SUPPORT US
Dear all,
Public Appeal For Donations Of Funds And Books On Edo People and Related Subjects It's 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)
- 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:
| Rents | 3 bedroom house | N120, 000.00 p.a | |
| Staff Salaries | 3 Staff per month. | N30,000.00 | N360, 000.00 p.a. . |
| Utilities | electricity and water | N5, 000.00 per month | N60,000.00 p.a. |
| Office Running cost. | N5, 000.00 per month | N60,000.00 p.a. | |
| Publication of Newsletter | N10, 000.00 per quarter | N40,000.00 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 donationTinaiigho@yahoo.com