US gov’t awards $125,000 grant for preservation of Lejja iron-smelting site

The United States government has awarded a $125,000 grant to support the conservation, digital documentation and physical preservation of the historic iron-smelting site in Lejja, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The grant was presented at the National Museum in Lagos and will be implemented by the Centre For Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo through its “Nchekwaba” Project.

Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, who represented Governor Peter Mbah at the award ceremony, described the development as a historic milestone and a significant partnership in the effort to preserve the state’s cultural heritage for future generations.

Ossai said the grant underscored the importance of preserving the Lejja archaeological site, stressing that its protection would require sustained collaboration among government, heritage institutions and the local community.

“The people of Lejja must remain at the heart of the preservation process, as their knowledge and participation will be central to the site’s long-term sustainability and resilience,” he said.

The Deputy Governor disclosed that the Enugu State Government was already preparing an Executive Bill to be forwarded to the State House of Assembly to provide a legal framework for the protection, preservation and administration of the archaeological site.

He said the proposed legislation would complement ongoing efforts to properly document and preserve the historical significance of Lejja and ensure that its heritage is protected for future generations.

Ossai expressed the state government’s appreciation to the United States Government for the grant and assured the Centre For Memories of the administration’s commitment to the preservation and global promotion of the site.

“On behalf of our Governor, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, we appreciate the US Government for the grant and we assure the Centre For Memories of our collaboration to ensure that the story of Lejja is properly preserved, documented and shared with the world,” he said.

The Deputy Governor said the latest intervention represented an important step towards ensuring that Lejja’s historical significance is properly documented and made accessible to a wider global audience.

The Lejja iron-smelting site is regarded as an important archaeological heritage site in southeastern Nigeria, with evidence of ancient iron production that has attracted scholarly and archaeological interest.

The grant is expected to strengthen efforts to document the site, preserve its physical remains and deepen public understanding of Lejja’s contribution to the history and technological heritage of the region.