By Gift Olivia Samuel, The Sight News
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”, the Minister said.
While noting that the government is being proactive in her approach, to ensure the strategic implementation of regulations and guidelines under the 1954 and 1970 UNESCO Conventions, he adding that they, however, cannot afford to underestimate the unfortunate threatening effect posed by climate change on heritage properties and the urgent need to rise to this onerous responsibility.
Speaking earlier, the Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Prof. Abba Isa Tijanni, 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.
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.
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.
