Abba Tijani, the director-general of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, has inaugurated a new exhibition gallery and children’s play park at the National Museum of Unity, Ibadan.

Inaugurating the gallery, Mr Tijani said it was an additional feather in the cap of the museum, noting that cultural heritage played a strong role in economic and social lives.

He described Nigeria as “a society with abundant rich cultural heritage spread across diverse ethnic nationalities.”

“These diversities are what made us unique as a people and so should be cherished and protected,” Mr Tijani added.

According to the NCMM director-general, out of the 107 monuments proposed to be made national, Oyo has three, including Ado-Awoaye Suspended Lake and Mapo Hall.

Therefore, he urged Nigerians to join the commission in the fight to return looted cultural artefacts to Nigeria.

Governor Seyi Makinde called on the NCMM to improve the standard of the national museum in Ibadan.

“We have 169 tourist sites in the state, and none has been listed as a national monument. We need to work together to ensure how some can be made national monuments,” Mr Makinde said.

The items in the gallery included Nok Terracotta, human figure, Ife head, Queen Idia head, crescent bowl, elephant tusk, Benin bronze rooster, ceremonial swords, Ofo staff, Mama headdress and human figures.

Others are wooden treasury box, Nigerian pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial cowries, Manila and coins currency, face masks stand, perforated pots, pot drums and blacksmithing.

(NAN)