Artefacts
CHILDREN’S DAY CELEBRATION AT NNEWI MUSEUM
Children’s Day is celebrated on 27th May in Nigeria. It was established as a holiday in 1964. It is a public holiday for Primary and Secondary school children. Due to the large size of the country, only a few groups of children (schools or other organizations) are selected to march past in a parade.
The children are usually given treats such as an outing. Sometimes food and snacks brands like Nestle, Indomie noodles etc. are invited to share breakfast packages and branded school supplies to children. In some situations, primary and secondary school children compete in military parades format for a prize which will be given at the end of the competition.
Religious groups in Nigeria also celebrate children’s day in grand style. Many private and public organizations usually put together children’s party for privileged and less privileged children in a bid to give them a sense of belonging.
It is also a day media organization analyze the plight of children in the society and efforts government and non-government agencies make to better a lot of children.
This year, Nnewi Museum decided to host the Children’s Day for the Children of Nnewi. It was hosted on the 27th of May,2024 being Monday.
Prior to the date, Nnewi Museum sent out invites to so many schools in and around Nnewi to avail themselves to be at the Museum and palace on the said date with their students. Parents were also informed to come with their kids personally if they could. Publicity was sent out across different platforms to pass the information far and wide.
On the 27th of May, venue was set to receive the schools and children all over Nnewi. So many schools arrived in their numbers with their school buses. The students were in the presence of their head teachers and school teachers, respectively. Parents and children also came on their own in beautiful attires.
Some of the schools in attendance are Excel International School, Obiuno Otolo Nnewi, Little Bright Angels Nur/Pri School Egbu Umuenem Nnewi, Graceland Nur/Pri School Egbu Umuenem Nnewi, El-Shaddai Nur/Pri School Umuanuaka Otolo Nnewi, Bernice Schools Eziogwugwu Otolo Nnewi and Excellent Field International School Otolo Nnewi.They had over 100 kids in attendance.
Proper registration session took place to ensure that data of the different schools and families are collected and that everyone is accounted for.
Each school was given a thorough and in-depth tour inside and around the museum by a tour guide, in the presence of their teachers who were helping to guide their movements to avoid strays or damage.
They were explained to in details, all the artefacts which the museum holds at the time, ranging from the sculptured gifts from the colonial masters to Igwe Nnewi like the Dog from Poland, Leather bags, Old clippers, steel forged nails for construction, First kind of fire extinguisher, Gas lamp etc.
They were shown artefacts which were gifts to Igwe from his royal visits to different parts of Nigeria like royal huts and traditional serving plates from Shehu of Borno, Royal regalia and sculptured heads from the Oba of Lagos (Badagry), Horse Toba/saddle, stools and brass cups from Emir of Zaria, Traditional mortars from Kano etc.
Pictures of important dignitaries and indigenous philanthropists and industrialists of Nnewi were shown to them in the picture gallery. They were shown the different Obis (traditional heads) of the different parts of Nnewi both past and present. They were shown the Past Kings of Nnewi and their successors till the present King.
Fascinating artefacts from the Palace used at different times and dating as far back as the first Igwe Orizu (I) like the Old Mpanaka, Mortars and Pestles, The thrones and Ceremonial hats used by Igwe Orizu (I, II, III), Black and white TV used in the palace, clocks, mirrors, cloth boxes, royal outfits, saving boxes etc.
During the tour, students were listening while jotting important things to note. The tour guide was entertaining their quick questions and clearing them on any curiosity that arose during the course of the tour.
After the tour, each school exited through the exit door to sit at the courtyard in the museum compound while the rest of the days event rolled out.
Group photos of each schools were taken. They also made shutout videos for the museum while mentioning the names of their schools.
The children had a Question and Answer session with the museum team. Folklore stories were shared too. Several board games like Nchorokoto, Chess, Ludo game scrabble were played.
At the peak of the event, light refreshments were given to the children.
The children had an amazing and beautiful enculturation experience which they would not forget in a hurry.
