Culture

President Tinubu urges Eco-Friendly tourism policies across Africa

Published

1 year ago

June 11, 2025

President Tinubu has called on African nations to adopt eco-friendly tourism policies to preserve cultural heritage and boost sustainable development at the 68th UN Tourism Commission for Africa meeting

Eco-friendly tourism must become a priority across Africa to preserve the continent’s cultural heritage and ensure long-term prosperity, President Bola Tinubu has urged.

Also read: Tinubu’s Bold Moves Spark Economic Turnaround: From Subsidy Shocker to Foreign Investment Surge

The Nigerian leader made this call on Wednesday while declaring open the 68th Meeting of the United Nations Tourism Commission for Africa (CAF) in Abuja.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu underscored the importance of sustainable tourism policies that reflect Africa’s unique environmental and cultural contexts.

He emphasised the need for actionable partnerships to boost tourism infrastructure and drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to him, the ultimate goal is to place Africa at the centre of global discussions on tourism as a catalyst for economic growth.

“Through collaboration with regional bodies, such as the African Union, ECOWAS and UN Tourism, Nigeria encourages other African nations to adopt policies promoting eco-friendly tourism and preserving cultural heritage,” the President stated.

This collaborative approach, he said, includes sharing best practices, tourism training, joint marketing for sustainable destinations, and improving infrastructure to facilitate intra-African travel.

President Tinubu highlighted that tourism is far more than travel: “It is an engine of local economies, a catalyst for social understanding, and a bridge that unites cultures.”

He further noted that innovation and technology have reshaped global tourism opportunities, making it essential for the African continent to align its strategies with emerging trends in AI, creativity, and digital transformation.

Also read: President Tinubu’s commitment to culture and tourism highlighted at Ondo centenary celebration

By embracing eco-friendly tourism, Tinubu argued, Africa can secure both environmental integrity and economic advancement—turning the continent into a leading global player in sustainable travel and cultural preservation.

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Culture

WAKE UP! Art Exhibition Returns for a Second Act

Published

1 week ago

August 27, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The contemporary art and photography exhibition “Wake Up!” is back again for a second edition.

Curated by Awele Onwordi, Wake Up! 2 exhibition pays homage to the Nigerian youth and burgeoning street culture which many of its contributing artists reference in their works.

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Titled “Young, Wild, Free”, the exhibition celebrates the creativity, resilience, freedom and cultural influence found in Nigerian youth.

Taking aim at societal issues and economic concerns, the exhibit reflects the youth and their refusal to compromise or bow despite all the challenges stacked against them while charting youth culture through art, music, fashion, skateboarding, photography and community.

The exhibition will be held, once again, at the Angel and Muse Gallery at 25 Sumbo Jibowu street off Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

It will open on Saturday 5 September 2026 and will run until 11 September 2026
This second edition which focuses on celebrating, nurturing and exploring artistic practices rooted in youth and street culture will feature works from DENCITY and SUPERGLIDER HOUSE.

Exhibiting artists include Ajilore Kehinde – their work is deeply influenced by Nigerian street culture and works of other artists like Slawn, Peters Ejiro, etc, Chuka Onwordi – graphic designer who embodies themes of death, melancholy and beauty in his works, ZIDYEP – Abuja based creative whose works move between digital and physical spaces through art, graphic design and air brushing , Franklyn Okoye – graphic designer and artist whose works explore themes of identity and hyper-reality, Awele Onwordi – founder & curator of WAKE UP and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans character art, creative logo design, album covers and more , Oluchi Kogolo – digital illustrator whose work explores street culture, personality and storytelling through a raw and playful visual style and Kozetuo Apeji – multidisciplinary artists who work explores experimental approaches to problem solving through both digital and traditional art forms.

Commenting on the exhibition in her curatorial statement, Awele noted that “despite economic instability, limited opportunities and socio-political challenges, Nigerian youth continue to shape culture through music, fashion, art, skateboarding, raves, photography and community.”

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Continuing and harping on the raison d’etre of the exhibition she said, “Young, Wild and Free exists to celebrate Nigerian youth while also creating a platform that supports and amplifies them.”