Institute of Benin Studies
18 Ezoti Street,
Off Airport Road,
P.O. Box 12708,
Benin City,
Nigeria.
30th August 2004.
Dear All
PUBLIC APPEAL FOR DONATIONS OF FUNDS AND BOOKS ON EDO PEOPLE
AND RELATED SUBJECTS ITS OPERATION AND LIBRARY.
The Institute for Benin Studies wishes to solicit your donation of funds
and books for its operations and reference library in Benin City, Edo State,
Nigeria. This has become necessary in the light of the difficult financial
situation in which the institute has been forced to function in the last few
years.
The Institute for Benin Studies, a non-governmental and non-profit
organization was established in Benin City, Nigeria in 1995 in response to the
vacuum created by the closure of Center for Social, Economic and Cultural
Studies (CENTER, University of Benin) and the urgent need for creation of an
institutional basis for promoting Edo culture, history and language articulated
by the International conference on Benin studies of March 1992.
Since inception, the Institute for Benin Studies has worked towards
reawakening interest in and promoting research and documentation on Edo people
of Nigeria, their history, culture, language and environment. The objective is
to equip the people with relevant knowledge and information that will empower
and mobilize them for participation in self and community development in a
changing milieu of globalization and pulverization of local cultural identities.
With financial contributions and subscription of founding members and
later donations from well meaning individuals and organizations, the Institute
published Benin Studies Newsletter (suspended since 2001), instituted the annual
Chief Jacob Egharevba Memorial lecture (last held 2003), published text of some
of the lectures (2 out of 6), organized conferences, seminars and symposia on
Edo and African culture and society (2 of the proceedings awaiting publication)
and established a specialized reference library (still functioning)as well as
providing research and documentation guidance for visiting students and
researchers.
In addition projects were proposed and some were even started, only to
be suspended, due to inadequacy and/or lack of funding. The projects kept on
hold are publication of Benin Studies Newsletter, Edo - Edo and Edo - English
Dictionary (started); development of a website, Preservation, translation,
documentation and publication of collected manuscripts of Edo herbal medicine
(started); Edo language and culture audio-visual teaching aids for children (not
started); translation of Iha Ominigbon divination incantations; Edo language
film festival/awards (not started); Edo Biographic documentation project
(started) and Journal of Edo Studies (not started). .
Given that the ongoing globalization promotes only political and socio-
economic programmes serving western hegemonic interest, the international
climate has become unfavourable to the funding of local cultures. This
development has worked greatly against the pursuit of Institutes objectives. As
a result, the Institute has had to depend increasingly on the goodwill of well
meaning individuals in Nigeria and abroad. The institute has no reliable and
regular income or funding to finance its operations and pursue its objectives.
Today the Institute is on the brink of winding its operations, hence this appeal
for assistance.
The Institute's immediate requirements for continued operation are as
follows:
1) Rents-A Three bedroom house and compound by airport
rd- N120, 000.00 p.a
2) Staff Salaries- (for 3 workers) per
month. N30,000.00 N360, 000.00 p.a. .
3) Utilities (electricity and
water) N5,
000.00 per month N 60,000.00 p.a.
4) Office Running
cost.
N5, 000.00 per month N 60,000.00 p.a.
5) Publication of
Newsletter
N10, 000.00 per quarter N 40,000.00 p.a.
Total
N640, 000.00. p.a.
The Institute also requires funding for its above projects and will be
happy to forward the estimates for these projects to would be financiers and
donors, when requested.
All donations will be duely acknowledged in the form directed by the
donor and the expenditure will be made public in the Newsletter and this
website/forum. Donors will also receive the Benin Studies Newsletter and
subsequent publications.
Donations should be sent to Ms Tina O. Iyare, who will collect and
receive on behalf of the Institute. You can e-mail Ms. Iyare
for address to send the donation =
Tinai@ccis.net
Thanks.
Uyilawa Usuanlele
Coordinator-North America
Institute for Benin Studies.
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