IFRA-NIGERIA & MOWAA earthwork conservation community engagement fieldwork

Between April 22 and May 3, 2024, in continuation on the execution of Earthwork conservation project of the Edo Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and IFRA-Nigeria. A community engagement fieldwork was carried out within the three communities (Ugbowo, Iyaro and Oria) that agreed to participate in the project.

The fieldwork was led by the team of MOWAA and other participants who had earlier participated in a recent workshop. During the first two days Dr Barbara Morovich and Joseph Ayodokun participated in the fieldwork at Iyaro community. Earlier in the day before the commencement of the fieldwork there was a brief methodology engagement with all the participants. This section was led by Dr Barbara Morovich while other participants also lend their voices to the importance of getting the information directly from the people in their own voices and language. 21 people participated in the field work which were sub divided into three persons per unit of fieldworker. It was very obvious from the fieldwork that the Benin people are very aware of the Moat and everyone had a form of relationship with the Moat. Different narrative of the Moat construction was shared by the people.