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The Nigerian National Archives, Ibadan: An Introduction for Users and a Summary of Holdings1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2014

Simon Heap
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Extract

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 (the present-day states of Bendel, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and Oyo); Enugu for the Eastern Region; and Kaduna for the Northern Region. This paper will concentrate on the largest archives, that at Ibadan, which 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 Nigerian National Archives branch at Ibadan 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 founding and development of the Nigerian Archival Service was due very largely to the initiative of Kenneth Dike, who was awarded a Colonial Social Science Research Fellowship in 1949 to carry out research on Nigerian history. In the course of his studies Dike came across valuable historical records in government offices, the greater number of which were exposed to decay and destruction and some of which were damaged by insects and water. He reported this to the government and offered his services without salary in the task of recovering valuable historical materials.

Type
Research Article
Information
History in Africa , Volume 18 , 1991 , pp. 159 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 1991

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Footnotes

1.

I wish to thank the archives' staff for their assistance, especially John Daramola, the Chief Archivist; Ozaveshe Momoh, the Archives librarian; and Abiola Abioye, the Search Room Archivist. Grateful acknowledgment of financial assistance is made to The Leverhulme Trust of Great Britain.

References

Notes

2. I am preparing reports on the Enugu and Kaduna archives presently.

3. Dike, K. O., Report on the Preservation and Administration of Historical Records and the Establishment of a Public Record Office in Nigeria (Lagos, 1953).Google Scholar

4. As a reminder against temptation, the following newspaper cutting is stuck on the wall of the search room. “In 1986 Dr. Adegoke, an Ondo State University lecturer, and his accomplice, stole 81 leaves of historical documents. At court, the judge called it ‘a grave offence’ and sentenced mem each to ten years hard labour.” Daily Times (7 March 1987).