Dr. Tunji Olugbodi, Executive Vice Chairman of Verdant Zeal Communications Group and the Asiwaju of Ara, has urged Nigeria to deliberately invest in its creative industries, warning that the nation risks underutilizing its vast cultural influence if it continues to rely solely on organic reach.
Speaking on the global importance of soft power, in a release seen by Veracity Desk (veracitydesk.com), Olugbodi emphasized that countries are often introduced to the world not through politics or economics, but through their stories, films, music, fashion, food, and cultural references.
“Long before people visit a country, they often encounter its stories,” he said. “This is soft power: the ability to build influence through culture, creativity and shared experiences.”
Citing South Korea as a model, Olugbodi noted that deliberate government support for film, television, and music transformed Korean culture into a global force. By 2020, Korean content exports had reached US$11.9 billion, surpassing the country’s exports of home appliances and display panels. More importantly, he added, the cultural wave made Korean language, food, and cities recognizable worldwide.
Olugbodi argued that Nigeria already enjoys significant cultural reach, with Nollywood films, Afrobeats music, fashion, and humor crossing borders despite limited infrastructure and institutional support. He described this as proof of the country’s untapped potential.
“The next step is to move from organic cultural reach to intentional creative-economy development,” he stressed.
“When we invest deliberately in our stories and the systems that carry them, we strengthen our ability to create economic value, define how we are seen, and build wider interest in our culture, people, businesses and destinations.”
He warned that countries that understand the value of soft power do not leave it to chance, urging Nigeria to adopt a strategic approach to its creative economy.
Olugbodi’s remarks come at a time when global interest in Nigerian culture is surging, from Afrobeats topping international charts to Nollywood films gaining traction on streaming platforms. His call highlights the need for Nigeria to transform cultural influence into structured economic power.
