 Raddwynglo Gwlu y Prifysgol o'r aesydd yn mynd i gwybod eu cynhyrch o'r siart am hyn o'u hynod, a'u ei bach a'i gwneud o'r gwneud sy'n gwybod sut gwirionedd y wneud ac cyd-degydd o'r gyfliwyr wedi'i gwneud o'r Gwlu'r Sefyll, oherwydd ond yn bach nodd y ddweudod y gwbeithio'n prifysgol oedd gennymig maen nhw'n mynd i Nigeria, yn y fewoedd eu tionfynol yn daeth i ddweud i'r newid i'r ffordd ynghyrch a phrygu sydd the United States Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, AFCP. The AFCP supports the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in more than 100 countries around the world, including Nigeria. Well joining us to discuss this is Stephen Ibelli. He's the Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate Lagos. It's good to have you join us. Thank you so much. It's really, really great to be here and as they say in Nigeria, how are you doing? How far now? How far now? Are you doing Kempe? Of course I am. OK. So it's interesting to hear about the Ambassador's Fund. When I saw some of the pictures online, I was very interested. Tell us, give us a brief background into the Ambassador's Fund and why the U.S. Government is backing this. Now that's a great question, Mary Ann. And so this really started in 2003. Congress passed this law where we fund cultural preservation around the world. And so we funded projects in over 137 countries. The program started in Nigeria in 2011. And since then we've done about 10 projects for over a million, a million dollars. And really the intent of the law and the intent of Congress was really to show respect and appreciation for the cultures around the world, for the countries that we work in, for the countries that we really operate in and really live every day. As diplomats, we don't just visit countries, we live in the countries, we breathe the countries, we eat the food in the countries. And so it's a great way to show that kind of respect. And it's a really wonderful program. It's interesting. As we know, the U.S. is a strong supporter of efforts to preserve these cultures, just as you said. And I read that you have so far preserved projects in several states across the Federation for the past four years, if not more. I want to know some of the states that you've gone to. The most recent one is Oshobu, which everybody has seen. But tell us why Oshobu most recently. Yeah, it's a project for the sacred grove. And it's important to remember this is a competition. And so organizations apply for these grants. And so there was a grant he called SIARC. They're an organization out of California, actually started by an Iraqi immigrant who cared about his country's heritage and wanted to pay that forward to other countries. And so they are working in the sacred grove in one of the shrines there that was unfortunately damaged. But what they're doing is really using technology. So it's like technological archaeology. And they're mapping the shrine, a 3D map. And so they will know from this 3D map then how they can reconstruct it. Because if you don't really have a roadmap, if you don't know, if you don't have a map in front of you, how do you know where you're going? And so this is the intent of this project. Are they working with people who are like, let's say, because where I come from you have someone who preserves shrines. So he's like a chief in charge of the shrine. And they seem to know more about the shrines and even the architecture of it. So are they working in collaboration with people like that? Yeah, no, absolutely. And really, I think the success of this program is the partnerships that we make. And so we have a partnership with the National Commission of Museums and Monuments. We have partnerships even with the king there, a Shobo sacred grove, and all of the organizations. There's also the Alrissa Trust as well. There's a trust there that we work with, a Duni Alrissa Trust AOT. And with all of those partners who are interested in really preserving the sacred grove, I think we've really had a wonderful project. And that's just one example of all the projects that we've done here. The average person who's watching obviously wants to say, well, I have a beautiful place in my area where it needs preservation. But you spoke about the competency part of it, and I want to know how that works because, of course, whoever's watching now is more interested. Why should people compete? Well, the applications are open until December 5th, and so we really welcome any of those projects to preserve. It's all on our website, which is ng.usmbc.gov. There's all the rules there, what sort of we fund, what we don't fund. For example, we don't build really buildings. We're more interested in the preservation of cultures. We've even done preservation of oral cultures. That was the Ifa oral heritage in Oyo State. That was one of our past projects. And so it's a worldwide competition, but Nigeria has done very well because Nigeria has such a rich heritage. It has such a rich history. We have another project, a really large one in Epe. That's my culture. Preserving the Ejebu Kingdom. Oh, that's Ekwe? Ekwe, exactly. Preserving the canals that are around and really defining where they are as well. We're going to be doing that with Lidar technology from the air. Very similar to what they're doing in Ashobo on the ground, using this kind of, again, technological archaeology. I think we think we're digging in the ground and we're dusting off fossils with our brushes, but it's really technical with archaeology these days. Interesting. One of the things that I find very disturbing about preserving cultures and traditions is the fact that we're basically just listening to it because we feel that we're more civilized now and so we tend to put them at the back. I've noticed that I've visited some places where the museums, the monuments are no longer really taken care of, these sites. I think two years ago I was visiting the old governor of the colonial governor's home. It was literally dead, the building was almost falling down. And so I'm asking, when these monies are being given, when the funding takes place, is there some form of education for people to continue to maintain those sites because it's not enough to make it look good and refurbish it if there be any form of refurbishing, but then after a while it's abandoned again. Is there a follow-through, are there people who make sure that that doesn't happen? That's a great question, Marianne, and part of a lot of the grants is training. In a shobo, for example, they're training a new generation about how to take care of these shrines, how the construction methods, how they actually do it, and so there's always a component and there's always a local component with our Jebo Kingdom grant. We're working with three archaeologists from Ibadon and also from Ife. So that is really the strength of this program are these partnerships that we form because it's not just an American NGO, it's not just the consulate, it really is a community. It really does take a village in some of these cases and that is how you propagate these into the future because if you really want to know where you're going as a culture, you need to also know where you have been and to be able to really hold on to that cultural heritage, to really savor it, to relish it, and to bring it out. And that's really what we try to do with this fund. You mentioned the sites, your sites where people need to go to get the rules and the regulations. Are there age limits? Are they open to non-governmental organisations or governments or government agencies? Yeah, they're mostly open to non-government agencies and government agencies, cultural institutions, museums. You see all kinds of different organisations apply. We always like to see the partnerships, so we like to see one organisation maybe working with another organisation as well. The minimum is $10,000 and the maximum is $500,000. So that's sort of the floor and the ceiling, $10,000 to $500,000. And the website really spells it out exactly what you need. Your first kind of do a concept paper and if that's accepted then we ask for sort of a more detailed budget. So again, it's ng.usmbc.gov, apply until December 5th. Okay, let's quickly talk about the places that you've visited, our sites from Oshogel. I saw some monoliths that look like some from my place and you did mention off-camera. So tell us some of the places you've visited. Yeah, that's the Ecom Rock Carvings and they're from Cross River State and also Jigawa State. And again, that shows you the breadth of this fund that we work north to south. And it really again depends on sort of the proposals. But unfortunately COVID disrupted that, but we're just getting back on track because the plan is that we're going to actually exhibit those rock carvings in Calaba at the National Museum, which is a wonderfully beautiful oasis of calmness and beauty. Have you been there lately? I was there a few months ago, yes. Yeah, but it's closed down. Well, it's in an old colonial building and we're doing some refurbishment there as well with the library. So it does operate, but they have a beautiful exhibition space so we're going to do it there. And then we're also going to do it at the National Museum in Lagos. Oh, great. So you work with the AFCT, sorry, I beg your pardon. The NCTDA, that's the Tourism Guys. Do you work with the National Museums and Monuments? It's mostly the National Commission for Museums and Monuments. That's our partners. And really that's the entity that's also responsible for the upkeep of these museums. And as a matter of fact, we're really getting close also to a cultural treaty with the government in Nigeria. And that will really set a framework for further cooperation. For example, the return of the Benin bronzes that are located in some museums in the United States. So we're really looking forward to making progress and signing that at a future date as well. Well, one more time, can we get that website before we go? Sure, ng.us embassy.gov. Okay. You've been here for some time. Where have you visited and what meals have you tried? Well, I've been to most of the states in the south. The consulate of Lagos is really responsible for the states in the south. So Oyo, Ando, been to lots of cities as well, Port Harcourt, Oyo. Did you try the bole and the fish in Port Harcourt? I had the fisherman's soup in Calabod, delicious, very, very good. And so, yeah, I mean, we try all the foods everywhere we go. I think my favorite is probably catfish pepper soup like that as well. O'Fatha was good, a little hot for me, very spicy, very, that was a challenge. But I tried and succeeded I think to some degree. Have you tried Amala? Yes, I have, of course. Yeah, no, that's, you know, that's a signature. I mean, that's, you know, bring it. So, yeah, no, but it's really wonderful. I mean, it's wonderful meeting the people. We have wonderful partners, really wonderful partners, who are passionate about all of the different things we do, whether it's women in STEM, whether it's the cultural preservation or whether it's working with young people or civic activism. We have over 8,000 alumni in this country from our program exchanges, and they are so active, so optimistic, and so energetic, and we just love working with them. It's beautiful, and I want to appreciate you. We're hoping that you keep us up to date with the more of these activities that you're doing across the country, because this is how we preserve our culture and continue to bring them to life. Absolutely. Tiffany Belly is, of course, of the US consulate here in Lagos. We want to thank you for being part of the conversation. Thank you so very much, Maryann. Thank you for the great work. Well, thank you all for staying with us. We'll take a short break now to hear what Nigerians believe as regards of Governors having a hand in the selection of their successors. We'll return, and I'll give you my take. We don't need to fight for ourselves. Let the masses fight for their self. We should not say go for that reason, for anything. We don't have any reason to say, we have this person that will enter if we leave there. No, I don't think so. I don't just think so, because the government is for the people and for the people by the people. So I think the people have to make their choices, not for them being there. Well, thank you all for being part of the conversation. Don't forget, be part of the political process. Do not just get your voter's card, but join a political party to the whichever one you choose. Wherever you want to join, whatever ideology you think the party holds, it would be good for you because you can be part of the decision making in your community, in your states and, of course, in the country. I'm Mary Anacorn. Thank you for joining us. Have a good evening.