The Speaker of the House of Representatives and representative of Lagos State’s Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has expressed his admiration for the use of technology in conserving Nigeria’s museums and other cultural assets.
He encouraged the more creative application of technology to narrate Nigeria’s story, emphasising its potential for cultural and economic advancement in the country.
During his visit to the Discovery Museum, Art-Tech District Abuja, the country’s first digital museum, Gbajabiamila stressed the importance of the innovative application of technology in narrating the Nigerian story and enhancing the cultural and economic growth of the nation.
The visit was organised by the museum in a bid to show the Speaker the Discovery Museum’s innovative use of technology to tell the Nigerian story and its potential impact on the cultural and economic development of the country.
Mrs Salamatu Gbajabiamila accompanied the Speaker as he delved into the subjects of technology’s future, the nation’s cultural legacy, and women in the arts.
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During the visit, Gbajabiamila was given a tour of various facilities and interactive exhibitions that utilised modern technologies, such as virtual reality to display Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage and history. The tour also recognized the significance of technology in the present and future.
The speaker hinted that he had visited museums around the world and had taken note of the innovative approach employed in the preservation of their heritage and promotion of cultural identity.
He said he was impressed by the efforts to bridge the gap and project Nigeria as a technologically advanced nation.
The Speaker commended these efforts and encouraged the creative application of technology to narrate Nigeria’s story for both cultural and economic advancement.
“This museum strikes me as one that is different, it has its own niche, in that it’s digital, it’s modern, it’s innovative, and it’s technology-driven. Museums I’ve been to are mostly traditional in concept. This is one of its kind in Nigeria and possibly in Africa.
“It’s important that young ones be part of the social-cultural change in terms of technology,” he said. Places such as the Discovery Museum bear testimony to where we are, how far we’ve come, and the fact that we’re keeping abreast with the rest of the world in terms of technology and its vast opportunities”, he noted.
The Museum and climate change
The Speaker expressed excitement to revisit the Discovery Museum and explore the upcoming new spaces, including the Climate Change Room which is set to be launched soon.
“A lot of people would ask, ‘What’s climate change got to do with a museum?’ and that’s where the uniqueness of the Discovery Museum comes into play,” he explained. “You have different things that people ordinarily wouldn’t associate with a museum. It’s an experience worth celebrating for Nigeria and Nigerians. I look forward to coming back here to have another experience,” Gbajabiamila added.
The digital approach will ease storytelling
On his part, the founder of Discovery Museum, Mosope Olaosebikan, explained that the digital approach was borne out of the desire to address the storytelling gap in the country.
“We not only want to attract a new generation of visitors, we also want to create new opportunities for the country’s cultural and economic development. I’m excited about the future of tourism and the creative industry in Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to both the speaker and his wife for taking part.
After hosting notable visitors like the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, and the former World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, Mari Elka Pangestu, Olaosebikan said the museum is pleased to have the Speaker’s visit at an opportune moment.
With the reintroduction of history to Nigerian schools’ curricula, he said the museum anticipates a surge in visitors and remains committed to using technology and innovation to educate, interpret, and showcase Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage.