Archiving Nigeria

This is what a typical room that houses troves of Nigerian history looks like. Forgotten and dark, yet full of light.

On the morning I arrived at the National Library Abuja, the librarian wasn’t certain of the room that housed the old newspapers. And when she confirmed the location, the key to the room was inaccessible. Until some back and forth. In a correspondence with my supervisor regarding the situation, she replied, "love the 'after the back and forth,' so relatable."

In this image, but for the sake of an intruding light, you cannot tell the state of these papers. The light reveals the state of the papers, not directly. But from the shadows cast by this force, you can see a falling-apart. That’s the state of Nigerian history.

Now, Archivi.ng is stepping up to the occasion. They are on a mission to reconcile that gap, to salvage what’s left, effectively preventing a permanent falling apart.