New Manuscript Preservation Efforts in Maiduguri

8 December 2025

During his recent trip to Nigeria, CSMC researcher Dmitry Bondarev visited the University of Maiduguri and the Centre for Kanuri Ajami and Qur’anic Studies to pave the way for future initiatives to enhance the conservation and study of written heritage in North East Nigeria.

After fourteen years, Dmitry Bondarev returned to the University of Maiduguri (UniMaid) to explore the renewal of joint initiatives between the CSMC and UniMaid. During the previous Memorandum of Understanding (2015–2020) between the two institutions, two UniMaid researchers, Usman Al-Amin and Abande Shettima, completed their PhDs at the University of Hamburg. Additionally, several scholars from UniMaid participated in collaborative training workshops held in Bamako (2015), Hamburg (2016), and Kaduna (2017).

A key area of collaboration that remains to be fully developed is the safeguarding of manuscripts in North East Nigeria. The protection and study of written cultural heritage are central goals of the Centre for Research and Documentation in Trans-Saharan Studies (CTSS), established at UniMaid in 1986. In 2019, CTSS founded a conservation laboratory, funded by the Prince Claus Fund and the Whiting Foundation, and coordinated by Michaelle Biddle. Now, under the leadership of Muhammad Mai Abubakar, CTSS is poised to advance the collection, preservation, and digitisation of the region’s written heritage. This timely development holds the promise of revitalising the partnership between UniMaid and CSMC.

During his recent visit, Bondarev met with CTSS staff and the Vice Chancellor of UniMaid, Mohammed Laminu Mele, who expressed strong support for the initiative. Discussions are already underway for a new MoU between the institutions.

Bondarev’s visit to Maiduguri also coincided with activities at the Centre for Kanuri Ajami and Qur’anic Studies (CKAQS) at the recently established Kashim Ibrahim University. Given his research interests in the historical linguistics of Kanuri and Qur’anic annotations in Old Kanembu, he took the opportunity to connect with CKAQS and learn about its many projects. The initial exchange of ideas that took place in November 2025 is anticipated to pave the way for future collaboration in the preservation and study of Kanuri Ajami heritage.