US Ambassador Restates Commitment To Nigeria’s Cultural Preservation

 

By Izuchukwu Okosi

 

The US Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Beth Leonard has unequivocally stated that protection of the cultural history of the country as mirrored by the Busanyin Shrine in the Osun Oshogbo Sacred Grove is at the heart of the United States of America.

 

Leonard made this assertion at the signing of the Momorandum of Understanding to launch the New Digital Documentation, Training and Conservation Planning for the Osun Oshogbo Sacred Grove.

 

The occasion also marked The Ambassador’s Fund For Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Grant’s Programme.

 

The Ambassador’s Fund For Cultural Preservation (AFCP) grants programme is administered through the annual competition by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

 

Several ancient cultural property was taken away from Nigeria and according to the Ambassador is also another key area the US government are looking at addressing.

 

“I want to first recognise our esteemed guests from Cy Ark: Director of Conservation Programmes, Kayce Hardick and her colleagues Chris Milbern and Avidan Fernandez,” began Leonard.

 

“I would like to acknowledge Professor Abba IsaTijani, Director General of the Nigeria Commission of Museums and Monuments, and Robin Campbell, co-chair of the Management Committee of the Adunni Olorisha Trust.

 

“The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding demonstrates the United States’ commitment to partner with Nigeria to preserve its rich history and culture,” the ambassador said.

 

The grants supports the preservation of major ancient archeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, and major museum collections that are accessible to the public and protected by law in a host country, the ambassador clarified.

 

“Prior to this project, the U. S Mission funded the conservation of the late 14th – century Sungbo’s Eredo (ER RAY DOE) monument, the famed system of fortifications designed to protect the ancient Ijebu (EE Jay Bu) kingdom in southwest Nigeria.

 

“Earlier this year, the $400,000 AFCP project is using three-dimensional laser scanning technology to generate a precise topographic map covering a thousand square kilometers of the area occupied by the moment.

 

“The 3-D map will be the most detailed map of any archeological architectural feature in Nigeria. Today we are proud to announce the launch of our 2020 AFCP award to digitally document and conserve the Busanyin shrine located within the Osun Oshogbo Sacred Grove.

 

“The Cy Ark and its local partners were awarded a $125,000 grant under the AFCP small grant programme to help documemt a series of shrines within the Osun Oshogbo Sacred Grove and provide training to local professionals to build capacity in digital documentation skills and cultural heritage management,”the US Ambassador to Nigeria stressed.

 

Leonard, a onetime ambassador to Mali where her remarkable stint was rewarded with the Department’s Diplomacy For Human Rights Awards in 2013 added that such projects would encourage public and private cultural institutions and law enforcement agencies in both countries to work together in repatriating trafficked objects and fostering the cultural heritage and Nigeria’s rich religious and ethnic diversity.