By Prisca Sam-Duru

Nigeria has scored a major cultural milestone as an esteemed archivist, historian, and curator Dr. Oludamola Adebowale has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the International Council on Archives (ICA) Section on Archives of Literature and Art (SLA) for the 2025–2029 term.

The appointment places Nigeria at the centre of global conversations on the preservation, accessibility, and advancement of literary and artistic heritage. The SLA Executive Committee—made up of expert from some of the world’s most influential archival institutions—will steer global policies, scholarly initiatives, cross-border collaborations, and the development of ethical archival practices for the next four years.

Dr. AdébÍÌwálé, who joined the International Council on Archives (ICA) several years ago and remains an active member, now represents Nigeria on this prestigious global platform. Dr. AdébÍÌwálé’s inclusion on the committee is expected to significantly elevate Nigeria’s archival ecosystem.

His contribution will among others, strengthen Nigeria’s visibility and influence within global cultural heritage networks, expand international collaborations that support digitization, preservation training, and institutional partnerships, help position Nigerian literary and artistic archives within major global research platforms and scholarly discussions.

His appointment comes at a crucial time as Nigeria intensifies efforts to document its creative and historical heritage, from literature and visual arts to cultural memory and born-digital collections. The 2025–2029 SLA Executive Committee includes: Heather Dean (Canada)- Chair, Section on Archives of Literature and Art; Dr. André Derval (France); Dr. Heidi Egginton (Scotland); Dr. Sebastian Gurciullo (Australia); Sandrine Guérin (USA); Catherine Hobbs (Canada); Dr. David Sutton (UK); Yayoi Tsutsui (Japan); and Elisabetta Zonca (Switzerland).

This diverse cohort will guide major initiatives such as virtual global events, training programs, collaborative research networks, and the expansion of the WorldWide Directory of Repositories Holding Archives of Literature and Art—one of SLA’s most important international resources.

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