The Archives of the Cultural Centre in Ibadan is a network focused on preserving and digitizing the political and cultural records of Western Nigeria. This initiative is part of a larger project called Alternative Heritage, funded by the French Embassy, and has emerged from previously neglected government files found in the Oyo State Secretariats. The goal of the initiative is to protect fragile yet invaluable documents that capture the lived experiences of governance, labor, education, and everyday bureaucratic life in postcolonial Nigeria.
We currently maintain extensive archival collections that include the ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture, Finance, Works, and Local Government, in addition to records from universities, student organizations, state corporations, and public enterprises. These archives highlight Nigeria’s rich history. Our objective is to facilitate public access to and engagement with Nigeria's heritage of governance, culture, and collective memory, ensuring that these histories inform scholarship, civic reflection, and future generations.
This hub is operated by the Oyo State Council for Arts and Culture in Ibadan, in collaboration with the French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA-Nigeria), and is supported by the French Embassy through the Fonds Équipe France (FEF). It is part of the "Alternative Heritage" initiative, which aims to digitize and

Adekunle Agboola (General Manager, Oyo State Council for Arts and Culture), Femi Olanrewaju (Researcher and FEF Coordinator), Dr Pauline Guinard (Director, IFRA-Nigeria), Dr Delphine Manetta (Deputy Director, IFRA-Nigeria), Mr Abraham, Archivist, Adejoke, Adetoro (Historian and Researcher) and the “alternative archivists” of the Cultural Centre.