EnterAfrica Lagos/ Digitising cultural heritage

EnterAfrica is a creative African network represented in 15 African countries, initiated by 15 Goethe-Institutes in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Lagos roundtables have engaged with the various actors in the games sector and creative industry through a number of online discussions to focus on different themes. On the 31st October 2020, the Digitising Cultural Heritage panel discussed the different ways the digital archive may be conceived of in Nigeria, what techniques may be deployed and what are the benefits of the digital archive. The panel set out to "discuss the challenges and opportunities involved in digitising Nigeria’s cultural heritage and how digitisation can enhance accessibility, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage." 

The discussion offered a uniquely Nigerian perspective on cultural preservation in Nigeria, authorship of archives (formal and informal) and ongoing projects with local stakeholders. The speakers on the panel included Jumoke Samwo (Revolving Art Incubator), Uchenna Okiya (Gbosaman), Pelu Awofesu (writer), Frederieke Moschel (Goethe Institute),  Oyindamola Fakeye (curator and moderator). In particular and of noteworthy importance the references to the development of Archival apprenticeships offered by the Revolving Art Incubator in collaboration MIT and Omenka Gallery and with the support of local artist Jelili Atiku, technologist Judith Okonkwo and linguist Kọla Túbọsún. 

To read more about the project see: Aga Khan Documentation Centre @ MIT