A Lagos-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) devoted to preserving the country’s historical records has laid out plans to set up a modern museum in each of the country’s 36 states and the federal capital, Abuja.

Already, the group, Center for Research, Information Management and Media Development (CRIMMD), has established a model museum in Lagos, which it intends to duplicate across the country if given the necessary support.

“We are looking at the possibility of duplicating the museum in all the states for the younger and next generations to behold. It is historical, educational and tourist attraction, it can also generate funds, as visitors to the museum will have to pay and entrance fee,” CRIMMD Director-General, Dr. Raphael James, told News Express.

“We are seeking for support from the Federal, State and Local Governments, Ministries of Education, tourism and international donor organisations to give us grants to duplicate the photo museum we have erected in all the states of the federation, but we are asking them to visit us first at 138 Idimu Road to appreciate the masterpiece that is on ground,” Dr. James added.

Giving further details of the “Nigeria at 100 archi-seum project,” the CRIMMD DG said: “Nigeria at 100 archi-seum is historical. It is rich with pictures and portrays of the slave trades and its relics, through to the famous Berlin Conference of 1884/85; the era of Explorers (Expedition) of Dr. Mungo Park, Richard Landers and others. The onset of the merchants of the Royal Niger Company of Sir George Goldie through to Lord Frederick Lugard who amalgamated Nigeria in 1914 and his wife, a former colonial secretary of great Britain, Flora Shaw, who historically invented a name for us – from ‘Niger-Area’ to Nigeria.”

There are also the photos of outstanding landmark personalities such as King Onyeama, King Jaja of Opobo, Queen Amina of Zaria, Bishop Ajayi Crowther, as well as all the country’s pre-colonial and post-colonial political leaders along with the First Ladies and other top government functionaries.

Also housed in the museum are historical relics such as stamps, including the history of stamps dating back to the era of the first post office in Nigeria, a branch of the British General Post Office in 1851, to the era when the Royal Niger Company operated a parallel post office and postal administration in the Oil Rivers Protectorate of the Niger Coast territories in 1887, to the period when Thomas De La Rue Coy Ltd. of London was awarded the first contract for printing the definitive Postage Stamps for the colony of Lagos in 1868 by the Crown Agents. It has on display hundreds of stamps printed in the last 100 years.

News Express reports that there are also old currency and coins – dating to the period, prior to the establishment of the West African Currency Board: samples of used various forms of money including cowries and manilas and other strange commodities that were also used as a form of exchange known as barter. Samples of the West African coins of 1930’s; the July 1st, 1959, Central Bank of Nigeria currency notes and coins; the 1965 denominations; 1968, Nigeria civil war currency denominations; 1973, decimal currency; February 11^th 1977 currency denominations; the July 2nd, 1979, currency notes of three denominations and the February 2007, redesigned currency notes.

In addition, there are national symbols past and present and a lot more, including different maps of Nigeria displaying state creations from the protectorate era to the present 36 states, old and new national anthem and the composers, amalgamations speeches and all coup speeches, symbols of coat of arms, flags and the personalities behind them.

There is also the book section, hosting great biographies of Nigerians, Nigeria history books, Military books, Civil war books and Who’s who in Nigeria books.

As Dr. James put it, “It is the making of Nigeria in full measure, the collection is awesome, it is a timeless treasure of Nigeria on the move to the next level.”

*Photo shows a section of the archi-seum at Idimu, Lagos.

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