Deputy Governor of Delta State Urges Africans to Chronicle Their Own History
ASABA/Nigeria: The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, has emphasized the significance of Africans taking charge of documenting their own history, safeguarding their cultural heritage, and dispelling inaccuracies perpetuated by external sources. He conveyed this message during a courtesy visit by officials from the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, held at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
Sir Monday Onyeme asserted, “We don’t want to lose our history and cultural heritage, so, for us to do that, we must write our history ourselves to avoid it being told by others which may not be true or correct. One good thing about keeping our own history is that if Africans had written their history before the coming of Mungo Park that claimed to have discovered the River Niger, the Oyibo people would not come and tell us these stories that the River Niger was discovered by Mungo Park or the Landers Brothers because Africans took the River Niger as their source of drinking water and other economic activities before the coming of Mungo Park.”
He continued, highlighting the disparity in historical documentation between Africans and others, stating, “Of course because the whites are the people that rely on documentation, we don’t document our history that is why they have that advantage.”
Onyeme praised the National Commission for Museums and Monuments for its commitment to recording history, stating, “The idea of having a museum and making sure that our historical monuments are kept in order to tell the people about it is because, we don’t want to lose our history, and our culture.” He underscored the urgency of preserving cultural knowledge, declaring, “Where we have lost in time past is enough, it is time that we begin to restore this knowledge so that generations that will come long after us will know about how we existed, how we lived and the contributions we made to our society.”
Assuring the visiting officials of the State’s collaboration, Onyeme affirmed, “We are committed to supporting your efforts, especially in carrying out your activities in the State.”
Elder Idika Kalu Uche, the Curator of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in Asaba, informed the deputy governor of the commission’s initiatives and extended an invitation to their upcoming programs during the visit.
The gathering was graced by notable figures, including Chief Darlington Ijeh, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Christopher Osakwe, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Government House, and other dignitaries.
As Africa continues to navigate its complex historical narrative, leaders like Deputy Governor Monday Onyeme emphasize the vital role that local historical documentation plays in reclaiming and preserving the continent’s diverse heritage.
