working here, and they will be showcasing their artworks for people to see, foreigners will be coming for an art exhibition and education here, the place will serve as a training ground for whoever love to be an artist, you can see we have various art collections from different artists, we already have University graduates that are here learning on how to become a successful artist.”
“So i can tell you that this art gallery which will be officially opened on Thursday, will contribute greatly to the growth and development of Oyo State and the Country at large.”
Odunlade also stated that the art gallery will serve as a tourist site for travellers who visits the country. It won’t be just an art gallery, but also a hangout for both tourists and artists where they will dine and wine together.
“The art gallery is going to be a tourist site for the whites, as we all know that those whites love artworks even more than us, and they value it a lot because they always welcome anything that entails creativity, so through various transactions they engaged while on visit to our art gallery, it will surely add to the Internally Generated Revenue of our dear State and even to the country as a whole.”
“Apart from the fact that the art gallery is going to be a kind of artwork venture, it is also going to be an artist hangout, where they can work and relax, because we are going to have a special spot where both the artists and the visitors can relax with palm wine, cool music while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere through undiluted air ventilation.”
Odunlade noted a vital part regarding the art gallery. He stated that he will train youths how to make use of waste materials around them and make them become useful products for the society at large.
“The art gallery will also serve as an avenue for our youth development, employment and empowerment. The youths will be trained on how to make use of the waste materials around them and how to turn them to something meaningful and useful for our society.”
“Our youths will no longer look for white collar job, they will be trained on how to become their own boss within a reasonable time.” He concluded.
Invited guests who would grace the grand opening of the art gallery includes: Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Bolanle Awe, Engr, Yemisi Shilon, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Chief Lekan Afuye amongst others.
