Every year, World Tourism Day highlights the power of tourism to drive cultural and societal development. This year, we at EUDiF celebrate the invaluable contributions of diaspora in preserving cultural heritage, enriching heritage tourism, and introducing innovative practices.
During the first phase of EUDiF, we explored how diaspora-led tourism initiatives strengthened local heritage preservation and tourism development in Moldova and Sierra Leone. This year, our focus turns to Nigeria, where diaspora and local expertise join forces to preserve festival and cultural traditions in Ikorodu.
Why Ikorodu?
Ikorodu, a city within the Lagos State, is renowned for its deep-rooted cultural identity and vibrant traditions. Its festivals, histories, masquerades, and ceremonies, such as the annual Ikorodu-Oga Day and Isese celebrations, form an integral part of Nigeria’s intangible heritage and attract both local and international interest.
Yet, like many cultural communities, Ikorodu faces challenges of modernisation, globalisation, and rapid digital transformation. Local custodians often lack the access to the resources and digital skills needed to promote their heritage, risking being overlooked in the global cultural landscape.
Empowering local custodians
In August 2025, diaspora expert Yemisi Mokuolu from Hatch Ideas UK and local experts from IGA Nigeria Ltd. led a ten-day training program that brought together 50 local cultural custodians from eight Lagos Kingdoms. Hosted by HRM Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, the initiative went beyond capacity development: it created a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning.
Traditional leaders, custodians, and heritage practitioners explored ancestral knowledge through contemporary innovations, encouraging participants to both honour their traditions and reimagine how they can be preserved for future generations.
Blending tradition with technology
The workshop balanced cultural immersion with practical training. Participants reconnected with heritage directly by attending the Isese Festival, visiting royal palaces, and holding interviews with elders, herbalists, and traditional leaders. They also brought artefacts to share, performed chants and rituals, and shared stories that reflected Ikorodu’s living traditions.
These experiences were complemented by training in digital preservation. Custodians were introduced to platforms such as Wikipedia and Google Maps, along with AI applications, website engagement tools, and digital archiving methods. They learned to geotag cultural landmarks, document performances, and capture oral histories in formats that can be shared worldwide.
Tourism, diaspora, and sustainable transformation
The CDL project in Ikorodu demonstrates that when tradition embraces innovation, communities thrive. By merging digital tools with cultural pride, the project is laying the foundation for creative industries sustainable cultural exchange, and diaspora tourism.
As the world marks World Tourism Day 2025, the lesson is clear: tourism can only fulfil its transformative potential when it is inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in heritage. Ikorodu’s experience is proof that local voices, empowered by diaspora expertise and global partnerships, can inspire cultural sustainability for generations to come.
We invite you to immerse yourself in Ikorodu’s traditions, through these pictures:
EUDiF would like to thank all the partners including, but not limited to Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), IGA Nigeria Ltd., Hatch Ideas, Goethe-Institut, and Multichoice DSTV Team.