Change leadership of John Randle museum

SIR: Your Excellency, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu , as a serious stakeholder in the Art and Culture space, I write you this open letter in good faith and with utmost humility.

The Art, Culture and Tourism space in the last decade has grown significantly, contributing immensely to not only the state’s economic development but also supporting your very successful administration, especially in the areas of infrastructure development, job creation, youth empowerment and engagement and very recently contributing very significantly to the state’s internally generated revenue.

It is as a result of its immense importance to the continued socio-economic growth of the state that all hands must indeed remain on deck in the pursuit of its good health.

The JK Randle museum is the first of its kind in Africa. It houses some of the rarest and priceless artefacts pushing its global recognition and influence. The Guardian UK in a recent article mentioned it as one of the five museums to be visited in the world.

Your Excellency, that museum with its vast potential is not in the right hands. The leadership is not qualified either professionally or otherwise to run the centre to its full capacity

This is obvious with the disgraceful footfall despite its compelling attraction and its inability to take a respectable share of the reported 1.2 million tourists who flooded Lagos during the last festivities.

Expert opinion shows that the leadership of this world-class centre may have been overwhelmed by the enormity of the task ahead of them, hence their quivering into areas outside of their mandate – like restaurant we have heard.

For the huge investment, your administration has ploughed into this huge project, my prayer is for the immediate dissolution of its Board and Management and the reinstatement of a credible leadership that would be chosen based on their professional integrity.

We have experts in history and archaeology in our various tertiary institutions that can be engaged or better still we can build a combined team of local and international experts who would align the vision with that of other such global institutions. This is not a task that the current leadership can muster.
Mr Governor, remember that this is your legacy and you must be deliberate and strategic as you begin the slow wind-down of your very progressive impact on Lagos State

The current leadership, if not handled well, will smear your worthwhile contributions in the sector, hence the need to take decisive action urgently.  Your administration remains one of the most forward-looking and impactful in the annals of the state and for this, I say well done sir.
Joseph Edgar, popularly known as Duke of Shomolu, is an investment banker and theatre producer, wrote from Lagos.