CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The establishment of museum is significant in ay developing nation like Nigeria where historical record provides a link between the past, the present and the future.
The importance attached to ay museum object derives its value in cultural and historical context which may span over areas such as religion, education, politics, economy and warfare. It is most unfortunate however, that many Nigerians to date have not yet realised the importance of museums to the society.
To such people, museums are associated with artificacts and monuments, which are regarded as old and useless objects. Meant for incineration.
This type of impression attached to museums has such affect that most of the objects which would have been very useful in the general enlightenment and education of the public suffer from deterioration.
The role of museums in the preservation of knowledge – (A case study of National Museum of Colonial History Aba which is the topic of this project) – cannot be well treated if the concept of “knowledge” and “museums” are not understood.
Knowledge is a philosophical concept.
The origin is something which the early philosophers like plato, Aristotle and Honer had tried through various approaches to trace. However, an ordinary meaning of the word “knowledge” is “understanding” “familiarity” gained by experience”.
Although, simple proof shows that knowledge is an impression or of what one had been or (remnants of it). The impression of that object left in the brain or memory is the idea of it, so idea is knowledge.
A museum is defined as a temple, home, resort of the learned, an institution or repository for the collection, exhibition and study of objects of artistic, historic, scientific and educational interest.
2. “It is an institution established to encourage the preservation and discovery of, as far as possible, the deterioration and loss of objects treasured by the society.
Museum originated with man’s interest in collecting, accumulating precious, beautiful and curious objects. The oldest of such collections were privately financed, made by the wealthy or by the church.
Museums in general, do for objects what libraries and archives do for books and Government records respectively. It is necessary to stress here that the society does not tend to preserve her objects just to hoard them, but to preserve them because of their intellectual values.
It is pertinent to note that the most important phenomenon which have influenced the direction of human development and progress are scientific discoveries and warfare of these greater attention has been paid to the preservation and presentation of information relating to the former but less has been done concerning the later. Yet information about scientific episodes and the development of warfare are of equal importance if we are to have a balance view of the course of human development and progress.
Man, from the prehistoric times has always been inquisite. However, there should be no doubt, therefore about the enormous role which historic museum have played in the overall shaping of the society.
Unpleasant and horrible as slavery may seem, the preservation of the relics of colonial history efforts becomes the responsibility of every government that needs to be informed about itself and of course the nation’s development.
The knowledge about human past activities ovide a soud foundation for present day action.
To take no cognisance of this is to black out the past and there is no known society that delights in doing so. It is in this context that the establishment of National Museum of colonial history Aba finds its justification.
The museum and the exhibitions therein, are aimed at preserving the colonial history of Nigeria. The purpose of this work is to enable the public see the historical events that took place before Nigeria gained her independence.
1.2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSEUMS IN NIGERIA
The history of museums in Nigeria pre-dates Arab and European times.
During these periods, various cultural materials of rival. Religious and political importance were fashioned, conserved and preserved in temples or traditional shrines and the palaces of kings and chiefs. Apart from housing such cultural materials like ivory, bronze and carved wooden objects, these institutions (temples, shrines and palaces) were preserved as monuments in their own right.
Some natural features like caves (for example Ogbunike cave in Anambra state) were also maintained as monuments.
Persons responsible for organising and preserving the cultural materials included the head of each household, priests of various shrines and any of the kings or chiefs officers.
In Igbo land, for instance, a head of the household was in charge of his family’s temple. In such temple cultural materials like iron or bronze amulets, wooden statue (Ikenga) or images of deities were kept. The head of the household or (in some cases) priests took care of ritual objects like iron gongs, ivory trumpets, drums as well stone or clay images of deities are kept in the shrines.
These heads or priests acted more or less as curators, taking care of these objects.wooden and iron/bronze staffs, statues and thrones, ceremonial regalia of past kings kept in the royal palaces were taken care of by any of the king’s officers.
In these pre-colonial museums, objects were preserved because of their utilitarian or symbolic value. Some of the objects found in the shrines helped to “concretise” the deities.
However, the development of modern museums began during the colonial period. In 1927, Mr. Kenneth Murray, an art teacher in the British colonial service was appointed to advise the Government “on the effect of the colonial education system on local arts” (Nzewunwa 1984:101). While performing the assignment Murray made a personal collection of several Nigerian art forms. Later he advised the government on the establishment of museums and the proclamation relevant laws to prevent the illegal exportation of Nigerian works art (Murray 1966:32). However, because of the second world war, Murray’s recommendations f or the establishment of museums in three centres in Nigeria could not be implemented. Murray was therefore permitted to continue with the purchase of a permanent centre for preservation of cultural objects.
The Nigerian antiquities service was established on July 28th 1943 in response to appeals by concerned Europeans like Murray and Duck work, on education officer. In 1946, Mr. J.H. Bravnholtz a keeper in the department of Ethnography of the British museum, was sent to Lagos by the colonial office to advise the British Government on the preservations of Nigerian cultural resources. In 1947, Mr. B.E. Faggs, a trained archaeologist was appointed government archaeologist and assistant surveyor of antiquities. Mr. Fagg carried out much archaeological work in Jos Plateau and helped in the establishment of the Jos museum in 1952 in which most of the archaeological materials have been preserved to this day.
The then department of Antiquities and the present National commission for museum and monuments saw to the establishment of museums in different parts of Nigeria to preserve Nigeria’s cultural objects. As of date there are 29 federal museums, including museums in the making (i.e centres) in Nigeria, and at least one in each state.