A very large number of Nigeria’s priceless artefacts left Nigeria’s shores long before the country came into being as an independent nation. The high point was the infamous assault on Benin in 1897. Dispossessing Nigerians of their heritage went on throughout the period of colonial domination and more recently it has been rearing its ugly head through looting of heritage archaeological sites and museums.

The diplomatic excellence and the strategies adopted in reversing the strained relationship occasioned by Nigeria’s military dictatorship and getting America to smile to Nigeria once more, thereby quickening the march to democratization, will remain in Africa’s book of diplomacy for the benefits of present and future generations.

Emenike Ogwo is one of the great painters of Nigeria’s traditional contemporary art, and ever since he graduated from the Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State, in 1994, he has shown his love for his immediate environment, and most times, draws attention to it through most of his works.

Recently, the classic African novel “Things Fall Apart” by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe was translated into Persian by Ali Hodavand and released in Iran. Nasrin Pourhamrang, Editor-in-Chief of Hatef Weekly Magazine interviewed the author on a wide range of topics from Art, culture and literature;politics, cultural and linguistic preservation; to the legacy of colonialism and his forthcoming book there was a Country-A personal history of Biafra.

AUGUST 2012 marks nine decades of the museum movement in Nigeria which started in 1922, with Esie museum, being the first to be established in 1945 by the colonists.