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 After amassing a personal
collection of 7,000 artworks over the last 44
years, which includes a piece dating back to the
9th century, the 68-year-old lawyer last year
donated 1,000 pieces to the museum of Lagos's
Pan-Atlantic University.
Delays due to the coronavirus pandemic mean the
donated works finally reopened to the public in
September, against the backdrop of the Black
Lives Matter movement, which has sparked a
global debate about the role of colonialism in
ownership of African art.
"I use my art collection as a means of
propagating our past, our present and... to help
people understand the future," said Shyllon,
gazing at grey figurines and busts from his
collection.
It comprises sculptures, paintings and
photographs.
Edith Ekunke - director of museums at the
National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM)
- said Nigeria's artistic heritage is not a
priority for many however, in a country where
most people live under $2 a day.
"People feel there are other issues they should
concentrate on, such as healthcare and hunger,"
she said, adding that this made it hard to
secure funding for the preservation of
artefacts.
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 "It's important to show our
ingenuity and history before we were interrupted
by colonialism," she said. In
June, the sale of two Nigerian sculptures for
$240,000 by Christie's prompted controversy
after historians said the items were stolen in
the 1960s. The auction house rejected the claims
and said the sale was legal.
Experts say there has been growing interest in
African artworks among global collectors with
prices at international auction houses rising by
between 70 and 100% over the last decade.
Shyllon hopes his donation will promote a
greater interest in local art history.
"Take care of your backyard first before you
start showing the world your father's house," he
said.
(Reporting by Angela Ukomadu and Alexis
Akwagyiram; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram;
Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
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