Oludamola Adebowale


Oludàmọ́lá Adébọ̀wálé is a Nigerian archivist, historian, writer, and curator, member of the International Council on Archives. He has been recognized for his work in Nigerian history. He is an associate fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a member of the International Council on Archives.

Education and career

Adebowale earned a bachelor's degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in 2008. He also holds diplomas in branding and copywriting from the Lagos Entrepreneurial Business School and the University of Lagos. In recognition of his work in promoting Nigeria's cultural history, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in public administration.
In 2013, he founded ASIRI Magazine as a digital repository of Nigerian history and research. It started as a 33-paged illustration art magazine originally conceived to bridge the gap in historical awareness within Nigerian society and has since evolved beyond its comic roots into a pioneering digital history brand—curating archival images, rare footage, and in-depth research. With the support of various embassies in Nigeria, these editions were translated into French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and other languages. Over a span of two years, the magazine recorded more than 700,000 downloads. It has been described as "a global platform born from his passion to preserve Nigeria's fading history."
Adebowale was a regular contributor to the "Arts and Culture" page of Guardian Life, between 2019-2024, the Sunday magazine of The Guardian newspaper in Nigeria. His articles on topics such as "Women Arise in the face of Misogyny: A Cultural and Historical Perspective," "Jaja of Opobo: Rivers of Oil and Blood," "Re-Discovering the Benin Art: A Universal Vessel for Cultural Importance," and "ÀBÍKÚ: A Thin Line that cuts between Tradition and Science" have been cited by academic scholars both within and outside Nigeria.
In 2021, Adebowale created 1851 Agidingbi, one of Africa's and Nigeria's first variant of the chess game available as both a mobile application and a physical board game.

Exhibitions and other affiliations

Exhibitions curated
Adebowale has curated and produced numerous exhibitions, including:
Participating exhibitions
He has participated in exhibitions as an artist, researcher, and archivist:
  • Lagos: Ownership and Identities
  • Nigeria Re-Envisaged
Film contributions
As a researcher and archivist, Adebowale has contributed his expertise to film productions, including:Funmilayo Ransome Kuti The Man Died
Book publicationsTimeless Memories: Conversation between Wole Soyinka and Ulli Beier. Compiled and Produced by Oludamola Adebowale. Foreword by Prof Olu Obafemi Edited by Prof Olufemi Abodunrin and Prof Mogome MasogaHistory of Lagos: A 10 Digital Compilation Post on ASIRI Magazine. Commissioned by the Rhodes-Vivour Foundation
Archive digitization and preservation projects
His archive digitization and preservation projects include:
  • Digitization of the Archive of Dr. Chief Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi
  • Chief Dr. Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi Museum Booth at the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta
  • Consultant for the JK Centre for Yorùbá Culture & History Museum
  • Onikan House, Loving Lagos
Affiliations