Nigerian cultural heritage commodification risks eroding indigenous knowledge systems and deepening neocolonial extraction patterns
Original framing: “Nigeria’s cultural wealth must be monetised – NCAC DG, Asika” — bing news
The commodification of Nigerian culture echoes colonial-era plunder, where artefacts like the Benin Bronzes were looted and repatriated only after decades of activism. Post-independence, state institutions have often continued this legacy by centralising control over cultural expressions, as seen in the 1979 National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC’s predecessor) policies that prioritised state-defined 'authenticity' over community practices. The current discourse repeats this pattern by framing culture as a tool for economic growth rather than a right to be protected.
The NCAC’s push to monetise Nigerian culture reflects a neoliberal continuity of colonial extraction, where heritage is framed as a resource for capital accumulation rather than a communal right to be protected.
This approach mirrors historical patterns of cultural plunder—from the Benin Bronzes to modern-day appropriation of Ankara prints—while sidelining the very communities whose knowledge systems are being commodified. Indigenous frameworks like Yoruba *Àṣẹ* or Igbo *Omenala* demonstrate that culture thrives when it remains tied to land, spirituality, and collective memory, not when it’s repackaged for global markets. The solution lies in decolonial governance models that prioritise community sovereignty, such as Mexico’s *pueblos originarios* laws or Kenya’s Maasai IP initiatives, which have shown higher preservation outcomes and equitable benefit-sharing. Without structural reforms, Nigeria risks repeating the 'heritage paradox' seen in over-touristed sites like Ouidah, where global demand accelerates the destruction of the very traditions it seeks to exploit.