This AI Artist Wants African Heritage to ‘Live Forever’

April 23, 2026

Nigerian artist and filmmaker Malik Afegbua has created LegacyLink, an initiative designed to digitally preserve African elders' knowledge and experiences for future generations. The project involves conducting detailed interviews, recording life stories, and creating three-dimensional scans of cultural artifacts to develop AI-powered holographic displays and chatbots that allow people to interact with digital versions of these elders. Afegbua plans to expand from his initial 15 interviews in Nigeria to 1,000 subjects across multiple African nations by 2028, though he faces challenges including elder hesitancy about sharing certain stories and the trauma surrounding sensitive historical events.

Who is affected

Malik Afegbua (Nigerian artist and filmmaker leading the projects)
15 elders in Nigeria who have been interviewed so far
Elders in Ikorodu, Lagos State who initially hesitated to participate
People personally affected by the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970)
Future users who will interact with the holographic displays and chatbots
Communities connected to heritage sites like the Kofar Mata dye pits in Kano, Nigeria
People who cannot access certain regions due to insecurity

What action is being taken

Afegbua is interviewing elders about their lives and recording their stories
He is capturing videos and making 3D scans of family heirlooms
He is conducting interviews in Nigeria with plans to branch out to Kenya and Cameroon
Afegbua is relying on human translations for the project
He is working on virtually reconstructing the walls of the historical city of Benin using AI based on historical records and academic studies

Why it matters

This project addresses the significant loss of intergenerational knowledge and cultural heritage across Africa, exemplified by the saying "When an elder dies, a library burns to the ground." The initiative is particularly important because many Africans, like Afegbua himself, lack documented information about their ancestors and family histories. By creating accessible AI-powered interfaces, the project democratizes access to elder wisdom and cultural knowledge that might otherwise disappear. Additionally, the virtual reconstruction of heritage sites preserves access to cultural landmarks that have been lost, destroyed, or made inaccessible due to insecurity or deterioration.

What's next

30 more interviews are planned in Nigeria
Expansion to Kenya and Cameroon for additional interviews
Goal to interview 1,000 people by 2028
Plans to address the Nigerian Civil War directly through interviews with people personally affected
First planned virtual reconstruction of the walls of the historical city of Benin
Development of holographic displays for public areas like airports
Creation of an online chatbot version of the project

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint