Nigerian Alternative Heritages

In July, a program funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs titled ‘Nigerian Alternative Heritages’, was launched by IFRA-Nigeria and the Cooperation and Cultural Action Service of the French Embassy in Nigeria. This program will be running until June 2026. It aims to bring together Nigerian and French forces to identify, promote, protect and disseminate “alternative” heritages in Nigeria. They are alternative because they have been forgotten and are therefore in danger of being lost in the long term, or because they are recent productions by minority, marginalized and/or protesting groups, institutions and players. In pursuit of this objective, this program focuses on digitizing and promoting archives at the National Museum of Lagos, those of architect Demas Nwoko at the New Culture Studio in Ibadan, and the militant archives of the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja. Some of the objects exhibited at the National Museum of Unity in Ibadan and the National Museum of Lagos can be considered as “alternative heritage” because they have a common use and are not considered “artistic” as some other more famous artifacts.

This program is structured around three axes.

1. Digitization of photographs of everyday objects at the National Museum of Lagos

Following on from one of our previous projects, this axis aims to digitize part of the very rich documentary collection of Nigeria's most important museum. More specifically, it will focus on the collections of photographs of everyday objects. These photos are, in effect, “object cards” that can provide crucial information in understanding religious rituals, occupations and everyday events in many of Nigeria's socio-cultural groups. At a time when many restitution projects are being launched on the continent, this project enables us to work directly with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, to make a concrete contribution to the new circulation of objects and their traces.

Digitizing the archives of Lagos National Museum presents significant opportunities for research-creation and scholarly exploration. By focusing on its extensive documentary collections, particularly the photographs of everyday objects, this project will unlock a wealth of knowledge about Nigeria's diverse cultural practices. These visual records offer vital information on the religious practices, occupations, and daily life of various socio-cultural groups, serving as key resources for researchers. Digitization not only preserves these invaluable artifacts but also facilitates new research initiatives that delve into Nigeria’s cultural history.

2. Digitization of architect Demas Nwoko's archives at Ibadan's New Culture Studio, structuration of cultural activities, renovation of aspects of the center

Many of Demas Nwoko’s works, for which he won the Golden Lion for his career achievements at the 2023 Venice Biennale, are not known. Most of this multi-faceted artist's archives, books, drawings and plays are at risk of damage due to their haphazard storage. Many of these documents are stored at the New Culture Studio in Ibadan. Backing them up and preserving them through digitization will enable a wider public to discover the works of this artist-architect committed to a mixed vision, blending plural languages.

Digitizing Demas Nwoko's extensive body of work opens new pathways for cultural activities, for research-creation and academic research. His contributions, spanning architecture, design, and theatre, offer invaluable insights into modern Nigerian art and culture, also through the renovation of some parts of the center. By digitizing his archives, scholars and creators will gain broader access to previously unavailable materials and activities. This digital preservation not only safeguards his legacy but also encourages the development of new research projects that explore the intersections of art, architecture, digital humanities and Nigerian heritage. It provides a crucial resource for scholars, artists, and students worldwide to engage deeply with Nwoko's innovative vision.

3. Digitization of the activist archives of Abuja's Center For Democracy And Development (CDD)

This work began in 2022-2024 thanks to our previous FSPI project, which catalogued and protected the archives of Nigerian Marxist, human rights activists and feminist militants. The digitization of activist archives is of inestimable social, scientific and historiographical interest. Preservation of and access to these archives makes it possible to write different histories of Nigeria, a country where the succession of military regimes until 1999 led to the elaboration of a monolithic national narrative. This axis continues this dynamic by seeking to digitize the activist archives of the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD) and focusing also on feminist archives. The aim is to protect the documentary heritage of very old or recently deceased activists, whose conservation conditions are not guaranteed due to limited funding and the variable interest of heirs.

Against this backdrop, IFRA's partnership with CDD serves a triple purpose:

- To facilitate identification and discussion with families and activists with archival holdings.

- Simplify field monitoring of projects in a deteriorating security context.

- Train Nigerian researchers specializing in the history of Nigerian activism in techniques for preserving and digitizing documentary heritage, in order to facilitate the replicability of the project.

- Engage the general public, artists, researchers and human rights activists, with the digitized holdings.

4. Revitalizing Ibadan’s National Museum: Bridging Heritage, Art, and Public Dialogue

The National Museum of Unity in Ibadan is the second largest museum in Nigeria, but for several years it has been suffering from a lack of appeal. Although new activities have recently been launched (such as a readers' club and sustainable development initiatives), the challenge remains to forge links with the public, based on an inclusive vision of heritage. The activities presented here are designed to do just that, focusing on the objects on display in the museum's galleries. Monthly dialogues will be organized around objects from the collections. Far from seeking to superimpose an external discourse, this activity will involve calling on experts to “bring to life” objects placed in the museum. Research-creation programs will be set up, open to multidisciplinary teams of social scientists, artisans and artists. Through these dialogues between science and art, the aim is not only to question the form of cultural mediation, but also to give space to the discourse of Nigerians on their objects in the museum. In addition, we'll be taking into account the way in which the creations integrate the museum's perimeter, and the uses to which the space is put in relation to economic, festive and unofficial activities, as well as the occupation of semi-public spaces for various events.

Tags: digital humanities