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| Mrs Aisha Adamu Augie and Mr. Victor Aihawu |
LAGOS, NIGERIA – Mr. Victor Aihawu, the pioneer of the Cultural Hangout Festival (CHF), has held a strategic meeting with the Director-General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC),Mrs. Aisha Adamu Augie, to explore collaborative pathways for promoting African culture and diaspora engagement. In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the landmark Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC ’77), the conversation was around preserving African heritage.
The high-level discussion centered on a pressing question for modern Africa: How can we ensure that our stories, traditions, and cultural identities remain vibrant and relevant in an era of rapid globalization?
FESTAC ’77 remains the largest Pan-African festival in history, a month-long celebration in 1977 that brought together thousands of artists, performers, and intellectuals from 55 nations to Lagos. As the world approaches the 50th anniversary of this historic event, both Aihawu and Augie emphasized the need to move beyond mere commemoration.
“The road to FESTAC '77 @ 50 is not only about remembering a historic event,” said Aihawu. “It is also about asking how culture can continue to connect people, strengthen communities, and contribute to Africa's future.”
The meeting highlighted the critical role that cultural platforms like the Cultural Hangout Festival play in this ecosystem. Beyond providing entertainment, these platforms serve as vital spaces for people to reconnect with their roots, share experiences, and build lasting relationships across borders.
The dialogue underscored a shared philosophy: culture is not just a relic of the past it is a cornerstone for the future. Mrs. Augie, who has been widely praised for repositioning CBAAC as a dynamic Pan-African heritage hub, and Mr. Aihawu agreed that cultural identity heavily influences how young people see themselves and how nations project their soft power through tourism and the creative economy.
“We often celebrate culture through food, fashion, and entertainment, but culture is also a powerful tool for education, tourism, business, and community development,” Aihawu noted during their engagement.
While the meeting served as an initial exploratory session rather than a formal signing of commitments, it marked a significant step toward a unified approach to cultural development.
The discussions reflected a mutual understanding that the legacy of FESTAC can only be sustained through synergy between government institutions, cultural practitioners, and the global diaspora.