Makinde’s Government and the Abandoned Cultural Centre, Mokola: Why Has Oyo State Turned Its Back on a Potential Creative Industry Goldmine?
The continued neglect of the Cultural Centre, Mokola, popularly associated with the Orioke area of Ibadan, raises serious questions about the priorities of the Oyo State Government under Governor Seyi Makinde.
I still find it difficult to understand why this important cultural facility has remained abandoned and underutilised throughout Governor Makinde’s tenure. What exactly is the problem? Is it a funding challenge, an administrative disagreement, a question of ownership, or simply a lack of political will?
Whatever the explanation may be, the government owes the people of Oyo State an honest account of the situation.
This is not just another abandoned public property. The Cultural Centre represents an important part of Ibadan's cultural, artistic and entertainment heritage. Its continued neglect is a missed opportunity for a state with an established reputation in theatre, music, filmmaking, broadcasting and creative enterprise.
A landmark with enormous economic and cultural potential
The Cultural Centre was commissioned in 1977 and became one of the major destinations for theatrical performances, music, dance, exhibitions and cultural gatherings in the South-West. It hosted some of Nigeria's celebrated entertainment and theatre personalities, including Professor Wole Soyinka, Chief Duro Ladipo, Chief Herbert Ogunde, Pa Oyin Adejobi and Moses Olaiya, popularly known as Baba Sala.
Its strategic location on Mokola Hill, overlooking Agodi Gardens, further makes it an attractive destination for cultural tourism and entertainment investment.
Interestingly, this is not a facility without economic possibilities. Official Oyo State investment documents have identified the Cultural Centre as an asset requiring restoration and presented it as an opportunity for public-private partnership, concession or build-operate-transfer investment. Its facilities include a large theatre, rehearsal hall, cinema space, exhibition areas and an arts and crafts village.
There was also an intervention by Nigerian Breweries through its Goldberg brand in December 2020, when the facility received a facelift and was relaunched as the Ori-Oke Enjoyment Centre, with recreational facilities, a cluster market and improved parking arrangements. Tribune Online +1
This history makes the question of its present condition even more important. Why has the state not been able to sustain and fully maximise the facility's original purpose?
An opportunity the creative industry cannot afford to lose
Oyo State has a thriving film, music, theatre and media industry. Ibadan, in particular, has a rich entertainment history and remains home to several cultural organisations, theatre practitioners, filmmakers, production outfits, creative associations and entertainment entrepreneurs.
The Cultural Centre should be a natural hub for these professionals.
Imagine a properly rehabilitated complex with functional film production facilities, a modern cinema, recording and rehearsal studios, a performing arts theatre, exhibition galleries, conference spaces, creative business offices and regular cultural festivals.
Such a development would create employment, attract private investment, encourage tourism and provide opportunities for young people seeking careers in the creative economy.
It could also serve as a permanent meeting point for the various cultural organisations and associations connected to the facility, giving them a platform to organise programmes, develop talents, showcase indigenous creativity and preserve Yoruba cultural heritage.
The state would equally benefit from rental income, ticket sales, commercial activities and increased patronage from visitors outside Oyo State.
Government's explanation and the political implications
It is important to acknowledge that the Makinde administration has not entirely ignored the question of the Cultural Centre. In January 2026, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, told Nigerian Tribune that the government had made several attempts to attract investors through public-private partnerships.
According to him, some prospective investors lacked the financial capacity and technical expertise required to undertake the redevelopment. He also disclosed that a committee had recommended that the state government should directly award the rehabilitation contract, with the governor agreeing that something should be done before the end of his administration. Tribune Online
Earlier, in February 2024, the Oyo State House of Assembly had also called for urgent rehabilitation of the facility, with a proposal to transform it into a modern 3D cinema complex.
These developments raise another question: if the challenges have been identified and the government recognises the economic potential, why has the restoration taken so long?
This is where the matter becomes politically significant.
The continued neglect of such an important public asset provides an opportunity for opposition politicians to raise legitimate questions about the government's commitment to the cultural and creative economy.
The Cultural Centre could easily become a campaign issue capable of mobilising a segment of Oyo State's cultural community, particularly those who believe that successive administrations have failed to give the creative industry the institutional support it deserves.
Opponents of Governor Makinde will have little difficulty turning the situation into a political talking point. They can ask why a state with Ibadan's cultural pedigree cannot maintain one of its most important cultural institutions.
And what convincing explanation will the government offer to artists, filmmakers, theatre practitioners, event promoters and other creative professionals who expected better?
Governor Makinde still has an opportunity to change this narrative before leaving office.
The government should provide a clear timeline for rehabilitation, publish the proposed redevelopment plans and ensure that the facility is restored to serve the cultural, commercial and creative interests of Oyo State.
The Cultural Centre should not simply become another government property whose potential is discussed in investment documents while its full benefits remain inaccessible to the people.
Oyo State deserves a functional cultural landmark. Ibadan's creative industry deserves a permanent home. And the people deserve to know why an institution built to celebrate their heritage has struggled to fulfil that purpose for so long.
The question is no longer whether the Cultural Centre has economic potential. That has been established. The real question is whether the Makinde administration will translate its promises into a visible legacy before its tenure expires.
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