During the episode, we dove deep into my "Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project". This research explores the vital, and often subtle, ways that Igbo communities remember and preserve the cultural legacies of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). We often discuss the war in terms of its political, military, and geopolitical impact. However, my work seeks to understand how heritage and memory are transmitted culturally - through practices, stories, and community actions that continue to shape identity today.
This conversation was a wonderful opportunity to share my passion for this subject and highlight the importance of community-centered heritage and memory. I am deeply thankful to Seun and the entire AHN team for providing a platform for this critical discussion.
Excited to share a new joint article, "Invisible yet perceptible: The impact of civil war on intangible heritage," which has been published in the latest issue of Cahiers du CFPCI (Vol. 11, pp. 57–68), from the Maison des Cultures du Monde, Centre Français du Patrimoine Culturel Immatériel at the French Ministry of Culture.
In this work, we tackle the complex legacies of conflict beyond material destruction, employing a comparative lens to examine how intangible heritage - like social practices, music, and foodways - is transformed by war. We contrast the enduring legacies of the Nigeria-Biafra War with the impacts of the recent conflict in Timbuktu, Mali.
Recommended citation: Onyemechalu, S. J. & Viejo-Rose, D. (2025). Invisible yet perceptible: The impact of civil war on intangible heritage. Cahiers du CFPCI, 11, 57–68. Maison des Cultures du Monde, Centre Français du Patrimoine Culturel Immatériel. https://www.maisondesculturesdumonde.org/patrimoine-culturel-immateriel/les-cahiers-du-cfpci/cahiers-du-cfpci-11
Announcing my contribution to a landmark new reference work, The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Cultural Heritage and Conflict - the first encyclopedia of its kind in the discipline. My entry is titled: 'Intangible Heritage and Conflict: Legacies of the Nigeria-Biafra War'
My entry examines how the legacies of the Nigeria-Biafra War (1967-1970) continue to shape Igbo cultural heritage today, particularly in foodways and dance-songs. More broadly, the entry highlights a critical, often-overlooked perspective in Conflict-Heritage Studies: while armed conflict is undeniably destructive, it can also serve as a powerful catalyst for the creation and transformation of intangible heritage.
Recommended citation: Onyemechalu, S.J. (2025). Intangible Heritage and Conflict: Legacies of the Nigeria-Biafra War. In: Saloul, I., Baillie, B. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Cultural Heritage and Conflict. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61493-5_108-1
This chapter’s core concern is the transformative impact of conflict on cultural heritage. While much of the existing literature has understandably focused on the destructive impacts of war on material heritage, such as monuments and buildings, our work sheds light on the often-neglected domain of intangible heritage. We explore how these living practices are not simply erased by conflict but are often actively reconstructed and transformed in its aftermath.
Drawing on fieldwork from Enugu-Ezike, we use Àbàchà, a traditional cassava-based food, as a case study to understand these complex processes of recovery and resilience in postwar Southeastern Nigeria.
Recommended citation: Onyemechalu, S.J., Rose, D.V. (2025). The Roots of Recovery: Àbàchà and the Reconstruction of Intangible Heritage in Postwar Southeastern Nigeria. In: Munawar, N.A., Plets, G. (eds) The Politics of Post-Conflict Heritage Reconstruction. Palgrave Studies in Cultural Heritage and Conflict. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81093-0_6
Stanley Jachike Onyemechalu, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project (LBHP) was featured on an episode of Eastern Eye hosted by Alex Ogbodo's on Afia Tv.
After news broke of his award at the 2024 Cambridge Awards for Research Impact & Engagement, Stanley was invited to talk about his research and his work on the Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project.
Stanley Jachike Onyemechalu with Prof Deborah Prentice | Image: Cambridge Chronicles
LBHP Founder and Director, Stanley Jachike Onyemechalu, was awarded Runner Up in the Early Career Research category at the University of Cambridge 2024 Vice Chancellor's Awards for Research Impact and Engagement for his work on the Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project. Presented by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Deborah Prentice, this award recognises outstanding Cambridge-based scholars whose ground breaking research incorporate innovative public engagement and impact society.
Read more about this award here on any of these various platforms:
arch.cam.ac.uk: Triple Celebration for Cambridge Archaeologists at Awards for Research Impact and Engagement
The LBHP Team and some participants and judges from the Narrative Art Contest (S. Onyemechalu, 2024)
In collaboration with the Centre for Memories, the Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project (LBHP) designed and implemented some public engagement activities, including a narrative art contest, intergenerational dialogue, and a temporary exhibition. These events were supported by the Wenner-Gren Foundation (USA) and the Royal Anthropological Institute (UK), as well as the Public Engagement Starter Fund and the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, UK.
Narrative Art Contest: After months of planning, including a baseline survey and managing invitations/registrations, we held a Narrative Art Contest that involved young people (16-35 years old) in an artistic representation (painting, poetry and short essays) of their knowledge on the Biafra war and its legacies. We received about 77 attendees, out of which 35 young participants registered for the art contest across the three art categories. At the end of the day, we got 17 paintings, 10 poetry and 5 short story submissions.
The LBHP Narrative Art Contest in session (S. Onyemechalu, 2024).
Intergenerational Dialogue: The next day, we held an interactive session between the Narrative Art contest participants from Day 1 and some Biafra war survivors/veterans, where these artistic expressions were presented and discussed. On the one hand, the young participants got an opportunity – the first time for many of them – to listen to the experience of the war survivors firsthand. On the other hand, the war survivors got a chance to discuss their war experience with and admonish the younger generation.
During the intergenerational dialogue (S. Onyemechalu, 2024).
Exhibition: Due to the massive interest that we received from the public after our two-day event, we decided to add a third day to allow us plan and launch an exhibition of the results of the narrative art contest to a wider audience. Planning for this involved curating the art submissions, scripting the exhibition as well as designing and printing labels to be tagged to the paintings and printing the essays and short stories for public consumption. On May 28, 2024– as part of the week-long activities to commemorate the declaration of the Biafran Republic (on May 30, 1967) – we launched a public exhibition titled ‘Dancing Memories’, where we presented the results from our Narrative Art Contest, among other activities, including a live dance performance by the Ojile dance group, and another intergenerational dialogue on the Biafra war and its legacies. This event was well attended by school students, youths, war survivors and the media.
The ‘Dancing Memories’ Exhibition at CFM, Enugu State. (S. Onyemechalu, 2024).
VIDEOS:
1. We featured on Afia TV's Morning Talk Show to raise awareness for the Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project (LBHP) ‘Dancing Memories’ exhibition, which focused on the underexplored legacies of the Biafra war. Watch below:
2. The ‘Dancing Memories’ exhibition was also later covered in a news report by Afia TV station.
PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS:
The Ojile Dance, a legacy of the Biafra war, on live display during the event
A Biafra war survivor speaking during the inter-generational dialogue on the memory and legacies of the War
A cross-section of the Dancing Memories Exhibition on display at the Centre for Memories, Enugu
A cross-section of the Dancing Memories Exhibition
A moment during the intergenerational dialogue on the legacies of the Nigeria-Biafra war
A moment during the inter-generational dialogue
A section of the Dancing Memories Exhibition on display at the Centre for Memories, Enugu 2
A section of the Dancing Memories Exhibition on display at the Centre for Memories, Enugu
A war survivor performing the Igbo Kola nut ritual to open the event
A war survivor speaking during the inter-generational dialogue on the memory and legacies of the Biafra War
A war survivor taking a closer look at one of the exhbition panels
Attendees including school students touring the exhibition
Attendees viewing the exhibition guided by CFM Director, Maazi Iheanyi Igboko
CFM Employee and member of the LBHP Team, Ifeoma Nnamani, speaking at the event
During the inter-generational dialogue
LBHP co-ordinator, Stanley Onyemechalu, giving the introductory remarks
LBHP co-ordinator, Stanley Onyemechalu, speaking to the Media
LBHP Team posing with some attendees
LBHP Team posing with some war survivors
LBHP Team posing with the Ojile Dance group 2
Regalia of the Ojile Dance on display at the Dancing Memories Exhibition
Stanley thanking the war survivors at the close of the event
The audience including school groups viewing the exhibition
The LBHP Team setting up the exhibition 2
The LBHP Team setting up the exhibition 3
The LBHP Team setting up the exhibition
The Ojile Dance Group in session
The Ojile Dance, a legacy of the Biafra war, on live display during the event 2
The Ojile Dance, a legacy of the Biafra war, on live display during the event
The younger generation cheering during the event
War survivors and other attendees cheering during the event
Writing for the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge, I briefly report on the public engagement activities of the Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project.
Following our successful Narrative Art Contest, we invite you to an exhibition on the under-explored legacies of the Nigeria-Biafra war.
The exhibition is themed "Dancing Memories," and it aims to portray the dynamic nature of the memories of war as they are neither static nor unidirectional but has a pattern to it, as during a dance.
As some dances are vibrant and fervent in rhythm, others are gentle and lethargic, and this can be observed in the Memories of the Nigeria-Biafra War.
This exhibition is a display of the results of our narrative art contest (paintings, poetry, and short story excerpts) alongside other channels through which the memory of the Biafra War has been kept alive, including the 'Ojile Dance' from Enugu-Ezike, Nsukka, Enugu State.
Join us on Tuesday, 28th May, 2024, 12 pm prompt, to witness our history in art.
On the second day of the LBHP narrative art contest, we engaged seniors citizens, including war veterans and survivors, in a tour of the Ozoemena exhibition and an intergenerational dialogue on the works that emerged from Day 1 of the contest.
This led to conversations about the war, their individual experiences, and how it has shaped them.
Through these interactions, we were able to explore the intergenerational knowledge/memory transfer of the Nigeria-Biafra war.
