LASRAB HOSTS TOUR OF MUSEUM FOR NIGERIANS IN THE DIASPORA
13 — September 2021
Lagos State Records & Archives Bureau (LASRAB) organised an interactive virtual tour of its Mini Museum for Nigerians in the diaspora to learn and connect with the rich history of Lagos State.
Speaking at the virtual event on the Zoom platform, the Director-General LASRAB, Mrs Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola said the virtual tour aims to further entrench the history of Lagos State on the global map with the desire to create more cultural awareness for the current and future generations of the Nigeria diaspora; also to create a specialized avenue for anyone or group of people keen on learning more about the prestigious and exciting Lagos history to do so without the barrier of distance.
According to the Director-General LASRAB, Mrs Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, this is in pursuance of LASRAB’s responsibility of heritage and tourism promotion.
The participants are Nigerian families based in the United States of America who have shown their desire to expose their young children to the rich history of Lagos, to encourage them to get familiar with interesting historical artefacts displayed in the museum and to help them connect emotionally with their roots.
“As Nigeria is home to over 180 million people, 300 tribes and 500 languages, Lagos is a melting pot of cultural traditions. Lagos has been described by city population as the sixth-largest city in the world and remains Nigeria’s major financial and economic nerve centre, the promotion of the rich cultural history through tourism has been a major contributor to Nigeria’s overall revenue generation.”
Adebiyi-Abiola stated that the virtual tour complies with the present Administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda in the area of Tourism promotion, to ensure Lagos does not lose her rich and carefully preserved heritage to cultural colonization and westernization.
“Technology has really advanced the cause of tourism globally. The use of tools like the Zoom platform allows participants to freely engage with their favourite tourist sites as though physically present at the location.”
Various artefacts depicting royalty, cultural festivals, traditional games as well as some household items as used in precolonial Lagos were on display for the participants to appreciate and connect with.
Adebiyi-Abiola further noted that similar virtual events would be taking place regularly in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety of participants. The virtual platform would also help engage different categories of people and organisations that require the Bureau’s services without the barrier of distance.
The virtual tour was organized in partnership with the Northern California Nigerians (NCN) group, a nonprofit organization for the diaspora Nigerian community interested in fostering a sense of community bolstered via creating opportunities for real and lasting connections within its membership body.
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Shileola Adama
Public Affairs Unit, LASRAB
13th September 2021