Nigeria Cultural Identity Revival Gains Momentum with Art Heritage Drive

Published

1 year ago

July 18, 2025

Nigeria cultural identity revival gains pace as artists, curators and institutions unite to rebuild heritage and reclaim storytelling

Nigeria cultural identity revival is gaining momentum as the country invests in heritage, art, and African-led storytelling.

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The push reflects a broader effort to rebuild historical memory and restore national pride through creative and cultural means.

Ore Disu, cultural strategist and founding director of the Institute of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), explained the shift on Dreaming in Color, a podcast by The Bridgespan Group.

She described art as a powerful vehicle for healing post-colonial wounds and reconnecting fragmented African histories.

“Art and material culture offer a way to erase colonial boundaries,” she said.

“A single bead shows us how trade and innovation thrived across West Africa long before European demarcation.”

Disu noted that beyond repatriating looted artefacts, Nigeria is rebuilding the entire cultural ecosystem—through infrastructure, education, and funding.

“The goal is not just to preserve objects, but to revive the ecosystems that give them meaning.”

In Benin City, MOWAA is emerging as a regional hub for West African culture.

Art and material culture offer a way to erase colonial boundaries.

Though situated in Nigeria, the museum fosters dialogue between local communities and global visitors, trains young curators, and supports traditional practices.

It reflects a shift from merely housing artefacts to actively recontextualising them.

Disu stressed that Nigeria’s resurgence is part of a broader continental movement—one that prioritises African voices, historical complexity, and legacy over loss.

“This sense of reconnection is at the heart of the revival,” she said.

The statement emphasised that MOWAA’s approach redefines museums as spaces for cultural engagement, rather than passive collections.

Also read: Dapo Opayinka: UK-based bilingual Nollywood actor bridging cultures through stage, screen

The movement signals growing calls for African nations to reclaim how they are represented in global culture, on their own terms.

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Oluna’s Ifa Festival Draws Pasuma, Malaika to Owode Egba

Published

1 week ago

November 2, 2026

Peculiar Adirika

Oluna Ifa Festival 2026 brought Pasuma, Malaika, Ibrahim Chatta and other celebrities to Owode Egba for a two-day cultural celebration

Owode Egba in Ogun State became a centre of cultural celebration on October 30 and 31, 2026, as the families of High Chief Ayoola Adeyi Olaifa, the Olu Nla, also known as Oluna of Owode Egbaland, hosted a two-day Ifa Festival featuring prominent Fuji musicians, Nollywood personalities and traditional rulers.

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The event, tagged Ifa Festival ’26, was organised around the theme of heritage, music and community, bringing together residents, visitors and entertainment personalities for two days of cultural activities and live performances.

The first day of the celebration took place at Olunla Villa, Balogun Quarters, Owode Egba, with Fuji musician Sulaimon Alao Malaika leading the entertainment.

He was joined by Alhaji Saheed Bamidele, popularly known as Ife Arawe, guest artiste Olariiki and Awise Mass Kenny, also known as Eyinju Oganla.

Activities continued on Saturday, October 31, at All Saint School 1, Owode Egba, with a bigger entertainment line-up led by Fuji star Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, popularly known as Oganla.

Other performers included Segun Johnson and T.I Blaze, while Nollywood actor Ibrahim Chatta was scheduled to make a special appearance.

Yemi Olade and Kukoyi Adedoyin served as masters of ceremonies for the second day’s programme.

The festival also featured a strong traditional and royal presence. Oba Kolawole Arewa Sowemimo, the Gbadewolu 1 and Olu of Owode Egbaland, was named Royal Father of the Day, while Chief Otunba Michael Oluwole Soretire chaired the occasion.

The gathering brought together traditional leadership and contemporary entertainment, highlighting the role of cultural festivals in celebrating community identity and connecting different generations.

With Fuji performances, celebrity appearances and the presence of traditional rulers, Ifa Festival ’26 provided a platform for residents and visitors to celebrate the heritage and communal spirit of Owode Egbaland.

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The organisers described the event as an opportunity to celebrate culture, tradition and the identity of the community, placing Owode Egba’s cultural heritage at the centre of the two-day gathering.