Stakeholders Push for Nigeria’s Representation at COP29 to Boost County’s Heritage

Emma Okonji

Worried that Nigeria does not have any of her heritages recognised and represented in its climate and environmental policies, industry stakeholders have stressed the need for Nigeria’s representation at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP29, which is slated to hold in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11 to 22 November, 2024, to discuss issues that will compel Nigerian government to recognise heritage in her climate change policies.

The stakeholders said this in Lagos, during a symposium on ‘Nigeria Heritage in the Time of Climate Change’ convened by a researcher in heritage and member of International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Mr. Olufemi Adetunji.
The stakeholders want heritage professionals involved in the planning and implementation of many of the climate change interventions, to express their interest to participate in COP29, to be able them discuss matters that will ensure that heritage is well recognised in climate change policies in Nigeria.

“I convened the programme to create opportunity for organisations and professionals involved in conservation and protection of heritage in Nigeria to have opportunity to network, collaborate, and share ideas to protect and better manage many heritage sites, both tangible and intangible, that we have in Nigeria. Not mainly to protect them alone, but to leverage on their values and their significance within our communities for social and economic as well as environmental empowerment for individuals and communities all around Nigeria,” Olatunji said.

CEO, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Biodun Ajiboye, spoke on the effect of climate change on Nigeria’s heritage and the entire humanity. According to him, the danger of flooding has forced migration and displacement of entire communities. He therefore suggested that Nigeria must tap into the ecological fund that is constitutionally provided for in the budget provision; strengthen partnerships and synergies by applying for the world heritage fund at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France and the African world heritage fund in South Africa. Ajiboye called for the establishment of a network of sustainable development by creating a multipronged energy system of hydro, wind, electric and solar alternatives as renewable sources of energy.

Coordinator, National Museum, Nkechi Adedeji, who represented the Director General of National Museum, said the impact of global warming or climate change is evident in extreme weather conditions, such as increased temperature, rainfall, wind, humidity, erosion, soil depletion and deforestation, are negatively impacting on our cultural and natural heritage.

According to her, the damages include, but not exhaustively, cracks on the walls of existing monuments.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Oloruntoyin Atekoja, who represented the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said Lagos State had commenced the development of heritage map, to address some of the challenges.

“We’ve been to Badagry, we’ve been to Ikorodu, and we’ve been to Epe. We’re going to come up with a detailed heritage map to even include the festivals in Lagos State. The state government is committed to achieving sustainable development plans by the year 2030. There are several actions and activities the state has put in place to manage the vulnerability of Lagos state as a coastal area. It’s a well known fact that the state is encircled by bodies of water. Consequently, the most notable crisis that the state potentially faces due to climate change can be attributed to flooding and other water related disasters,” Atekoja said.

To mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and protect our indigenous heritage, awareness and sensitisation serves as the fundamental pillars of our policies. We prioritise the dissemination of knowledge regarding heritage preservation and promote sustainable practices to encourage Lagosians’ active participation in conservation efforts, she further said.