Professor Emmanuel S. Dandaura of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), and a Senior Cultural Expert for the African Union (AU), was a central figure at the globally influential UNESCO Mondiacult 2025 cultural policy conference held in Barcelona.
On 1st October, 2025, Dandaura led a crucial AU special dialogue titled “Return and Restitution of Cultural Property – Advancing Cultural Rights in Africa,” which drew over 3,000 delegates, including Ministers of Culture from 165 nations, UNESCO Chairs, and leading heritage scholars.
Taking the stage in Room 112, Professor Dandaura shifted the debate from a technical issue to a human one. He powerfully declared: “Restitution is not about emptying Western museums. It is about filling African hearts with dignity and memory.”
He argued that the removal of African artifacts stripped the continent of its heritage, continuity, confidence, and cultural memory. Dandaura stressed that restitution should be viewed not as symbolic generosity from Europe but as restorative justice.
He affirmed that Africa is approaching the issue strategically, not confrontationally, through established frameworks like the AU Model Law on the Protection of Cultural Property and Heritage (2022) and the Common African Position on Restitution of Heritage Resources (2023).
Professor Dandaura who is the NSUK’s Director of Institute of Strategic Governance and Development Studies (ISDEVCOM) and the Vice President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is a highly trusted cultural negotiator with deep continental involvement. He chaired the AU Expert Committee that drafted the 2022 AU Model Law and was a leading member of the technical team behind the 2023 Common African Position. His colleagues note that he brings a blend of traditional gravitas and modern reformist energy to the table.
He highlighted the stark disparity in access, pointing out that while places like Cambridge hold over 350,000 African objects, schoolchildren in Africa are often forced to learn about their own heritage using only photographs.
Dandaura concluded by presenting a strategic road-map for Africa, which included: Harmonizing laws across the continent to strengthen negotiation power. Investing in heritage infrastructure for the dignified preservation of returned artifacts. Building structured partnerships through joint exhibitions and co-curated research to foster collaboration over confrontation.
The presentation marked a call for Africa to be fully prepared for both the rights and the responsibilities that come with the successful restitution of its heritage.
