The Federal Government has been told to incorporate the history and physical remnants of the Nigeria civil war into the country’s tourism strategy as part of efforts to preserve national history, educate younger generations and promote economic development.
A travel expert, Femi Adeniji made the call while expressing concern on the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s civil war history and monuments.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian yesterday, Adeniji said Nigeria could transform some of the surviving physical remnants of the 30-month conflict, which ended in 1970, into heritage and educational tourism attractions without reopening old wounds or glorifying the war.

He proposed a national initiative that could be branded ‘From Conflict to Heritage: Turning Nigeria’s Civil war History into Tourism and Education.’

According to him, such an initiative would enable the country to preserve its painful past, while using it to teach future generations about the consequences of conflict and the importance of national unity and peace.

He said: “Although it’s essential to be sensitive to the wounds of the past, educating future generations and promoting tourism revenue could be a valuable way to approach this topic.

“History should not be allowed to disappear simply because it is painful. Nigeria’s tourism strategy should incorporate the history and physical remnants of the Nigerian Civil War, focusing on education and national understanding rather than reopening old wounds.”

Adeniji identified the National War Museum in Umuahia and the Ojukwu Bunker as natural starting points for the initiative, noting that the Federal government had announced plans to retrofit the facilities in March 2026.

He, however, said the proposed intervention should go beyond physical renovation of museums to establish a civil war heritage network across the country.

He opined that the development of a Civil War Heritage Trail, interactive museums, proper documentation of accounts from different sides of the conflict, and stronger links between schools and historical sites.

Adeniji said the initiative would be consistent with the mandate of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), particularly in the areas of preservation, interpretation, education and public engagement.

According to him, properly curated historical sites could provide visitors, researchers and students with opportunities to understand the causes, experiences and consequences of the conflict while reinforcing the value of peace and national cohesion.

Adeniji also called for stronger collaboration between government, non-governmental organisations, private individuals and other stakeholders to rescue monuments and historical properties that are currently deteriorating.

He expressed particular concern over the condition of historical materials and photographs at the Ojukwu Bunker, saying many of them required urgent recovery and preservation.

He also called for the preservation of other historical landmarks associated with Nigeria’s development, including the house of the late Ambrose Alli in Ekpoma, Edo State.

According to him, Alli’s contribution to education and the development of Edo State, including the establishment of what later became Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, deserved to be properly documented and preserved as part of Nigeria’s heritage.

Adeniji said neglecting such sites could result in the permanent loss of important aspects of the country’s history.

He therefore called on the Federal government to develop a coordinated national framework for identifying, restoring, documenting and promoting sites connected to the civil war and other major events in Nigeria’s history.