Perceptions on cultural significance and heritage conservation: A case study of Sussan Wenger's building, Osogbo, Nigeria

Type Journal Article - African Journal of History and Culture
Title Perceptions on cultural significance and heritage conservation: A case study of Sussan Wenger's building, Osogbo, Nigeria
Author(s)
Volume 3
Issue 5
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2011
Page numbers 73-88
URL http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1381858260_Adeniran and Akinlabi.pdf
Abstract
The built environment is the history of man. The undying stones of monuments are the tables from
which this history can be read. Thus, the life of man in the past, its values in the present and directions
for the future are embellished on these stones. Historic cultural heritages cannot be expressed in any
other better form than in buildings. Sussan Wenger’s building located in Osogbo, Nigeria is one of such
buildings. The fabric of the building is synonymous to the history of this Austrian woman who
indigenized and became a priestess of the Osun goddess in the course of which she was named
“Adunni Olorisa”. The study was carried out to determine people’s perceptions on the cultural
significance and heritage conservation of the building because of the present non-identification of the
building with Osun Grove World Heritage Site despite their obvious relationships. The building has
history, features and associations with the Osun Sacred Grove which has earned recognition as a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO. 203 respondents who are residents of Osogbo were randomly sampled
to determine their perceptions on this historic building. The data obtained were subjected to
multivariate statistical analysis of means (x) and chi squares (?
2
) based on three hypotheses to find a
correlation between respondents and sex, place of origin and rate of observation of the building. Result
shows that attitudes towards the building favour the option of conversion of the building to a Museum
of Art and Culture. Recommendations were made for the heritage promotions of the building through
UNESCO.

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