The Igbo-Ukwu museum in Anambra state is sup­posed to be one of the leading museums in Nigeria, but all is not well with the treasure house – on account of years of neglect and pilfering of its conent of its price­less artifacts. Agozino Agozino, who visited the museum, recent­ly, writes on the almost abandon antiquity house. Igbo Ukwu Museum run by the Anambra State Ministry of Youths, Sports and Culture, is one of the few museums owned by State governments in Nige­ria. And like other repositories across the country, the museum has suffered unrelieved neglect. The first thing that greets a vis­itor, on arriving at the entrance to the antiquity house, is that the Power Holding Company of Ni­geria (PHCN) has disconnected it for many years. And no one could tell what is being done about it or why the building, which houses priceless Igbo heritage would be in darkness. Since 2007, when the museum was disconnected from the public electricity supply, for non-pay­ment of bills as gathered by Daily Times, it has remained in dark­ness. Apart from lack of electric­ity, the museum has no source of running water. Going inside the museum proper, one is shocked as to what the entire museum looks like. The walls and ceiling showed signed of having soaked up water for months, if not for many years, and to worsen mat­ters, the ceiling is hanging inse­curely. Founded in 1989 according to sources, the Igbo-Ukwu Museum comprises six sections. Sadly, however, the remnants of exhib­its in the museum are covered by dust and the whole house looks unkempt. Apart from the fact that this is a museum that took off to a flying start only for it to suddenly lose steam, and would be abandoned for decades, every­thing inside the museum looks abandoned. Although a national museum now operates in Igbo-Ukwu, but the Igbo-Ukwu museum opened years before the National Com­mission for Museum and Monu­ment (NCMM) station started in the town, which is part of Agua­ta Local Government Area of Anambra State is a sorry sight. Daily Times gathered that neglect by the successive Anambra State government may explain why, to­day, the structure is a shell of its old self. When it was founded, the museum represented hope. But, today, that hope has been dashed. The museum is almost buried by weeds; the walls are damp, and the roofs are virtually caving in. Unfortunately, efforts by Daily Times to talk to the curator of the museum, which stands on Ekwu­luobia-Nnewi road was abortive, as one staff, who craved anonym­ity, said that permission must be obtained before the curator can talk. Like many other museums in Nigeria, the Igbo-Ukwu Museum had been targeted by looters, and over the years, priceless pieces of ancient bronze, sculptures, brass heads, wooden heads, masks and doors have been looted and in most cases, end up in Europe. In one instance, the looters of the museum, dealt the security guards a telling blow. At another time, the thieves carted away several original ancient artifacts – including a wooden face mask, believed to be shrine piece. Traditional ruler of Igbo-Uk­wu, Igwe Martin Eze, said that uncountable artifacts and other ancient art works have so far been stolen from the museum. “It is a sad thing for us here, that art thieves don’t even respect our culture. They have looted this museum on several occasion and at each time taking away many of the artifacts in this place,’’ Eze said. “Three chieftaincy sword’’ a ceremonial staff, two bronze bells, five bronze amulet, five ivo­ry bangle and three face masks were also listed among what had been looted. The Igbo-Ukwu Museum origin could be said to date as far back to 1939, when Mr. Isaiah Anozie dis­covered many bronze sculptures, while digging to build a cistern in his compound. -

See more at: http://m.dailytimes.com.ng/article/igbo-ukwu-museum-tears#.VMxz3KNOnFo

U dey mind those fools,those brown roofs shows that west witnessed civilisation a long time ago,some of those brown roofs is even older than their great grandfather

yemaldo:
U dey mind those fools,those brown roofs shows that west witnessed civilisation a long time ago,some of those brown roofs is even older than their great grandfather

**grins** Ayo fayose our man has made it a criminal offence to build mud houses without toilet. I know you are planning to build one in Ekiti. Try it and go to jail. **LOLS**

I tot ukwu mean AS*S. So Igboukwu means IGBOASS

Lol a yolobaman searching endlessly to loacate mudhouse and dirty roofs in East.