US Awards Grant To Train Curators On Nigeria’s Wooden Artefacts

The United States (US) Mission in Nigeria on Monday announced the launch of the 2022 Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) project to train Nigerian museum professionals in wood conservation, documentation, and storage.

According to a statement issued by the US Mission yesterday, the Yale University Art Gallery has been awarded the AFCP grant to implement the project: “Sustaining a Partnership in Wood Conservation between the National Museum, Lagos and the Yale University Art Gallery.”

Delivering remarks in Lagos during an MOU Signing Ceremony, U.S. Consul General Will Stevens highlighted the longstanding commitment of the United States government to partner with Nigeria to preserve its rich history and culture.

Through the AFCP project worth $114,000, the Yale University Art Gallery will conduct training workshops on wood conservation for National Museum Lagos conservators, helping them preserve Nigerian historic artefacts through advanced storage, documentation, and treatment techniques.

“As a strong supporter of efforts to preserve Nigerian culture through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, or the AFCP, the U.S Mission in Nigeria has funded projects worth over $1 million USD across Nigeria over the last five years.

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“We hope that the partnerships initiated through this project will continue far into the future and serve as a lasting example of the partnership between the United States and Nigeria to protect Nigeria’s cultural heritage,” Consul General Stevens said.

The director-general, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Professor Abba Issa Tijani, described the impact of AFCP projects across Nigerian museums.

“The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation has been yielding great results in terms of capacity building, documentation and digitization of our rich cultural heritage. We look forward to many more productive partnerships with the U.S. government,” Tijani said.

In her remarks, Stephanie Wiles, Director of the Yale University Art Gallery expressed appreciation to the U.S. Mission for the generous grant that supports the university’s ongoing collaboration with Nigeria’s National Commission for Museum and Monuments.

“This grant will support workshops in wood conservation and breakthroughs in sustainable conservation practices that are mutually beneficial for the National Commission for Museum and Monuments and the Yale University Art Gallery,” Wiles said.

Working in collaboration with the National Commission for Museum and Monuments, the AFCP project will take place at the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut and at the National Museum in Lagos.

In addition, the AFCP project will focus on the National Museum of Lagos’ late 19th and 20th century Yorùbá wood objects and is being done in preparation for the upcoming exhibition, Bámigbóyè; A Master Sculptor of the Yorùbá Tradition.