As Nigeria joined the international community to mark the World Heritage Day (WHD), Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has frowned on cultural imperialism holding Nigerians down and called on the people to do away with what he described as “cultural enslavement.”
Addressing the 2026 WHD held at the Tropicana Event Centre (TEC), Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Prof Soyinka, expressed regret that those factors constituting traditional norms and values that determine a people have been relegated to the background, and called for their reinvention for national identity.
The nonagenarian stressed the need to revive and reinvent these cultural elements as a foundation for national identity.
The award-winning writer urged people to “do away with cultural enslavement,” questioning the place of national heritage in a society where many no longer understand symbolic artworks that reflect their history and traditions.
“People should be allowed to freely exhibit, express, and celebrate their culture and traditions,” Soyinka said, describing culture as “the totality of man”.
The Nobel Laureate’s remarks come amid growing concerns about the impact of foreign cultural influences on local traditions and creative expression.
At the event, Governor Umo Eno, represented by his deputy, Akon Eyakenyi, reaffirmed Akwa Ibom State’s ambition to position itself as a major global tourism destination.
She invited international visitors to live, invest, and experience the state’s cultural offerings.
The deputy governor highlighted the richness of Akwa Ibom’s heritage, citing traditional music, folklore, hospitality, and local cuisines.
She also pointed to vibrant cultural practices, including dances, masquerades, and annual festivals.
A major attraction, she noted, is the state’s annual Yuletide festival, which brings together all 31 local government areas to showcase their unique traditions.
The deputy governor reiterated the administration’s commitment to leveraging culture and tourism as key drivers of identity and economic growth in the state.
