Nigeria receives stolen artefact

As part of events marking the 2016 International Museum Day, the Nigerian government on Wednesday received the Nok Terracotta piece repatriated after it was intercepted in France while in transit from Togo to the United States in 2008. The French ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, made an official presentation of the artefact to the Minister […]

As part of events marking the 2016 International Museum Day, the Nigerian government on Wednesday received the Nok Terracotta piece repatriated after it was intercepted in France while in transit from Togo to the United States in 2008.
The French ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer, made an official presentation of the artefact to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Alhaji Mohammed thanked the envoy particularly for France’s show of support in Nigeria’s fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural goods and for their untiring efforts with the restitution and return of such items
He said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is determined to elevate culture and tourism to the mainstream of the economy in its quest to diversify the economy, create wealth and generate employment.
The Minister who also spoke on the theme of this year’s celebration of the International Museum Day, ‘Museums and Cultural Landscapes’ – said: “This administration places high premium on the development of our cultural sites and their utilization as veritable tourism products. We are positive that in our quest for the diversification of our economic base, this section will provide that needed instrument to actualize that goal.”
He added that: “If our cultural landscapes are to be sustained, then it is imperative that the Museum has a grasp of these complex changes which include socio-economic systems and communal management of these resources in partnership with the experts.”
Ambassador Gauer said the presentation of the terracotta artefact was in accordance with the international law and within the framework of the 1970 UNESCO Convention aimed at preventing the illicit import and export of ownership of cultural properties, which was ratified by both France and Nigeria.
This, he said reflects France’s policy to fight illegal trade in cultural goods.
Director-General National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMMs), Alhaji Yusuf Usman said the aim of this year’s celebration is to promote both the importance of conservation and enhancement of national and cultural heritage and the enhanced roles and responsibilities of museums and underlines the museums responsibilities to her collections.
Alhaji Usman said: “Cultural landscapes are geographical areas including both cultural and natural resources and the wildlife or domestic animals there-in, associated with a historic event, activity, person or persons or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values.”
These special sites according to him, reveal aspects of Nigeria’s origin and development as well as evolving relationships with the natural world. “They provide scenic, economic, ecological, social, and recreational and educational opportunities helping communities to better understand themselves,” he said.
The NCMMs boss highlighting the dangers terrorism poses to this, also said: “Many cultural landscapes are now impacted by changes that could exceed their critical limits and undermine their fundamental structures. This is clearly illustrated by the recent threats to the Sukur cultural landscape due to the emergence of Boko Haram in the north-eastern part of Nigeria and it has been reported that some areas were allegedly destroyed.
“Significantly, urbanization is an issue that affects much of our cultural landscapes, farming practices that frequently result in habitat fragmentation around landscapes/possible damage from natural disasters created by climate changes is always a looming threat.
He said urbanisation, as well as the lack of awareness on the need to preserve a valuable part of our history, poor funding also hinder efforts to maintain cultural landscapes, are factors also working against Nigeria’s cultural landscape.