Nigerian-Brazilian History Project appoints Adebowale as its Senior Curator

Yinka Olatunbosun

Cultural activist, Oludamola Adebowale has been appointed as the Senior Curator, Nigerian-Brazilian History Project. With his new role, he is expected to work closely with the project coordinator and senior editors to achieve the project’s overall aims and objectives. The Nigerian-Brazilian Public History Project is an initiative that seeks to recover the extensive contributions of Afro-Brazilians and their descendants to Nigerian society since their arrival in West African communities from the early nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. The project will curate, archive and disseminate various aspects of social, cultural, religious, economic and political life of Nigerians of Afro-Brazilian descent to the transformation of Nigerian society in pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial contexts.

Adebowale is the creative director and founder of ASIRI Magazine, Nigeria’s foremost vanguard when it comes to history, great archival content and well researched contents. His research works with ASIRI Magazine have been featured in Top Colleges, Universities and Academic Institutions all over the world. He is a major contributor to the Arts and Culture pages of Guardian Life – the Sunday Magazine of Nigeria’s Guardian newspaper. His well-researched articles on topics like Women Arise in the face of Misogyny: A Cultural and Historical Perspective; Jaja of Opobo: Rivers of Oil and Blood; Re-Discovering the Benin Art: A Universal Vessel for Cultural Importance; ÀBÍKÚ: A Thin Line that cuts between Tradition and Science, have been cited by Academic scholars within and outside Nigeria.

Oludamola was one of the few Nigerians selected for the Horniman Museums and Gardens (UK) for the #ThenandNowNigeria at 60 Interrogative Project. As a Heritage Specialist, Oludamola has work on the importance of language and was cited in France info Africa, a major news website based in France on why Genevieve Nnaji’s movie titled “Lion Heart” was disqualified from the 2020 Oscars Selection.

As a curator, Oludamola has curated and produced exhibitionsfor the Ogun State Government, such as African Drum Festival’sTimeless Memories Project for Prof. Wole Soyinka in 2018,2019 and 2020 and Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi’sMuseum Booth at Federal Polytechnic, Osiele, Abeokuta. His other shows had been featured at cultural hubs like Terra KultureLagos, The British Council, Lagos Book and Art Festivals, Freedom Park and lastly his latest project Vintage Nigeria Digital Campaign (A Nigeria at 60 Archival Celebration of the Past Times) Collaboration with The Rockefeller Archive Center and Ford Foundation.

“For me, the appointment is a welcomed development,” Adebowale remarked. “As a culture activist, historian and curator, I have dealt with numerous narratives about the Nigerian-Brazilian community; history in pre-colonial times and also created projects/ body of works on the subject-matter. More also, I have always wanted to do something on a larger scale that would impact more people across the border. This right here is that opportunity I have been waiting for”.

Adebowale expressed his eagerness to bring the organization aims and objectives to fruition within the stipulated time.

The project through its website is aimed towards providing useful materials that underscore the enormous role of Afro-Brazilians in West African public and private life, serve as important teaching tools from elementary to tertiary levels, provide resources for research and scholarship, and knowledge.