No Country Has Matched Nigeria’s FESTAC ’77 — CBAAC DG Aisha Augie …Says Nigeria leads Africa in cultural diplomacy and creative innovation

By Iyojo Ameh

The Director General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Aisha Adamu Augie, has said that no country in the world has been able to replicate the scale and impact of Nigeria’s FESTAC ’77, the iconic Festival of Arts and Culture held in 1977.

Speaking in Abuja after a meeting with the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Augie emphasized Nigeria’s continuing leadership in cultural diplomacy and the creative sector across Africa.

“FESTAC at 50 is coming up in 2027, and no country in the world has been able to host a pan-African cultural festival that was as good as FESTAC ’77,” she stated. “FESTAC ’77 brought infrastructure—roads, the National Theatre, hotels—it was more than just an event.”

Augie clarified that the 50th anniversary of the original FESTAC is not a re-proposal but a planned commemoration of Nigeria’s rich cultural legacy.

While speaking on the agency’s engagement with lawmakers, she noted that the meeting focused on strengthening collaboration and tackling long-standing institutional challenges. Chief among these, she said, is inadequate funding.

“Funding has been our main challenge,” she said. “But we are hopeful. For 2025, we’ve received improved budgetary support thanks to the efforts of the Senate Committee.”

Augie further emphasized the importance of the creative and cultural industries in job creation and economic development, citing traditional attire as a practical example.

“Everyone here is wearing traditional clothes. That’s a job. Somebody made those garments,” she said. “We’re not just looking at arts in isolation. We’re looking at the entire creative and cultural value chain.”

She stressed the need for Nigerians to embrace and invest in their cultural identity, noting that through innovation and local production, the sector can drive employment and national pride.

“We want to inspire more people to create jobs using our creative and cultural space,” she added.

With the FESTAC ’77 legacy and the approaching 50th anniversary, Augie said Nigeria is well-positioned to reclaim global attention as the cultural heart of Africa, urging greater support for the country’s creative and cultural initiatives.