HUMSS - Zainab Musa Shallangwa

Same People, Shifting Places: Cultural Memory and Identity Reconstruction in Monguno Resettled Community, Borno State, Nigeria

A considerable number of studies have looked at the devastating effects of the dreadful Boko Haram insurgency and its attendant forced displacement concentrated mainly in North east Nigeria. It can be argued however, that not so much attention has been given to exploring the stories of resettled populations after the attainment of relative peace and normalcy that has seen the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral homes. As such, there is an imbalance in the narratives on the effects of the insurgency. Using the photo voice methodology, my aim in this study is to capture the narratives of the resettled people of Monguno, Borno State, Nigeria. It is an effort to underscore how they are able to navigate survival post resettlement while reconstructing their cultural memory and identity. These accounts will reflect current realities having returned to their communities after being displaced for about a decade as a result of the violent activities of the Boko Haram insurgents. It will hopefully establish the link between the past and the present and make projections for the future in terms of threats to cultural heritage and its sustainability. In this presentation, I will introduce the problem, objectives and the methodology of the study. Some preliminary findings of the study will be presented at the end.