Commissions
Some families want to build the memorial themselves. Others want an editor to sit with them, record the stories, gather the photographs and write it properly. This is the second kind.
Who it is for
A parent whose papers fill a study. A grandmother whose stories were only ever told aloud. A public figure whose family wants the record kept privately, on their own terms. A commission is for families who want the work done carefully and would rather spend their time remembering than uploading.
We take on a limited number of commissions each year so that every family has one editor from the first conversation to publication. Nothing is published until you have read it and approved it.
What is included
₦300,000. One payment. No renewals.
₦500,000. One payment. No renewals.
The process
You see which stage your commission is at, and what happens next, in your dashboard.
You write to us. We reply within a working day and arrange a conversation. A written proposal follows, with a fixed fee and a timeline.
Your editor records conversations with family and friends, in person or by call, and keeps the recordings for the archive.
Photographs, albums, film, letters and papers are collected, scanned, retouched where needed, and captioned with you.
The biography is researched and written, the timeline built, the design chosen and set for this one person.
You read the draft privately in your dashboard. Approve it, or ask for changes, as many times as needed.
The memorial is published, the book is delivered where commissioned, and stewardship begins.
Enquire
There is no obligation. A conversation first, then a written proposal, then a decision.
Questions
Most Bespoke commissions are delivered in about three weeks from acceptance. Estate Archives usually take six to ten weeks because of on-site scanning and restoration. If a service is imminent we publish a first version in time for it and continue the work afterwards.
Bespoke commissions start from $5,000 and Estate Archives from $15,000. The exact fee depends on the volume of material and the amount of travel. You receive a written proposal before any payment; a deposit is taken on acceptance and the balance when the family approves the draft.
No. Interviews are recorded in person where practical and by call otherwise. For Estate Archives we travel to scan albums and papers on site, so nothing fragile has to be posted.
Your family does. Every recording, scan and draft belongs to you and is kept in your archive vault. You can export all of it at any time, and the memorial can be private or passcode-protected from the first day.
Yes. You can invite relatives as editors, contributors or viewers. Contributors can add stories and photographs that you approve before they appear.