By Goodness Sunday
It was a day of joy and excitement for the leaders of tomorrow as Legacy 1995, a Non-governmental organization saddled with the responsibility of maintaining the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) museums in Lagos, staged a joint exhibition that hosted students from Yaba College of Technology Secondary School, Seylek City College, Mbari-Mbayo Secondary School, Dele College Nursery and Secondary, Holy Family Children School and Berrom School on Saturday May 27, 2023 at the Jaekel House-Railway Museum.
Legacy 1995 goal is to preserve, restore and promote the historical and environmental heritage of the past and to pass on from generation to generation.
The aim of the event was to sustain schools children’s wellbeing and expose them to the history and heritage of the Railway over the years.
Children’s Day is observed in Nigeria annually on May 27 to celebrate all children. Schools engage in social activities such as excursions, et-cetera while organizations both governmental and non-governmental reach out and create awareness for children on this day.
The joint exhibition was in collaboration with the Nigerian Philatelic Service, the Centre for Research Institute, CRIMMD, Slum Art Foundation, Seun Alli and Media and Museum Development.
“It is an avenue to create an awareness and expose the children in art, using this opportunity to bring various schools together and celebrate with them. Most of these children might end up loving what they see and end up being part of it in the future” said Mrs. Oiwoh Helen a guest at the event.
The students took turns moving around seeing various art displays of Railway and creativity in general. Victor Kotin, a student of Slum Art enjoyed the event and was happy to show his creativity of art to other students.
During a chat with one of Mbari-Mbayo Secondary School students, Ozioko Paska, he said “we learnt a lot of things about Nigerian Railway Corporation and about Stamps and Postal services which I actually did not know that much about. I want to enter the train and I hope this event would be bigger so a lot of schools could get what we got today. I want to enter the train”.
Vice President of Legacy 1995, Mr. Taiye Olaniyi stated that the Railway Museum in Jaekel House was built in 1898 and still standing, “the documentation and archiving of the artifacts of the great historical past, preservation of iconic sites of the Railways have fostered ongoing research and efforts at the digitalization of the findings and results.
“I want to express our appreciation and seek further collaborative efforts of the Railway Management to the herculean task of preservation restoration and promotion of anything considered of heritage importance to both parties as is the practice in the advanced climes”.
A guest from National Museums of Nigeria, Mrs. Nkechi Adedeji said “We have different Railway stations from different parts of the country, from Offa, Jedda, Lagos, et-cetera. Then we have seen the Rail exhibition, how it was used to transport goods and services in those days. Also the Stamp exhibition where we have different stamps from different parts of the country and Stamps that have prominent people of Nigeria. We were educated on the use of Stamp and the importance of Stamp.”
Still on the exhibition, Dr Raphael James of CRIMMD Archival Museum of Nigeria came to the event with community trend concept which helped the children gain one or two knowledge about the Rail transport, something different from what they have been taught in the class room.
