An ancient Nri kingdom in Anaocha local government area of Anambra state would Friday stand still as Igbo from all walks of life troupe to the town for the unveiling of 70-year Igbo ancestral Odinani museum by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
The idea of the museum was conceived by an anthropologist, late Prof. Angulu Onwuejiogwu and his compatriot at the University of Ibadan, Nouchcot Thomas Shaw who were then researchers on Igbo culture and civilization over 70 years ago.
Speaking to journalists in Nri yesterday, the Chairman of Nri Stakeholders Forum, Hon. Chijioke Ifeka said the artefacts in the museum have recorded over 500 years in existence contrary to false claims of other Igbo communities of having similar custodianship of such materials.
Anambra Assembly passes N157.1bn budget for 2019According to him: “This museum has the contribution of a white man, Nouchcot Thomas who excavated some antiquities at Igbo-ukwu. Historically, the excavation spot is said to be the place occupied by Ora Eri people who migrated from Nri and settled there.
“We are going to gain a lot from the unveiling because our history was drastically going off from the map of the world. This will as well re-unite Nri people due to the assemblage of relics of past monarchs from different quarters of the Kingdom in the museum.”
Also speaking, the General Overseer of Liberation Temple of Absolute God, Dr Ramas Asuzu said Odinani museum was so unique from other museums because of practical academic experiments it renders to virtually all tertiary institutions in the country.
According to him: “It is more of an academic centre where you could study the origin of Igbo due to the display of relevant paraphernalia of ancient kings of Nri kingdom.
“This also informs how Ndigbo are contained with their democratic communal leadership and war tools in ancient days with over 5,000 artefacts.”
Asuzu advised Nri people to be mindful of what God has given them and always project Igbo culture and tradition jealously than being more ‘Catholic than the Pope’.
However, it would be recalled that the museum which had collapsed out of negligence since 2010, was later rebuilt by an illustrious son of Nri, Prince Engr Charles Tabansi at an estimated cost of N50million.
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