The Nigerian National Archives
“Archives constitute a veritable instrument for the promotion of an individual, community, and the wider society. Its mission is the preservation of documentary heritage, an integral part what helps to give a person the confidence to live, recognizing that there is a past for which the person is proud” says Michael Omolewa, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and an Emeritus Professor of the History of Education at the University of Ibadan.
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An archive is a place where public records or historical materials or documents are preserved. Archives are witnesses to the past. They provide evidence, explanation, and justification both for past actions and current decisions. Archives enable society to undertake a wide range of roles that enable civilized communities to take root and flourish, from enabling education and research, providing entertainment and leisure, to protecting human rights and confirming identity.
Hence, the establishment of the National Archives of Nigeria, a department of the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications, which has continued to play an important role in nation-building. The National Archives of Nigeria is located at three sites Ibadan, Enugu, and Kaduna. Each site houses the archives for its geographical area; Ibadan for the Western Region, Enugu for the Eastern Region; and Kaduna for the Northern Region.
The founding and development of the Nigerian Archival Service was due to the initiative of Kenneth Dike, who was awarded a Colonial Social Science Research Fellowship in 1949 to carry out research on Nigerian history. Based on what was found, he made a recommendation to have a public record office. This led to the establishment of the Nigerian Record Office on April 1, 1954. In 1957, the Public Archives Ordinance No. 43 was enacted and became effective on November 14, 1957. It changed the name of the archives to become the National Archives of Nigeria.
By virtue of the National Archives Act 1992, the National Archives is primarily entrusted with the responsibility of permanent custody, care, acquisition, and control of all archives of the Federal Government and of such other archives or historical records as may be required from time to time. As enshrined in the Act, Acquisition, Preservation, and Dissemination of Archives are central and are critical aspects of its core functions.
The Ibadan archive which is the most popular is housed in a large three-story pastel-colored building set in three acres of grounds within the campus area of the University of Ibadan. The Ibadan Nigerian National Archives is very rich in official papers of all Federal, Regional, and State Governments; papers of native and local authorities; papers of semi-public bodies and institutions; papers of private individuals and families, as well as those of ecclesiastical bodies and missions.
The archives hold records, documents, and artefacts that date back to pre-colonial times. Kaduna, for instance, holds Arabic manuscripts written by Uthman dan Fodio, the founder of the Sokoto caliphate. While records of colonial administration that date back to the 19th century are also available at Ibadan and Enugu.
The archive was housed at the University of Ibadan until 1958. The first permanent building in Ibadan was officially opened on January 9, 1959.