Museum receives “gorilla soap” statue

KIGALI - Sulfo Rwanda Industries, Friday, donated a 200 kilogram gorilla model to the Natural History Museum in Kigali City.The gorilla made entirely of soap, standing at1.9 metres tall, had remained at Sulfo Rwanda Industries premises for 21 years. It was named “Digit” in memory of Dian Fossey’s favourite gorilla.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
200 kilogram model Gorilla 'Digit' was donated to the museum (Courtesy photo)

KIGALI - Sulfo Rwanda Industries, Friday, donated a 200 kilogram gorilla model to the Natural History Museum in Kigali City.

The gorilla made entirely of soap, standing at1.9 metres tall, had remained at Sulfo Rwanda Industries premises for 21 years. It was named "Digit” in memory of Dian Fossey’s favourite gorilla.

Fossey was an American zoologist who studied gorillas in the Virunga National Park for 18 years.

Alphonse Umulisa, the Director General of the Institute of the National Museums of Rwanda, commended Sulfo’s contribution to the museum’s archive and urged the community to donate to the museum important historical pieces they may come upon.

"Digit is a very important addition to the museum and has come to his real home. He will attract more tourists as a piece that survived throughout the historical period of Rwanda,” Umulisa said.

The Director General of Sulfo Rwanda, Hariharan Dharmarajan, said that "Digit” was made by an unknown artist who worked at the industry 21 years ago but had been protected through the ages because of his spectacular size.

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