PORTHARCOURT WAKAWAKA CELEBRATES the 35th INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MONUMENTS AND SITES (WORLD HERITAGE DAY 2019)
AN INTERVIEW WITH OGUEBUE MAUREEN OBIAGELIEKE (SENIOR HERITAGE OFFICER NCMM), PORT HARCOURT NATIONAL MUSEUM, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.
Question: Please can you give us an overview of Monuments and Site Day?
Answer: 18th April, is a day set aside by UNESCO to Celebrate everything that has to do with HERITAGE PROPERTIES.
Monuments are static and are of cultural values. We have 65 declared National Monuments in Nigeria, one of such in Rivers State is the KING JAJA OF OPOBO (1969).
Two War Heritage Sites in Nigeria; one is in Oshogbo, Osun Sacred Grove in 2005. The second one is Sukur Cultural Landscape in Madagali area of Adamawa State in 1999.
We have 100 proposed Monuments; one of such is in Rivers State-The ISAAC JASPER BORO PARK MONUMENT-in Port Harcourt.
Cultural things are things we should preserve so that they don’t go extinct.
UNESCO is yet to enlist some Monuments in Rivers State, it will undergo some procedures, before it is declared.
Question: What is the Theme for this year’s Monument and Site Day?
Answer: The Theme for this year is “RURAL LANDSCAPE HERITAGE” and in Rivers State, the site of focus is KEE Community, that’s the chosen community this year.
Question: Benefits of Monument and Site?
Answer: Our Heritage, are who we are and should be preserved. It generates revenue for the Government and creates employment opportunities.
Thank you for your time, very well appreciated. HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MONUMENTS AND SITES.
RADIO NIGERIA (TREASURE FM PORT HARCOURT 98.5FM) MISS MINA, DID AN INTERVIEW AS WELL AND IT WILL BE AIRED TODAY 6.30AM, 9.00AM AND 6.30PM
Source @ Smith Nwokocha
PHwakawaka 