The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is proud to announce a pivotal moment in its journey toward establishing the Abuja Native Heritage Centre. From August 14–16, 2025, CHRICED’s Executive Director, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, undertook a deeply reflective pilgrimage to Montgomery, Alabama—visiting the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, and The Legacy Museum.

In a powerful essay titled “A Journey Through Memory and Moral Reckoning: Montgomery and the Vision for the Abuja Native Heritage Centre,” Dr. Zikirullahi chronicles his experience confronting the brutal legacy of racial terror, slavery, and systemic injustice. His reflection draws critical parallels between African and African-American histories and calls for a bold reimagining of heritage work in Nigeria.

“Montgomery taught me that history is not behind us—it is within us,” writes Dr. Zikirullahi. “The Abuja Native Heritage Centre must not only preserve culture—it must interrogate it. It must confront the uncomfortable, challenge the powerful, and inspire the oppressed.”

The Abuja Native Heritage Centre, currently in development, will serve as a landmark cultural, historical, and research facility dedicated to preserving and interrogating the rich heritage of Nigeria’s indigenous peoples—particularly the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory. Inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative’s transformative work, the Centre will integrate memory, truth-telling, and civic education to foster healing, accountability, and transatlantic dialogue.

CHRICED invites partners, scholars, and civic leaders to engage with this vision and contribute to the Centre’s development. The full essay is available on CHRICED’s website and will be featured in upcoming institutional publications.

Media Contact

Furera Isiaka

CHRICED Communications Desk
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.chriced.org
📍 Abuja, Nigeria