National Unity Museum, Enugu

The Museum

The Museum, as defined by English mini dictionary, is a building in which objects of interest or importance are stored and displayed.

Another dictionary defined a Museum as building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.

It can also be defined as a building where works of art, science or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed

National Unity Museum, Enugu

The National Unity Museum in Enugu was established in 1972. The museum has a collection of archaeological and ethnographic objects. The museum was one of four unity museums proposed by the federal government as a way of integrating the various sections of the country after the Civil War of 1967-1970; the other proposed locations were Maiduguri, Sokoto and Ibadan.         
The Enugu Museum houses a variety of relics from the Stone Age through to the postcolonial era. Military artifacts from the Biafra War can be seen at the museum.

The Enugu National Museum of Unity derived its name from the Nigerian Civil War, which ended in 1970. Objects that could unite all the ethnic groups were placed there. Also, objects that trace the origin of the Igbo people were there. It was, therefore, designed to emphasize the areas of strength common to the different people of Nigeria, binding them for the transformation of a frail country then rising from a war.

This vision did not, however, come to reality until 2006, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated the museum to commence operations, 34 years after the initiative was shot.

More thrilling is the Ogboni Figure (Onile), also called the Yoruba Bronze. It would definitely remind historians, artists and literary minds that Onile (owner of the land) is the spirit of the earth. It is at the centre of cult in the Ogboni society. There is Akumari (Saddle) of Borno State in Northern Nigeria. It comprises leather, textile, brass and iron. The Saddle, used by the Shehu of Borno, with the Islamic crest of moon and star designed on it. This signifies the attachment of the Borno royalty to Islam. And many more.

Apart the May 18 International Museum Day and the May 27 Children's Day that are specially celebrated by the museum annually, its management has also given the Iri ji (New Yam Festival) celebration a facelift. Through the festival, which comes up every September, the Enugu museum uses the period to among other things, promote the cultures of the people.

The Content of the Different Galleries

The museum comprises of three galleries:

1)      The unity gallery

2)      The Igbo gallery

3)      The coal city gallery.

The content of each gallery are discussed below:

1)      The unity gallery, which is about the belief system of different Nigerian communities and some of their Religious and cultural background, contains the

i)                     kingship and royal articles which includes:

-          The igbo-ukwu ornate staff head, which was discovered among some objects believed to have been used by a priest king in some Igbo communities.

-          The head of an oni, which is the head of a titled king in Ife, a sacred town in the Yoruba town.

-          The hand holding akoko leaf, the leaf was said to be sacred among the owo of Yoruba land.

-          The royal saddle, which is also referred to as akumari, is popular among the people of borno, and widely used by royalty in northern Nigeria.

ii)                  The deities, which includes:

-          Chamba twin figure, which is believed to solve problems of barrenness. It is worshipped by women of Taraba and Adamawa states.

-          Anthropomorphic figure, which is believed to be associated with divination, protection and defense of the communities. They are mostly venerated by the people of cross river.

-          Obi ala, which is popular among the Mbaise Igbo, is said to be the goddess of the land.

iii)                Life and death, which includes:

-          Oko, which is a ritual canoe, and exist among the ijo, is believed to be able to check mortality among children.

-          Divided ikenga, which is popular among some Igbo communities. A man’s ikenga, which is his personality cult object, is said to be split in two at his death.

iv)                warfare, which includes:

-          The ebi aka, a charm worn on the arm, believed to offer protection. It is common among the Mbaise Igbo.

-          The ewu ogun, which is a charm garment, worn by the Yoruba warriors, believed to repel enemies and cause invincibility.

2)      The Igbo gallery which displays cultural heritage of the people, their origin, their economic life, their social life, their beliefs and practices. The following articles are contained in the Igbo gallery

i)                    The Igbo people, which includes:

-          A typical Igbo traditional house. Some contents found inside the house are, a gramophone, which is called akpati egwu among the Igbo people. A reclining chair, a water pot, called ite nmiri which served as traditional refrigerator.

ii)                  Igbo traditional architecture, which displayed a well constructed Igbo house, the materials used in building.

iii)                The Igbo traditional religious practices/the Igbo shrine, which includes

-          Ite ola okike, which a ritual pot used by diviners believed to possess the power of fortune telling

-          Instruments of divination, which includes large pots, cowries.

iv)                The Igbo political system, which is made up of three systems-the centralized, non-centralized and theocratic system. Each having their own type of leadership.

v)                  Title taking, which includes the ozo, out odu and lolo titles.

vi)                Social systems in Igbo land, which is about the social life of the Igbo people. Masquerading is a rich and important social practice. There are different masquerades but the king of all is the Ijele. He stands out of the rest because of everything about it.

vii)              Body decorations and ornaments, which includes scarification, tattoo, tooth filling e.t.c which are permanent decorations. Earrings, beads, bangles, anklets e.t.c are all temporary decorations.

viii)            Ceremonial objects and musical instruments, ceremonial objects which are used in different occasions include a staff, fan, coral beads e.t.c for a titled man. Jigida, bangles, beads e.t.c for a bride. These objects are worn to differentiate people in the midst of others. Musical instruments include oghene, igba, oyo, ngede egwu e.t.c.

ix)                The economic life of the Igbo people, which includes agriculture-practiced with the use of ogu,egbe dinta, onya anu e.t.c. fishing-onya azu e.t.c. palm wine tapping- eriri nkwu, nma, mbete e,t,c. carving-nanyiike, nko e.t.c

x)                  Medium of exchange in Igbo land, the Igbo people engaged in trade by barter, before the coming of coins and currency used cowries, arrow heads, copper bracelets, gin, and textiles e.t.c as their own currency.

3)      The coal city gallery which explains the discovery of coal, the start of mining, the beginning of indigenous settlement and so on. These includes:

i)                    The acquisition of land for mining and development, which displays a sample of the process of mining. From how the coals are gotten, to how they are processed and their end products.

ii)                  The settlement pattern, which is the various camps and locations laborers settled in.

iii)                Administration and political status of Nigeria, which displayed the pictures of the past and present leaders of the coal city.

The Socio-Cultural Impact of the Different Galleries

1)      The unity gallery:

The rich display of the cultural artifacts of the various Nigerian communities, which have been displayed in this gallery, has a great impact on the cultural dimension of the communities. Each community’s culture was adequately explained in a way that people would see and appreciate culture.

2)      The Igbo gallery:

This gallery displays the rich cultural life and practices of the Igbo people. The cultural objects were lavishly displayed in this gallery. It portrays the culture of the Igbo people as unique.

3)      The coal city gallery:

A rich and breath taking display of the wealth of the coal city indigenes were displayed. Their cultural heritage was adequately represented in this gallery.

The Socio-Religious Impact of the Museum

The museum represents the religious beliefs and practices of the various Nigerian communities. The rituals, divinations, and the deities are all part of the religious impact of the museum.

Here the Igbo people are said to believe in the supreme God who is greatly respected through lesser gods. They made shrines for the gods they venerate, and their diviners called ‘eze alusi’ offer sacrifices to the deities enshrined. In the Igbo religion, an average Igbo man has a personal shrine to himself where he engages in all his religious manners.

General Observations

On the 17 of may 2013, we left for the museum. In my own words, the museum is really a center of attraction.

I observed that in the museum as a whole, the culture, religion and tradition of different community was well spelt out.

A peep into the museum's gallery, indeed, takes the visitor through the country's rich cultural heritage. A galaxy of arts thrives in the museum.

Apart from having a collection of artifacts from a variety of communities in the country, the National Unity Museum, Enugu, houses exclusive bits and pieces of Igbo world view. A large division of the museum archives showcases Igbo socio-political, religious, and agricultural life. It is learning in the ethnography of Igbo in a most sophisticated form that cannot fail to captivate anyone with an eye for information and culture.

There in the museum, I saw many things I never thought of, the question about the culture of the Igbo that has always been on my mind was answered by the interesting articles I found there. The practical aspect of what I was been thought in school was displayed before my very eyes. I must confess, I was really marveled at the display of awesome arts of culture.