The National Museum Library, Onikan, Lagos is being renovated by the National Communication Commission (NCC) via Universal Service Funds. The renovation will cover roof mending, provision of modern furnitue and computer equipment so as to upgrade the facility to an e-library, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.
Acting Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Alhaji Abdulkerim Oshioke Kadiri, has reiterated his commitment to repositioning museums across the country to meet the demands of the Nigerian public. He disclosed that the commission has entered into various partnerships with relevant agencies in training of museum staff, renovation and equipping of some museum facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, especially digital.
Alhaji Kadiri, who took over as acting Director-General of the commission barely six months ago, assured that given the number of ongoing projects in museums across the country, many of the museums will soon be optimally beneficial to the Nigerian public and foreign visitors. He stated that the commission is making concerted efforts through partnerships with other organisations to upgrade and renovate museums facilities nationwide.
“Right now, we have a partnership with Delta State Government for the renovation and upgrade of the Mongo Park House, which is housing the museum in Asaba and the work is almost completed. There are other numerous partnerships which are geared towards uplifting as well as equipping the facilities in the museum; for example, we are participating in a partnership with Tara, University of Calabar, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria funded by US Embassy towards the preservation and conservation of rock paintings, in the Cross River region as well as in Jigawa State.
“Museum’s capital budget for 2019 attests to my passion for renovation and upgrading museums across the nation. Presently, I will give the facilities that we have a pass mark, knowing that renovation and upgrading are ongoing processes, which cannot be done within six months of my administration,” he said.
He described the ongoing renovation of Lagos Museum Library as a timely intervention made possible through funding by the Nigerian Communication Commission from Universal Service Funds, (USPF). According to him, the renovation, which will last for one year, includes provision of modern furniture, roof mending and computer equipment.
He noted that the commission is not challenged in the area of space as two of its museums in Lagos and Jos are currently being supplied with digital equipment for preservation and conservation of collections in preparation for exhibitions.
On the training of staff of the commission, he said: “We are in partnership with the American Embassy in Nigeria on the training of staff nationwide which will come up later this month on digitisation of museum collections in Jos and Ibadan.”
Contrary to fears about the safety of artefats in museums across the country, Alhaji Kadiri said all collections in museums are safe as some storages have been reorganised, courtesy of funding by US Ambassadors in conjuction with ICCROM, the commission Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
On manpower training in conservation and preservation department, he said: “For me, there is no challenge in this area as we have in house training seminars weekly in Museum outlets across the nation and reports of such trainings are transmitted to the headquarters for assessment. In addition, we also have internship for staff training abroad during major international exhibitions.
There is also Digitisation workshop to train the trainers in Jos and Ibadan from June 23 to June 29, 2019. This will be followed up by actual implementation. The resource persons are from the USA sponsored by the American Embassy in Nigeria in partnership with National Commission for Museums and Monuments.
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