Founder of The Osahon Okunbo Foundation (TOOF), Dr Osahon Okunbo, has called on African governments, investors and cultural institutions to strengthen policies protecting creative ownership and preserving cultural heritage, warning that the continent’s growing international recognition must translate into lasting opportunities for future generations.

Okunbo made the call in a goodwill message delivered at the third edition of the Elevate Africa Convening in Accra, Ghana, on Thursday.

The event, themed “Africa: Defining Her Future”, brought together participants from different sectors to discuss the continent’s development priorities and opportunities.

Okunbo, who was represented by TOOF board member Nicole Asinugo, said Africa needed to move beyond celebrating the international achievements of its artists and creative entrepreneurs to establishing institutions capable of sustaining those gains.

He argued that the continent’s expanding cultural influence should be accompanied by investment in education, heritage preservation, intellectual property protection and opportunities for emerging creative professionals.

According to him, the distinction between immediate achievements and long-term impact should inform decisions about the future of Africa’s creative industries.

“Success and legacy are not the same thing,” he said, stressing that the continent’s creative achievements must translate into sustainable institutions and opportunities for generations to come.

He raised concerns about the future of Africa’s creative industries, asking what would remain after the current wave of artistic and commercial success had passed.

“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 queried.

The foundation’s founder said the preservation of cultural heritage was central to understanding Africa’s identity and unlocking the continent’s 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 knowledge passed down through generations.

He noted that the experience highlighted the extent to which Africans remained disconnected from aspects of their own heritage, warning that undocumented histories, unprotected traditions and endangered cultural knowledge risked being lost.

“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.

Speaking 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 protecting creative ownership, institutions preserving cultural knowledge and investments that would create opportunities for future generations.

Commending Elevate Africa for providing a platform that brings together political leaders, traditional rulers, investors and young creatives, Okunbo said such collaboration 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.