As a way of diversifying its economy, the Anambra State Government says it will upgrade the museum located at Igbo-ukwu community in Aguata Local Government Area, and explore new ways of making it a tourist hub.

 

the state Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Entertainment, Comrade Don Onyenji, stated this after inspecting the museum with some heads of the Ministry.

According to Commissioner Onyenji, the visit was to access the state of the museum and see what the Soludo administration can do to upgrade it for patronage and investment.

 

Disclosing that Governor Chukwuma Soludo is passionate about developing all tourist and heritage sites in the state, the Commissioner revealed that the Igbo-ukwu museum has a lot of artefacts from the community, other parts of state and beyond, which he said reveal things about tourism, religion, spirituality, creativity, entertainment, as well as culture and tradition.

Comrade Onyenji said plans are underway to also reposition other tourist sites across the state, and noted that there is need to appreciate people’s culture and the history of Ndigbo, with a view to identifying those that would be expanded and projected to the rest of the world.

 

In her remark, the Director Arts and Culture of the Ministry, Mrs Chioma Ifediora, who thanked the Commissioner for his strides in the ministry, said the museum at Igbo-ukwu had for long yearned for government attention, and expressed optimism that with the visit by the Commissioner, the facility will be given a facelift.

The Curator of Igbo-ukwu Museum, Mrs. Chizoba Okeke, who took the Commissioner and his entourage round the facility, explained each of the objects at museum and what they were used for in the old, noting that the museum was discovered from some archaeological findings in the community and other parts of the state.

Igbo-ukwu Museum was built and donated to Igbo-ukwu Development Union by Chief Timothy Umeweni in 1989, and was commissioned in May 1997 by the then Administrator of Anambra State, Group Captain Rufai Garba.