French Institute Reopens Library

Michael Olugbode

The French Institute in Nigeria has reopened its library in Abuja. The library located at the centre of the town within the institute, is open to the members of the public.

Ms. Onyinye Madu, a Press Officer with the French Embassy in Nigeria, in a statement, said the library was reopened after a year of hard work to renovate the building and to acquire more than 200 new French books.

According to her, “the new library is aimed at the general cultural boost of the institute’s activities.

“The new Médiathèque aims to become a laboratory for innovation, cultural collaborations, and will be at the heart of this institution. It will welcome numerous art exhibitions, debates and performances. It is open to the students, as well as members of the institute, the youth, francophiles and Nigerians.”

She added that, “at the same time as the library, we also inaugurated a new exhibition titled ‘At Home’. This exhibition was organised in partnership with the African Artists’ Foundation and was curated by Dr. Oluwatoyin Sogbesan, in line with the Home Museum project.

“The Home Museum project was launched last year online during the lockdown, by Lagos Photo 2020. All the photographs are part of the Home Museum online collection. This is the first physical exhibition of that collection. Nigerian and French photographers are represented along with many more photographers from Europe and Africa.

“They have been selected without distinction, for their great work capturing objects of virtue in their home. This exhibition symbolises cultural exchanges and unity across borders,” Madu said.