My Perspective About Culture and Modernity By Abdulrazaq Hamzat

Culture is the heartbeat of human society. It represents the collective wisdom, values, and practices passed down through generations. It connects us to our past, informs our present, and shapes our identity. Yet, culture, like life itself, must evolve to remain vibrant and relevant. It is not a static monument to be preserved in a glass case but a dynamic force that thrives only when it grows.

Our ancestors were pioneers of their time. They crafted tools from stone, built shelters from mud, and developed oral traditions that told the stories of their lives and lessons. These practices were not merely repeated; they were constantly refined to meet new challenges. The innovations they embraced became the foundation of what we now call tradition. The mistake many make today is to believe that preserving culture means clinging to past methods without adaptation. In reality, this mindset leads to stagnation.

Take language, for example. It is one of the most profound cultural elements. Languages that fail to incorporate new words and concepts eventually fall into disuse. Latin, once the language of empires and scholars, is now studied as a relic. In contrast, living languages like English and Swahili have thrived by adopting words and expressions from other cultures, reflecting the evolving needs of their speakers. Growth is the lifeblood of cultural endurance.

The same applies to economic and technological practices. Traditional African agriculture relied on manual labor and simple tools, effective in their time but inadequate for feeding a growing population in a competitive global economy. Modern culture must integrate mechanized farming and sustainable innovations while honoring the values of communal land stewardship and respect for nature. This fusion allows us to retain our cultural essence while driving progress.

Innovation does not destroy culture; it expands its boundaries. Music provides a striking example. Consider the evolution of Fuji music in Nigeria. Rooted in the traditional sounds of were music, Fuji has absorbed elements of jazz, hip-hop, and reggae over the decades. Its growth has made it not only a cultural treasure but also a genre with global appeal. Saheed Osupa and Pasuma, both icons of the genre, have shown how blending old and new keeps the spirit of Fuji alive while making it relevant to younger audiences.

In governance, many African societies traditionally operated under systems of kingship and council rule. While these structures honored wisdom and communal leadership, modern governance demands democratic principles, human rights, and institutional accountability. By weaving these innovations into the fabric of traditional leadership, we honor the past while securing the future.

A culture that refuses to grow becomes a prisoner of nostalgia, celebrating yesterday’s achievements without meeting today’s needs. True cultural guardianship involves both preservation and transformation. The architecture of the past, from ancient pyramids to mud-brick houses, inspires today’s sustainable designs. The medicinal knowledge of herbalists informs modern pharmaceutical research. Growth keeps culture alive and allows it to illuminate the path ahead.

In conclusion, culture thrives only when it grows. It must remain rooted in its origins but flexible enough to embrace change. Our forebears were not merely keepers of tradition; they were innovators in their own right. To honor their legacy, we must become innovators too, adding to the cultural fabric of our time while preparing it for future generations. Culture is a journey, not a destination — and growth is the fuel that propels it forward.

What our forefathers did yesterday is our culture and tradition today.

What we do today, plus what our ancestors did yesterday will become the culture and tradition of tomorrow.

However, if we refuse to do anything creatively and differently to enrich the practices of today, just relying and repeating what our forefathers did yesterday, our collective progress as a society will be stagnant while the need of the society continue to widen.

We must understand culture, not as conclusive practices that must be preserved and repeated, but as yesterday’s innovation developed to solve yesterday’s problem and help our ancestors cope with the challenges of their time.

Today’s culture, therefore must be circled around innovation, to solve today’s challenges, drawing from yesterday’s innovation that became our culture and tradition.

Abdulrazaq Hamzat is an executive director at Foundation for Peace Professionals also known as PeacePro www.peacepro.org