Nigerian cultural heritage expert, author, and documentary filmmaker Ayankola Ayanwuyi has emerged as one of the standout voices at the International UNESCO Forum along the Silk Roads in China, where he led a major global dialogue on heritage-driven innovation and the role of Yoruba ancestral knowledge in shaping modern digital solutions.
Ayanwuyi, founder of the Dundun Centre in Ogbomoso, was among 40 international youth delegates specially invited to the prestigious forum, which ran from 16–22 November across the cities of Nanjing and Changsha. The gathering brought together 80 participants from 39 countries and China, uniting researchers, innovators, cultural practitioners and technologists to explore how digital innovation can strengthen cultural preservation. The forum was organised by UNESCO, the National Commission of China for UNESCO and the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (WFUCA).
Ayanwuyi delivered one of the most discussed and acclaimed sessions of the entire event, titled “Decoding Ancestral Wisdom for Innovation Using Ifa as a Case Study”. In his address, he emphasized that the Yoruba Ifa system is far more than a divination practice, it is a sophisticated intellectual and philosophical framework with contemporary relevance across fields such as education, governance, science, technology and innovation ecosystems. He argued that indigenous knowledge systems contain living repositories of insight that can guide global problem-solving when treated with respect and serious academic engagement.
“Indigenous knowledge systems like Ifa offer timeless wisdom for solving today’s global challenges,” he told participants. “Every indigenous group possesses what they need to survive and thrive when they engage their own systems.”
During the forum, Ayanwuyi also reflected on the 1884–1885 Berlin Conference, which split the Yoruba people across modern national boundaries. He stressed the importance of reconnecting shared Yoruba heritage across West Africa, noting that cultural continuity remains vital to regional identity, unity and resilience. His message aligned with a growing movement among African scholars pushing for the integration of indigenous systems into global discussions on sustainability, digital development and education—a trend gaining momentum as international bodies increasingly acknowledge the value of local knowledge in building context-appropriate solutions.
Beyond his role at the forum, Ayankola Ayanwuyi is widely respected for his contributions as an Ifá scholar, cultural educator and writer. His influential publication, Esu Is Not Satan, is celebrated for correcting colonial distortions surrounding Yoruba spirituality and reclaiming the dignity of African religious knowledge. The book exemplifies his commitment to cultural criticism, historical reclamation and African epistemological thought.
As an award-winning documentary filmmaker from Ogbomoso, Ayanwuyi has produced a body of work that documents Yoruba spirituality, oral traditions, identity and community memory. His acclaimed films include The Space Sitting Prowess of Egungun Ajomogbodo, Journey into Egbe-Orun: An Otherworldly Experience, Oranfe Onile Ina: Progenitor of the Yoruba People from Ife-Oodaye, and Ibeji: Identical from Within. These documentaries are known for their immersive storytelling, rooted in lived experiences, oral histories and sacred performances. They have been screened at international festivals, amplifying Yoruba culture on the world stage.
Through his work at the Dundun Centre, Ayanwuyi promotes the documentation, teaching and application of African heritage using modern tools. The centre serves as a vibrant hub for oral traditions, visual archives, cultural training, research and digital resources that merge traditional learning with innovation, while supporting artists, scholars and educators who seek to integrate African knowledge frameworks into global academic and cultural conversations.
For Ayankola Ayanwuyi, the mission is clear: heritage must not be treated as a museum relic but as a dynamic engine for innovation and global progress. Through his scholarship, films and institutional work, he is helping shape a world in which African ancestral knowledge, especially Yoruba epistemology, is preserved, practised and recognised as a vital contributor to humanity’s collective future.
