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Kebbi State Government hands over museum to FG

By on September 27, 2013

aa6c85c6413e078aa826b3073cad4356The Kebbi State Government on Thursday handed over the 55-year-old Kanta Museum in Argungu Local Government Area to the National Commission of Museums and Monuments (NCMM).

The state’s Commissioner for Works and Transport, Alhaji Bello Tugga, signed the document on behalf of the state, while the Director-General of the NCMM, Malam Yusuf Usman, signed on behalf of the Federal Government.

The Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samai’ila Mera, signed the hand over note on behalf of the Argungu Emirate Council.

Gov. Saidu Dakingari of the state, represented by Tugga, said the decision to hand over the monument was to enable the commission to raise the museum to a higher level expected of international cultural heritage.

He commended the UNESCO for adopting the museum as a world and international cultural heritage site.

The governor urged the commission to utilise the museum as an educational centre in recognition of the role played by such monument in cultural education.

The emir said that 1,285 artefacts preserved since the 16 century would be taken over by the NCMM, adding: “I urge the commission to ensure professional preservation of the heritage”.

The director-general, NCMM, said the museum would be upgraded to international standard, to attract more tourists.

“The Commission would conduct research, educational programmes and conservation of objects as part of efforts to ensure that cultural artefacts and values in the museum were developed and handed down from generation to generation.”

Usman, who described the museum as the richest in the preservation of Hausa cultural heritage, called for the establishment of community museums by the people.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the museum has 10 sections, including King Court, ethnic groups, tombs, art of warfare, industrial and general occupation, traditional music implements, traditional occupation and architecture.

It was built and located at the site in 1958 at the palace of kings. (NAN)