Lagos museum highlights Yoruba cultural heritage

DW (English)

In Nigeria, a historic swimming pool in Lagos has been transformed into one of Africa's most ambitious cultural projects. The John Randle Centre brings Yoruba heritage to life in ways that challenge traditional museum conventions.

Transcript

00:00Outside, the new John Randall Center for Yoruba Culture and History is bold and intriguing.

00:09The unusual architecture and colors reflect the vibrant energy of the Yoruba culture.

00:17Stepping in, it takes you into a whole new world, starting with this installation, The

00:24Story of Creation According to Yoruba Mythology.

00:28This is a tale many have heard of, but here it comes alive.

00:33Aside from displaying historic relics, the center uses modern audiovisual media to give

00:40an immersive experience.

00:43This multimedia installation teaches visitors about different masquerades.

00:49In Yoruba culture, masquerades are figures that connect the living and the spiritual

00:55worlds.

00:56They are often displayed during festivals or rituals, accompanied by lots of music and

01:02dancing.

01:04This masquerade is called Egungu.

01:08This is one of the features that people really like.

01:11As you can see, the screen is responsive.

01:14The image on the screen basically moves and responds to every move I make.

01:19I'm supposed to be dancing, but I can't dance.

01:22So, I think it's fun.

01:28This museum is the first of its kind in West Africa, using advanced technology to document

01:35the story of a major indigenous tribe from its origin to the present day.

01:41Everything here is intentionally designed to not only teach people about history, but

01:47to make them feel history.

01:50The lightning was very, very low, so we were like, what's happening?

01:55Then we saw this, like a statue of a crown with beads, so it gave ancient Yoruba vibes.

02:07Aspects of Yoruba culture, from politics to business, fashion and religion, are on display

02:14here.

02:15The labels are also written both in English and in the native Yoruba language.

02:21For the creators of the center, it's a chance to tell an original story that reminds Africans

02:27of their indigenous culture and heritage.

02:31Centers like this become like a kind of a counter-narrative, where people can say, you

02:36know, we are actually people, we had history, we had stories, way before colonialism, way

02:41before our first encounter with any European.

02:44So for me, if you use centers like this, create that avenue where you can start to do almost

02:50like archaeological work to remember.

02:53It's a space for remembering, really.

02:56The center is set up similarly to a museum, but director Oni Keku says referring to it

03:02as a heritage center instead is a way to shift the colonial mindset associated with museums.

03:10It's something that comes across strongly to people visiting.

03:14We are taking charge of the narrative like never before.

03:19So this is absolutely different from what I've seen in the UK, what I've seen in Italy,

03:25because it's finally the turn of Africa being told by Africans.

03:30And to me, that is absolutely magical.

03:33The center was created through a joint effort between Yoruba historians, architects, artists

03:40and the Lagos state governments.

03:42They are hoping it will inspire others to set up similar heritage centers across the

03:47continent.

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