By LEONARD OKACHIE

The Curator, National War Museum, Umuahia, Mrs. Evelyn Osuagwu, has called on Nigerians to visit the museum to enhance peaceful co-existence in the country.

Osuagwu made the call in Umuahia on Friday at the 2022 International Museum Day and Children’s Day celebrations, organised by the museum.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that although the International Museum Day is commemorated on May 18 of every year, the museum, however, chose to celebrate it on May 27, being the Children’s Day.

NAN also reports that the theme of the event is: ”Power of the Museum.”

The curator said that the museum had the power to change people’s mindset, especially during this challenging period in the country.

She said that the gallery was the only war museum in the West African sub-region.

According to her, it is a specialised museum that tells the story of Nigerian civil war and the different war implements used in the olden days.

She said that the museum also showcased the relics and some of the technological inventions achieved during the civil war.

“The museum is not talking about war, but peace. It is a centre for peace because if you enter the gallery and come out, you will not like to experience war again.

“We are also inviting people to visit this place so that we can learn from our past mistakes and for us to maintain peace in the country,” she said.

The Curator, Museum of Colonial History, Aba, Mr. Theophilus Amadi, said that it was a day set aside to encourage people to visit the museum and learn.

He urged the staff members to commit themselves to research, adding that the museum was a research institute.

Chairman of the occasion, Chief Justin Nwaneri, urged the public to always find time to visit the museum so as to learn about the past and have a change of mindsets about issues.

“The good thing about museum is that it has a way of teaching us in a very informal and relaxed environment,” Nwaneri, a former museum curator, said.

In a presentation, the Chief Museum Education Officer, Mr Joel Akanbi, said that the theme focused on transformative power of museum to bring about positive change in the society.

He explained that the museum was saddled with the power to acquire collections, conserve, preserve, restore, research, communicate and exhibit its objects.

Earlier in his remarks, Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Prof. Abba Tijani, said that the theme was inspired by the dynamism which the entire globe was experiencing in the past years.

Tijani, whose speech was read by Osuagwu, called for a stand-alone building in Abuja to serve as the National Museums and offices for the commission.

NAN reports that the museum had earlier celebrated the Children’s Day where different schools participated in a match past, debate and quiz competition as well as cultural dance.

Highlight of the occasion was the send-off and gift presentation to retiring staff members. (NAN)

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