National Museum Spotlights Dufuna Canoe and Lugard Bridge

The National Museum has identified the Dufuna Canoe and Lord Lugard Foot Bridge as key heritage sites in Nigeria. The Dufuna Canoe, discovered in 1987 by a Fulani herdsman named Malam Ya'u near Dufuna village in Yobe State, is estimated to be 8,000 years old, making it the oldest known watercraft in Africa and the second oldest in the world.

Radiocarbon dating places the canoe's creation around 6,000 BCE, measuring 8.4 meters in length and 0.5 meters in height at its tallest point. The canoe reflects advanced woodworking skills and the adaptability of early African societies.

The Lord Lugard Foot Bridge in Lokoja, Kogi State, while modest in size, holds significant historical weight, associated with Frederick Lugard, who served as High Commissioner of Northern Nigeria and later as Governor-General after the 1914 amalgamation. The bridge facilitated movement within the colonial administrative center and symbolizes the broader colonial experience that shaped Nigeria's political and social development.