By Inuwa Babantata
Before what later became Nigeria come
into being in 1914, and ever before the Europeans set foot on sub-saharan
Africa, the various ethnic nationalities that constitute these areas
had evolved patterns of education tailored to meet the challenges
and needs of the communities. The educational system was relevant
to, and in harmony with, the cultural environment, and worldviews of
the people. Consequently, it is incorrect to say that the Europeans,
more precisely Britain, introduce education in Nigeria.
But now, there is an awareness that the introduction of Western
education need not involve the neglect, or outright reflection, of
autochthonous culture. A number of misconceptions were spread by
people who did not understand the work of a museum worker. The
educational opportunities offered by the museums and art galleries
of Nigeria are increasingly recognized as both vital to the health
and success of the institution concerned, and of immense value to
the educational system as a whole. Exciting creative and innovative
projects and teaching methods have evolved in museums to relate the
immense resources of the collections to adults and children, both in
groups and as individuals. The expertise of education officers in
Nigerian museums should, therefore, be acknowledged. This article
attempts to highlight on the work/function of museum and museum
education officers. It also attempts to highlight the idols and its
relation to museum staff.
What Museums Are:
It is believed that, museums exhibitions have much to communicate,
but they remain sterile and uninteresting except that they are made
to speak to humanbeings. The communication of interesting
information, of value, is the essence of education. Thus museums
cannot avoid education if it must remain relevant in the modern
world. Some scholars see museum as merely another kind of reference
book-presenting factual information in vivid and pleasing form.
The museum according to International Council of Museums (ICOM), is
defined as a non-profit making, permanent institution in the service
of society and its development and open to the public, which
acquires conceived researches, communicates and exhibits for purpose
of study, education and entertainment, material evidence of man and
his environment, (ICOM 1974).
In the Meirs’ report of 1928, a museum is defined as any building
used as a repository for the presentation of objects to instruct and
to inspire a device for knowledge, children and adults alike, to
stimulate not only a keener appreciation of past history and present
activities, but also a keener appreciation of past history and
present activities, but also a clear vision of the potentialities of
the future.
From the above definition, Miers sees Museum as an educational
institution to which all must have access.
Molty Revision in his own contribution advanced that, the main
function of museum is to instruct through their displays as they
show the relationship between things which are not always brought
clearly into focus by that book or verbal lesson.
Ekpo Eyo, in his forward contribution in the book. “Guide to the
National museum,” wrote thus: ‘I hope that this museum will serve as
an educational, and recreation centre for those who visit it’. What
he is emphasizing here is that, education is the bedrock of the
museum. No wonder then that K.C Murray, who was regarded as the
father of Nigerian antiquities was certainly not a teacher by
accident. We, therefore, postulate that, it was for the purpose of
educating the people that, he pioneered the campaign to stop the
destruction and illegal exportation of Nigerian antiquities in the
1940s.
From the preceding, we observe that, museums and galleries
contribute in no small measure to the educational upliftment of
people within their localities. Looking at these definitions it
means that the fundamental objectives of the museum are to educate
its numerous audiences using its vast collections and exhibits,
either in its natural state as artifacts, or as literature.
Furthermore, the museums’ resources should be ‘enjoyed’ while at the
same time impacting knowledge to its visitors while the museum
education officer has to practice the best possible environment for
enjoying and learning from the exhibits or artifacts.
The Work Of Museum Education Office
The museum’s audience is varied, it includes scholars and school
children, researchers, teachers, tourists, individuals and groups.
The museum educator is obliged to explore many means of
communication with the museum’s many audiences to specialize and
develop his or her talent in writing educational materials.
The Nigerian schools curriculum states that before a pupil/student
graduates from school, he must visit the museum once. The museum
education officer liaises with the officials from the Ministry of
Education, Zonal Education Boards, or the Local Education District
officers in his/her local areas to draft programmes, in special
areas of preferences or topics as requested by the schools or
curriculum. The Museum education officer is also involved in skill
training. For example, some of the school subjects that can be
effectively taught with museum resources include; History (in
traditional indigenous industries, black soap making, smiting,
weaving, salt making, bronze casting etc). Social studies (children
must learn about the museum’s collections, where each museum is
located, what artifacts they contain, what is culture etc).
Government (the exhibition of Nigerian governments, yesterday and
today is a good source of information for preparing supplementary
lectures or visuals for teaching of Nigerians governments from pre-colonia
times to this present day). Biology (the natural history museum or
collection offered students to learn visually about animals, insects
and plants in our environment, either live or preserved ones). Fine
Arts (the curriculum for fine art is rather extensive, teachers
always have great problem in effectively teaching this subject
because of lack text books, lack of training of these teachers,
because their own teachers themselves were not trained, nor were
they given the opportunity to learn from the museum’s vast
resources. Subtopics in fine arts includes Nok, Benin, Tada, Ife,
Ese, Igboukwu, cultural and traditional centres for calabash caving,
bronze casting, various types of cloth weaving, traditional and
contemporary artists and their art styles etc.
One may think that this is too much for museum and if he or she has
been to one of the museums, he or she may not find all what has been
mentioned above. I wish to state here that museums are classified
according to their geographical limitation, subject area and time
limitation.
On Geographical Limitation:
It may be arts museums which deal with the collection of arts work
such as painting etc.
History Museums:
Is concerned with the history of the area in which the museum is
located. All the objects made or used by human beings are potentials
interest to the history museum. Such as costumes, army and armour,
clocks, coins, stamps etc as far as they serve the purpose of public
education.
Science Museums:
Is concerned with the teaching and principles of Physics, Chemistry
and Mathematics and techniques invention.
Natural History Museums:
This museums deal with the world of nature and non-civilized man as
a part of the world. It is divided into:
Zoology- the study of animals
Botony- the study of plants
Geology- the study of the earth e.g rocks and minerals
Anthropology - the science of man
Subject Area:
It may limit its subject area to locality, regional, state or
national museums.
Time Location:
It may limit its collection to prehistoric records in the past.
Below is the list of the types of museums that we have in Nigeria.
These museums are characterized mainly by the kinds of objects they
contain:
Museum of Historical building:-Gidan Makama Museum, Kano
Ethnographic Museum:- National Museum, Enugu
Collection of War implement:- National War Museum, Umuahia
Museum of Colonial History:- Aba Museum, Aba
History Bureau Sokoto (Archive Museum) collection of the history of
important personalities in the Sokoto caliphate.
Essie Museum, Kwara:- Collection of Essie soup stew.
Cultural and Natural History Museum:- National Museum, Jos.
Archaeological Museum, Port Harcourt:- Collection of archeological
materials University Museum.
Oil Museum, Port Harcourt:- Collection of the materials used in oil
technology.
School Museum, Pankshin, Jos
Art Museum, Benin:- Collection of Benin art works.
Museology:-
This is the museum science which deals with the study of the history
and background of museums and their role in the society such as
research, conservation, education organisation relationship with the
physical environment.
In all the museum collections, the most controversial are the idols.
I wish to state categorically here that museum staff don’t worship
these idols. We educate our visitors on these idols, how they where
used in the past. For example, is largely fashioned in Africa as an
instrument by which contact can be made with supernatural forces.
Generally, the African believe in universal life force that gives
life in every created thing; human beings and animals, plants and
stones etc.
Thus, they see life force as something dynamic and which can be
controlled through good deeds; and sacrifices. It is also believe
that once sin is committed, the life force is replaced with
misfortune. Thus, sickness, fire outbreak premature death, is
regarded as the consequences of evil action. To avert this disaster,
village community devoted all their efforts to restoring the sacred
order by cultic actions, spells and atoning sacrifices.
Much as the Africans believe in the Supreme Being, they also
conceive the users forces whose nature is unpredictable. They
believe that these gods can act as intermediaries between the
supreme force or being and man. Thus with obsolete devotion, and in
word commitment, the African put himself under the protection of
these demon powers. The task of understanding the operation of the
forces following from these powers like in the hand of the priest or
medicine men. To make these spirits to be tangible, they create a
sculpture that serves as a medium giving access to the spirit world.
Ancestors Figure:
Ancestors figure is a dignified and solemn symbol of the tribal hero
imbued with power. It provides a link between God and man. They have
all kinds of special characteristics, tribal scars, coiffure, and
emblems. They are made in such a way that they please the spirit and
invite him to make his dwelling in the figure. It is believed that
if prayer is made to the spirit and sacrifices offered, he takes
part in the life of the community. If the figure is imbued with
power, it mediate facility, riches, and blessing of children and
makes its advice and will known by signs.
The Christian museum workers will never worship an idol. This is
because in the contemporary English version Bible, Deuteronomy
4:15-19, it says “when God spoke to you from the fire he was
invisible. So be careful not to commit sin of worshiping idols.
Don’t make idols to be worshiped, whether they are shaped like men,
women, animal, birds, reptiles, or fish. And when you see the sun or
moon or stars, don’t be tempered to bow down and worship them.
The function of our commission, under Section 3 of the law
establishing the National Commission for Museums and Monument, i.e.
Decree No. 77 of 1979 committed the responsibility for archeological
surveys and excavation as well as the documentation of ethnographic
materials of Nigerian people and those of agriculture in general in
to the hand of our commission. It is, therefore, our duty to keep
exhibits and educate people about these idols.
Babantata, wrote in from the National Museum, Kaduna
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Good Policy, Bad Approach — Idi
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