US awards $125,000 grant to preserve Enugu iron-smelting site

This grant, provided under the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, will be implemented by the Centre for Memories, Enugu, through the Nchekwaba project. The project aims to combine archaeological conservation with three-dimensional digital documentation, site preservation, and the documentation of endangered oral histories. The formal launch took place at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos, with attendees including the United States Consul General, Brandon Hudspeth, and the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai.

The Deputy Governor, representing Governor Peter Mbah, emphasized the need for sustained collaboration and announced an upcoming executive bill to provide a legal framework for the site's protection. He also highlighted the importance of involving Lejja residents in the preservation process. Hudspeth noted the project as an example of ongoing cultural partnership between Nigeria and the United States.

Iheanyi Igboko, Project Lead and Executive Director of the Centre for Memories, stated that the project is the culmination of decades of archaeological research and community efforts, and aims for formal recognition of Lejja as a national heritage site and potential UNESCO recognition. The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, represented at the even