Africa’s Creative Economy Needs Strong Institutions, Policies — Okunbo

Founder of The Osahon Okunbo Foundation (TOOF), Dr. Osahon Okunbo, has called for stronger institutions, effective policies and sustained investment in cultural heritage to ensure Africa’s creative economy delivers lasting benefits for future generations.

Okunbo made the call on Thursday in his goodwill message at the third edition of the Elevate Africa Convening in Accra, Ghana, themed: “Africa: Defining Her Future.”

He was represented at the event by a TOOF board member, Nicole Asinugo.

Okunbo said Africa must move beyond celebrating the international recognition of its artists and the growth of its creative industries to building structures that preserve cultural knowledge, protect creative ownership and expand opportunities for emerging talents.

According to him, “success and legacy are not the same thing,” stressing that the continent’s creative achievements must translate into sustainable institutions and opportunities for future generations.

He questioned what would remain of Africa’s current artistic and commercial successes without the institutions and policies needed to sustain them.

“What institutions have we built? What policies have we put in place? Who owns the work? Who has access to the opportunities? And what will the next generation inherit from what we are creating today?” he asked.

The foundation’s founder said preserving cultural heritage was central to understanding Africa’s identity and unlocking its creative potential.

Recounting his experience growing up surrounded by Benin artworks belonging to his late father, Okunbo said he only fully appreciated their significance after his father’s death.

He explained that the Benin bronzes represented more than artistic objects, as they preserved the kingdom’s history, beliefs, traditions and intergenerational knowledge.

He warned that undocumented histories, unprotected traditions and endangered cultural knowledge risked being lost, noting that many Africans remained disconnected from aspects of their own heritage.

“We believe heritage is not simply about the past. It’s about what that knowledge makes possible,” he said, adding that preserving cultural heritage required collective commitment beyond the capacity of individual organisations.

On the foundation’s interventions, Okunbo said TOOF’s activities covered education, cultural exchange, public discourse and heritage preservation.

He disclosed that the foundation had announced a fellowship in London earlier in the year to support artists and cultural practitioners working to document, safeguard and improve access to African cultural heritage.

He called for policies to protect creative ownership, institutions to preserve cultural knowledge and investments to create opportunities for future generations.

Commending Elevate Africa for bringing together political leaders, traditional rulers, investors and young creatives, Okunbo said collaboration among stakeholders was essential to advancing the continent’s development.

He reaffirmed TOOF’s commitment to supporting the convening as a headline sponsor, urging participants to look beyond the financial returns of Africa’s creative industries and focus on the legacy they would leave behind.

“The true measure of our progress cannot simply be what our generation achieves. It must also be what we make possible for those who come after us,” he said.