Yinka Olatunbosun
In a historic move to reclaim and celebrate Nigeria’s cultural heritage, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) recently signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Crimson Fusion Curators to document over 8,000 years of Nigerian art and creativity.
The project, titled “A Window into the Soul of a People: 8,000 Years of Art in Nigeria,” aims to trace the nation’s artistic journey from prehistoric times to the present day. It will chronicle artefacts such as the 8,000-year-old Dufuna Canoe, the Nok terracottas, Ife bronzes, and Benin plaques, alongside the works of contemporary Nigerian artists who are redefining global art narratives.
Expected to span more than 750 pages, the publication is being described as one of the most ambitious visual and scholarly archives of Nigerian art ever undertaken.
“This initiative will go a long way in dispelling the misconception that we are primitive or incapable of creating enduring masterpieces,” said Olugbile Holloway, Director-General of the NCMM, during the signing ceremony. “Even when the Ife heads and Benin bronzes first stunned the world, deliberate efforts were made to deny Nigerians full credit. This partnership is about reclaiming that narrative and presenting our heritage as it deserves to be seen.”
For Oriiz U. Onuwaje, Chief Curator of Crimson Fusion Curators, the project is not merely documentation—it is a matter of cultural survival. “Our art must be properly recorded and presented because documentation is not a luxury—it is cultural survival,” he said. “When we strengthen our claim to it, we unlock its economic potential and assert our identity as the art superpower we truly are.”
Onuwaje, who created and edited The Benin Monarchy: An Anthology of Benin History—popularly known as The Benin Red Book—described the MoU as the continuation of a lifelong commitment to heritage storytelling. “In over 35 years in this business, I have not seen an art economy truly blossom in Nigeria—the simple reason is a critical lack of documentation,” he added.
The project also builds on the curatorial team’s experience with The Intersecting Worlds of Climate Change, the Mangroves and Art, a 2025 exhibition that fused environmental consciousness with creative expression. That initiative underscored the power of art as both identity and activism—a theme the new documentation seeks to amplify.
Crimson Fusion has assembled a team of leading experts to drive the project. Professor Frank Ugiomoh, serving as Chief Technical Consultant, pledged to help elevate Nigerian art to global prominence. “When Nigerians take ownership of their narratives, they tell their stories with the highest level of authority and authenticity,” he said.
Other consultants include Prince Olaseinde Odimayo, who will advise on traditional and contemporary art, and Solomon Ikhioda, who will oversee design and strategy.
The collaboration between the NCMM and Crimson Fusion Curators merges institutional authority with curatorial expertise, signalling a new approach to cultural preservation. Beyond archiving history, the project seeks to position Nigerian art as a driver of tourism, education, and national renewal.
“When complete, A Window into the Soul of a People will not only document centuries of creative expression but also reaffirm Nigeria’s place as a powerhouse of artistic innovation,” Holloway said. “Our heritage is not just memory—it’s momentum.”
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