By
Tajudeen Sowole
The
controversy, which has been on for three years, over the excavation of Nok
Terracotta sculptures in some parts of Kaduna State appears to have been
resolved, and a review of MoU with foreign partners underway.
LAST
month, the controversy resurfaced when a Senior Lecturer at the Department of
Archaeology, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and President of
Archaeological Association of Nigeria (AAN), Dr. Zacharys Anger Gundu alleged
that there were large-scale illegal excavations being carried out by German
experts.
Gundu also alleged that officials of the
National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) connived with the
foreigners in the “looting.”
Responding, the Director-General of NCMM,
Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman denied the commission’s involvement in any “unauthorised
excavation”, while clarifying that the NCMM, since 2005, has been in
partnership with Institute for African Archaeology and Archaeo-botany of the
Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
The German researchers, Usman explained, are
in Nigeria with the aims of enriching findings on Nok Culture.
The antiquity, according to art historians
and archaeological findings, supports the argument that civilisation in Sub-Saharan
Africa dates back to over 2500 years.
Usman noted that “illegal diggings have been
recurring across Nigeria, even in such areas as mining of solid minerals, oil
and others.” The NCMM, he stressed, would only act when such alleged looting
sites are brought to its notice or found out by the commission.
D-G, NCMM, Mallam Usman speaking at the Stakeholders’ Meeting |
However, at the end of a stakeholders’
meeting organised by the NCMM at National Museum Nok, Ham, Kaduna South last
week, certain grey issues that seemed to be causing the controversy were
cleared.
In attendance were Usman, Gundu, Yashim Isa
Bitiyong of NIPOST, German researchers, Peter Breunig and Nicole Rupp of Goethe
University, representatives of Ham community, Kaduna, Prof Ibrahim Jamews and
Prof Joseph Jemkur of University of Jos.
Also in attendance were President of Ham
Community Development Authority, Monday Tela Bako, Elisha Buba Hakimi, Kpop of
Ham, His Highness Illiya Bako Bying H. Dura, Wakin Sarkin Jare and
Archaeologist Yohanna Nock.
After the meeting, which was held behind
closed doors, the presentation of Usman and from the communiqué released
indicated that, indeed, there were contentious issues that deserve urgent
attention.
The DG established that the relationship
between Nigeria and the leader of the German team, Breunig, began over 20 years
ago when the latter led the excavation of the 8000 years old Dufuna Canoe in
Yobe State (then under Borno State).
On the team’s Nok Culture research, Usman
recalled that “major successful excavations were carried out at Agwan Kura in
2007, Garaje Kagoro in 2008,” and that the objects for analysis “were duly
inspected before temporary export permit were issued,” for further analysis in
Germany.
Observers, he noted, raised issues over “the
modus operandi of the partnership,” between the Germans and Nigeria. He cited a
conference of West African Archaeology Association where such observations have
been made.
Usman explained that when he took over the
leadership of NCMM, in 2009, “we immediately started carrying out some general
improvement in operation.” Such improvements, he said, were centered on “legal
and administrative framework, community involvement and capacity building.”
Mallam Yaro Wakilin (Kpop Ham), representing His Royal Highness, the Kpop Ham, Mallam Danladi Gyet Maude |
In fulfillment of the capacity building, and
perhaps to ensure transparency, Usman disclosed that “two senior management of
staff of NCMM went to Germany to inspect the restoration process of the
objects, and reports were submitted.” The restored sculptures, he assured, will
return to Nigeria “in 2013 to form the nucleus of the permanent exhibition.”
Responding to the issues on specific
contentious areas of the partnership between NCMM and the Germans, Gundu,
during a chat after the meeting, substantiated his claims of illegal
excavations with what he described as “unethical practice” by the Germans.
He argued that, for example, the Nok
community should benefit from the pieces taken to Germany for exhibition. “Our
position being proposed is that part of the money made during the exhibition
should be ploughed back to the community.”
He also urged NCMM to ensure that the
Germans
collaborate with any Nigerian University, particularly Ahmadu Bello University,
(ABU), Zaria, in Kaduna State, where Nok terracotta is being excavated.
German
researchers, Peter Breunig and Nicole Rupp of Institute for African Archaeology
and Archaeo-botany of the Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main
|
“If the Germans train five PhDs during this
project, Nigeria too should have as much benefits from the partnership.”
More importantly, Gundu stated that AAN had
always advised NCMM to be cautious in the process of taking these pieces to
Germany for analysis. He argued that since Nigeria does not have the technology
and the expertise, “good practice requires that you take small sample for
analysis abroad, ” to ensure transparency and avoid “returning of fake.”
These and other areas of concerned
highlighted by AAN, according to the communiqué, appear to have been
harmonised, and will form part of the review of the MoU between the Germans and
NCMM.
Other points raise in the communiqué include
the need to fast-track the “inscription of Nok area as a World Heritage Site in
line with the proposal of National Tourism Master Plan; the need to review the
law establishing the NCMM; return of the Nok pieces taken to Germany as
planned; security agencies, community leaders to help in curtailing the
activities of illegal mining and illicit trafficking of Nok pieces.”
On the review of NCMM laws, Usman reminded
the gathering that the commission, in August 2011, organised a conference in
Abuja to review the 1990 law that established the NCMM.
However, the academics as well as the
community benefits of the Germans’ research appeared to have started, gradually.
In Janjala, Kaduna State the partnership has established a complex called Nok
Culture Research Station, which Breunig described as serving the immediate
purpose of the project as well as training centre for the local communities.
Nok Culture Research Station, Janjala, Kaduna State, a German-Nigeria partnership. |
‘Nok culture is over 1,500
B.C.’
THE
German researchers — Breunig and Rupp — have discovered new date for the
existence of the Nok culture. The duo have insisted that result of radio carbon
dating, which argued that the Nok culture existed about 500 B.C. and till 200
A.D. is incorrect.
Breunig disclosed that through 800
objects his team excavated at the Nok sites in Benue and Kaduna states, over
the years, using advanced dating process, “our research shows about 1, 500
B.C.”
His partner, Rupp also said “the time
span of Nok culture is from 1600 B.C. until 400 C.E.” Rupp stated that their
claims have been made public in scientific journals.
British colonial archaeologist, Bernard
Fagg and others, who made early discoveries of the Nok terracotta, in mid
twentieth century had put the period of Nok – using radio carbon dating – at
about 500 B.C. lasting 200 A.D.
And based on similarities between the
Nok and Ife sculptures, art historians and archaeologists have also linked the
Nok culture to the Yoruba civilisation.
For Breunig, the current state of the
Germans’ research has also raised issue on the early discovery of iron. He
commented on other findings of his team: “we know that the Nok people were
farmers, they were the first to invent iron. Our findings showed that iron was
invented, independently, in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
According to him, terracotta goes
beyond an object of a piece of art, but “could be used as an argument for other
things.” Nok culture, he insisted, is a strong platform to trace man’s
beginning in technology.
The team discovered that “there was a
cultural break in the first millennium B.C; over two thousand people were
living on one side, never before were such habitation on one spot in
Sub-Saharan Africa. We were looking for similarities. Is that the only case we
have in Nigeria or West Africa? Then we came across the Nok culture, through
our college, and then visited looted sites in Benue and Kaduna.” At present, the team, he disclosed, has
discovered 200 sites.
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Dear Taj,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to thank you for your report on the stakeholders' meeting. It was a really good, very helpful report.
Can I ask one question, though? How did Dr. Gundu substantiate his claims that the German archaeologists were looting Nigeria (or that the German archaeologists were responsible for the looting of Nigeria)?
(I completely agree that local communities in Nigeria should profit from exhibitions of their cultural heritage in other countries. I sincerely hope that cultural industries and cultural tourism will contribute to a sustainable economy in the Nok Valley. But I cannot see any proof of Gundu's claims of German looting in your report.)
Best wishes,
Sam
Sam,
ReplyDeleteGundu may not have proven his allegation that the German archaeologists are looting Nigerian artefcats, but he raised a very important issue: how does a country like Nigeria, which has not got the right expertise and technology know if her Nok terracotta taken to Germany are returned as genuine as they were taken away?
I think Nigeria needd to be careful here.
Sam,
ReplyDeleteGundu may not have proven his allegation that the German archaeologists are looting Nigerian artefcats, but he raised a very important issue: how does a country like Nigeria, which has not got the right expertise and technology know if her Nok terracotta taken to Germany are returned as genuine as they were taken away?
I think Nigeria needd to be careful here.
u dnt kno gundu abi. heis rite. dis so called germans re looters. thr was research went 4 , we met dis german guy asking 4 our map nd other tyns. he told us he want to join d research team. tanks to prof okafo then in zaria who stop him
ReplyDelete