African cultural identity can drive development, says expert

Dr. ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, a sociologist and development expert, has urged African leaders to utilize cultural identities for development instead of viewing them as divisive. Speaking at a webinar titled 'Reinventing Tribalism to Work for Africa’s Development,' organized by the Think Tank for Sustainable Development, Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye proposed channeling cultural loyalty into community development and national progress. She clarified that tribalism, often misunderstood, is rooted in community solidarity, not hostility, and that practices like ethnic favoritism are forms of cronyism. She attributed many ethnic tensions to colonial policies that created arbitrary borders and unequal resource access. To reverse this, she advised adopting indigenous models such as Tanzania’s Ujamaa, Kenya’s Harambee, Nigeria’s Igbo apprenticeship system, town unions, and the Yoruba Omoluabi philosophy, which have historically fostered community-driven development without sole reliance on government.