By Olayiwola Balogun – A new project celebrating the contributions of British-Nigerians in UK society by IROKO Theatre Company have received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.
This brand-new heritage project: ‘Home from Home’ will also examine the British-Nigeria colonial relationship, Nigerian migration and how living in London over the years has influenced them. Lastly, it will focus on the stories of a number of Nigerians who have excelled in British society, and present oral histories of prominent Nigerian Londoners.
The upcoming project will focus on exploring the legacies of pioneering British-Nigerians in UK society. It will contextualise their presence and evaluate their impact on the country they’ve grown to call home.
Home from Home aims to celebrate the community’s strength, acknowledge the struggles, and honour the commitment, perseverance, achievements and ingenuity as British-Nigerians navigate their existence in the UK. This will be achieved by highlighting their contributions to the cultural, political, educational, artistic, spiritual, and sporting life of Britain and London.
The project will offer practical training and volunteering opportunities to 60 people who wish to gain research, heritage and video recording and editing skills. There will be three guided educational tours for approximately 60 people to see celebrated Nigerian arts and artefacts. These will take place at the British Museum, Horniman Museum and the Museum of London Docklands.
The research findings will be shared through various digital channels; via outreach programmes in five schools and through targeted local groups sessions; two informative public sharing day events involving hands-on workshops, live performances, discussions, plus engaging exhibitions.
An exciting aspect of the project will be a one-day conference on the legacy of people of Nigerian descent, exploring their contributions to the visual arts, music and socio-political fabric of Britain. We estimate that overall, approximately 95,000 people will benefit from the project
Speaking with African Voice on the award Heritage Fund, Alex Oma-Pius FRSA, Founder and Artistic Director of IROKO Theatre Company said: “The funding will provide IROKO with a golden opportunity to fill the enormous gaps in the complex stories of ever-evolving British/London culture, by highlighting the contributions of British-Nigerians that are not often part of public consciousness.”
IROKO Theatre Company, founded in 1996, uses African theatre arts and heritage, incorporating oral storytelling, drama, music, dance, arts and craft, as a vehicle to advance education, skills, health and wellbeing of members of the public. To achieve this, IROKO conduct research, exhibitions, workshops, performances, and provide resources and accredited training programmes.
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