By Adebola Feyikemi Adedokun
HERITAGE is a living and dynamic concept, interwoven with people and places. It is an expression of cultural diversity and different modalities.
It also encompasses tangible objects such as monuments and historic buildings, movable and immovable sculptures and cultural landscapes in rural and urban contexts, national areas, ecosystems and biodiversity.
It also consists of intangible attributes such as oral traditions and expressions, language, performing arts, social practices, cuisine, rituals and festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, and traditional craftsmanship.
Today, heritage sites face many challenges, especially climate change, which may include extreme heat, drought and lack of water, melting gracias, volatile and extreme precipitation, cyclones, landslides and rising sea levels.
It may also include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and land exploitations due to mining activities.
In Nigeria, heritage sites need to be considered more in planning for disaster risks, management and protection; there needs to be more integration into national policies and budgets.
However, this has made heritage sites vulnerable to substantial damage and destruction in disasters caused mainly by nature and human activities.
Climate change is already resulting in the loss and damage of cultural heritage sites; this loss is not limited to historical heritage sites alone; it is also affecting communities and their cultural traditions.
However, there have been frequent reports of large-scale disasters across heritage sites; these disasters have caused widespread damage to the heritage sites and the cities.
Given the exponential rate of urbanisation, heritage sites are essential for a city’s cultural identity. Therefore, there is a need for a specialised approach to disaster risk management of heritage sites.
In light of the disaster challenges, there is a need to develop disaster risk management strategies for heritage sites, which is paramount in overall planning and management.
Laws and policies must be formulated based on the specific characteristics of the heritage sites and the nature of hazards within the sites and the community.
These laws and principles should consider the principles of risk management, response to historical, aesthetic and other heritage values and, at the same time, address more significant urban development challenges.
This planning will require skilled professionals, administrators, and policymakers who can consider various aspects of developing risk management plans for heritage sites.
- Adedokun is the Chief Museum Education Officer at the National Museum, Osogbo.
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