Nigeria's Lagos Island unveils cultural landmark set to redefine museum experience

According to a fresh article, CNN describes that the Onikan neighborhood, at the heart of Lagos Island, Nigeria's largest city, is now home to a cultural landmark that is set to redefine the museum experience. 

On one side of J.K. Randle Road stands the Nigerian National Museum, a relic of the British colonial era nearing 70 years old. Directly across the road, the newly opened John Randle Centre for Yoruba History and Culture offers a bold contrast.

Opened last October, the Centre’s striking red and gold latticework stretches over a lush green perimeter, standing as a dynamic symbol of Yoruba culture. It offers visitors a vibrant, immersive experience into the folklore and traditions of Nigeria's second-largest ethnic group, and presents an "alternative narrative" to the traditional, Eurocentric museum models seen across the road, according to lead architect Seun Oduwole.

Oduwole criticized the Nigerian National Museum for "objectifying" culture, explaining that it represented a Eurocentric approach to presenting Nigerian history. “It objectifies the culture, as opposed to celebrating it,” he said.

The John Randle Centre was designed by Lagos-based architectural firm SI.SA, which was commissioned to build the facility in 2018. The site, which once housed a swimming pool funded by Sierra Leone-born local physician John Randle in the 1920s, was a place for Nigerians to learn to swim during British colonial rule. The Centre honors this history, with its focus on Yoruba traditions, history, and culture.

Dr. Will Rea, a British academic specializing in African art and Yoruba history, was born in Nigeria and worked with the Nigerian National Commission for Museums and Monuments before becoming the lead consultant curator for the Centre. Rea sees the project as an opportunity to challenge Western depictions of Africa in museums, which he believes often lack color and vibrancy.

“Africa tends to be sort of dark and brown, and there’s a lack of color,” Rea said, contrasting the typical Western museum experience with the vibrant, colorful atmosphere of Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. “We were keen to have a very lively place, full of color and sound – very different to a normal Western museum, where everything is kind of hushed.”

Oduwole added, “A lot of times our culture is viewed as this sort of archaic, ancient civilization that was pulled out of the darkness. We wanted to break that.”

However, the project faced a significant obstacle in the beginning: the Centre lacked an initial collection. This sparked a race for Oduwole, Rea, and a team of collectors, who scoured both Nigeria and international museums in search of Yoruba artefacts.

Due to financial constraints, many of the artefacts they sought were too expensive to purchase outright. As a result, they pursued loans, partnering with the British Museum to secure a collection of long-term loaned objects, including the iconic Lander Stool. This Yoruba wood carving, taken to the UK in the 1830s by British explorer Richard Lander, has become central to the ongoing restitution debate regarding the return of African cultural artefacts.

In 2019, the Lagos State government formally requested the return of the Lander Stool, designating the Centre as its “befitting home.” While a long-term loan agreement has been reached, the stool has not yet been displayed at the Centre.

With this exciting project, the John Randle Centre stands as a testament to Nigeria's cultural pride and a push to reshape the way African history is presented to the world.

By Naila Huseynova