Management of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments led by the resourceful Director-General, Prof. Abba Isa Tijani took the Tin City of Jos by storm on the 17th and 18th of June 2022 while holding the 2022 Annual Management Retreat and also performing the official Commissioning of the newly upgraded Jos Museum Exhibition Gallery.
The three-day events which kick-started with an Inspection Tour of facilities in the Jos Museum institutions culminated in the Management Retreat and an eventual Commissioning ceremony of the upgraded Jos Museum Exhibition Gallery by His Excellency, the Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong who was represented by a permanent Secretary, Mrs. Mary Dashan.
At the retreat, a veteran archaeologist and former Director of Research Planning & Publications at the Commission, Dr Musa Oluseyi Hambolu, and the Director of Legal Services, Bar. Babatunde Adebiyi both delivered lectures on the theme of the retreat which focused on repatriation and safeguarding of Nigerian Cultural Artefacts.
A host of NCMM Directors and Curators from 53 Stations across the Country attended the events.
Acting U.S. Consul General, James Suor, said modern educational space would stimulate curiosity in the minds of children, support learning, facilitate reflection and promote common ideals between United States and Nigeria.
He added that the space would also promote shared values of democracy and encourage robust people-to-people ties.
Suor and Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Prof. Abba Tijani, launched the U.S. public diplomacy engagement space at the National Museum, Lagos and were joined by Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Dr. Aina Ayoola.
The consul general described the opening as another innovative project of the U.S government in Nigeria that would facilitate learning in an engaging environment for students.
He said the U.S. funded programmes would be of immense benefits to Nigerians and also become catalysts for professional alumni networks that help address global challenges.
“Since inception of ambassadors fund for cultural preservation programme, Nigeria has received 10 grants worth $1m, with projects spread across the country, and these preservation projects benefit both future generations and growth of the tourism industry,” he said.
The United States government has pledged to support initiatives that promote learning and provide students with opportunity to share ideas in an engaging environment and promote cultural preservation efforts.
Sour noted that the recent upgrade of old residency museum archive in Calabar, with digital conferencing facilities, open space for educational events and newly opened learning space at National Museum in Lagos, are important additions to ongoing efforts of U.S. Government to support Nigerian museums and preservation of cultural heritage.
“This modern educational space will stimulate curiosity in the minds of children, support learning, facilitate reflection and promote common ideals between the United States and Nigeria.”
“The space will also promote shared values of democracy and encourage robust people-to-people ties,” Mr Suor said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Mr Suor praised Pearl Recycling, a non-profit waste recycling organization founded by Olamide Ayeni-Babajide, an alumna of the U.S. government-sponsored TechWomen programme for working with the U.S. Consulate to create the innovative space.
He also praised Pearl Recycling, a non-profit waste-recycling organisation founded by Olamide Ayeni-Babajide, an alumni of U.S. government-sponsored TechWomen programme, for working with the consulate to create innovative space.
He explained that the U.S. government-funded programmes have been of immense benefit to the people of Nigeria, boosting intellectual and cross-cultural capital, and have also become catalysts for professional alumni networks that help address global challenges.
He noted that the recent upgrade of the Old Residency Museum Archive in Calabar with a digital conferencing facility and open space for educational events and the newly opened learning space at the National Museum in Lagos are important additions to the ongoing efforts of the U.S. government to support Nigerian museums and the preservation of Nigerian cultural heritage.
Prof. Tijani applauded the U.S government’s commitment to empowering young people through innovative learning spaces and preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
Ayoola also commended United States for partnering Nigeria in providing opportunities for children to explore their environment as part of a holistic educational experience.
SIGHTS & SOUND of the celebration of international Museum Day and International Day for Monuments and Sites held on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at NTA Arena, Area 11, Abuja
Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity was on display Thursday in Abuja, as the country joined the international community to celebrate the 2022 International Day for Museums, Monuments and Sites.
This year’s event with the themes, “The Power of Museums”, and “Heritage and Climate”, gave Nigerians the opportunity to renew their appreciation of the important role individuals and institutions play in safeguarding the nation’s vast cultural heritage collections for the benefit of future generations.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, said the event aimed to celebrate Museums across the globe and to raise public awareness on the pivotal role played by the protection and sustainability of our heritage Sites for cultural tourism and socio-economic development.
The Minister who was represented by Dr. Ifeoma Anyawutaku, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, noted that Nigeria is endowed with rich cultural diversity and values of different ethnicities and languages, which birthed multiple aesthetic heritage Sites and Monuments that it is proud of today.
“These Sites are natural, cultural, religious, historical, some are archeological, all depicting unique universal values. Our cultural heritage and Monuments are indeed our identity, they are our pride, our history, roots and cultural manifestations creating strong traditional networks and connecting us to our ancestral source.
“It is therefore our shared responsibility to make every effort to protect them from theft and during conflicts, for the sake of posterity and patrimony. I implore us to harness our individual creative abilities in an effective manner towards the protection and management of our various Sites”,
Alh. Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture,
According to him, Nigeria is collaborating with UNESCO convention state parties on global best practices and information sharing on applied time-tested monitoring, mitigation, and adaptation practices.
He said the nation’s strategic engagement with traditional institutions, indigenous communities, security agencies foreign bodies, and other relevant stakeholders had resulted in the safe return of the Benin artifacts from Museums across Europe.
“This has continued to strengthen the drive of our Museums to foster unity through its collection and exhibitions while promoting self-reliance through its vocational skills acquisition programs,’’ Mohammed said.
Speaking earlier, the Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Prof. Abba Isa Tijani, said the celebrations were combined to accentuate the importance of our cultural consciousness, promoting awareness about the vulnerability of the world’s diverse Monuments and heritage Sites and efforts required to protect and conserve them.
“The Commission foresees a future of collaboration where we use assets of the past to fashion out a new commitment and educate the populace towards sustainable Monuments conservation and Museum practices”, he enthused.
Prof. Abba Isa Tijani, the Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM),
Speaking on how the commission is adapting to and mitigating climate change which has drastically increased over time, he said it periodically reviews and updates its strategies to mitigate against any threat to the National Monuments and Sites.
“Given the different impacts of climate change on the declared and proposed National Monuments/ heritage properties, the Commission, in-spite of very limited resources has remained resolute in its task of ensuring that these National Monuments and Sites continue to remain stable in the face of the uncertainties of climate change.
“NCMM partners with International bodies involved in heritage management to infuse the application of modern technology and knowledge in the preparation and implementation of heritage management strategies across Nigeria” he noted.
Prof. Abba Isa Tijani, the Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM),
Tijani said that the commission had also carried out restoration works on some national monuments such as Chief Odo Nwokolo House in Ukehe, Enugu State, and Chief Ochie Kalu House, Ndi Okereke Abam, Abia State.
“Others are first Tin Mining Beacon at Tilden Fulani in Bauchi State, Chief Okoroji House, Arochukwu, Abia State and Deji Akure Palace, Akure, Ondo state,’’ he said.
While remarks were made by special guests present, such as the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Customs Service and others, cultural dances and special presentations were on display to thrill the audience.
“Nigeria has a lot of beautiful sites and monuments and museums.
“Three years ago, I visited a museum in Kano with a lot of artistic works in there and I was impressed.
“I think we can work together to preserve and to develop the museum and make more people know Nigeria and make Nigeria the cradle for African civilization.
“We can jointly organize general events, we can work with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and such institutes in Nigeria to work together.’’
“Secondly, I think we can promote the artists, museum experts and workers to visit each other’s countries to promote the People to People exchange and we can strengthen the capacity building.
“Organise Nigerian people to go to China. Both countries can work together to set up mechanisms to promote the development of our traditions.
Mr Li Xuda, the Director, China Cultural Center, Abuja,
Story picked from NCMM, The Sight News, NNN, PM News, AIT, ITV
Bank of America has announced winners of its 2022 arts conservation project grant and Nigeria has been announced as one of the beneficiaries
The grant which will provide funding for 19 major Art and Cultural restoration projects across the globe in year 2022 has selected National Museum, Lagos as a beneficiary.
Bank of America has been a longstanding supporter of the Arts and has been providing these grants as support to non-profit cultural Institutions, for them to be able to preserve historic works of art for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.
Our 2022 #ArtConservationProject will fund 19 major art restoration projects across the globe 🌎 representing an array of artistry and cultural traditions. These grants allow future generations to enjoy historic works of art for years to come. Learn more: https://t.co/D5XFLDwi8Upic.twitter.com/g1VeIz6S7y
This is a popular question people ask me. How do you know if I am mastering the art of Deliberate Attraction? Is there an advanced course I can take? My answer is always the same, “The application of this material into
This is a popular question people ask me. How do you know if I am mastering the art of Deliberate Attraction? Is there an advanced course I can take? My answer is always the same, “The application of this material into
This is a popular question people ask me. How do you know if I am mastering the art of Deliberate Attraction? Is there an advanced course I can take? My answer is always the same, “The application of this material into
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