By Japhet Alakam

LAGOS – The Federal Government has described the death of German-born art scholar and cultural advocate, Ulli Beier, as a monumental loss to Nigeria art community and the world in general. Ulli Beier died last week at the age of 89.

Minister of Culture and National Orientation, Mr Abubakar Sadiq, in a statement said: “His legacy on Nigeria’s cultural heritage—literary, visual and performing arts especially in the fifties and sixties— was great and that his name evokes strong, almost cult-like feelings among his devotees as well as on the ordinary artisans in Ilobu, Ife, Osogbo, Ede and its environs.

“He established the Mbari Mbayo School at Osogbo that engaged the public attention and released the creative  impulses of Taiwo Olaniyi, Jimoh Buraimoh, Muraina Oyelami andmany others from 1962 – 1967.

On his part, Director-General of the Centre for Blacks and African Arts and Civilisation, CBAAC, Prof. Tunde Babawale, said Ulli Beier was a unique personality who made passionate and indelible contributions to the development and popularisation of Yoruba arts and culture.