CBAAC

AIDIKI Declaration from Participants at the University of Ibadan

Indigenous Knowledge Study Group Workshop on:
AFRICAN INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
RIGHTS: IMPLICATION FOR NIGERIA’S DEVELOPMENT,
April 20-24, 2009, Ibadan, NIGERIA

We Senior Officials from the Ministries of Culture; Health; Science &

Technology; Commerce; Education; the Nigerian Copyright Commission &
Institute(NCC/I); the Centre for Black & African Arts and Civilization
(CBAAC); National Institute for Cultural Orientation; National Council for
Arts and Culture; National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion
(NOTAP); Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA);
Nigerian Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD);
Nigerian Scholars and Practitioners of Traditional Knowledge;
Representatives of Traditional Communities, attending a Workshop on
African Indigenous Knowledge (IK) & Intellectual Property Rights (IPR),
held between the 20-24 April 2009, at the Conference Center, University of
Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria:

Acknowledging that Africa has rich cultural heritage and this is often
manifested in its body of indigenous knowledge and expressions of folklore;

Accepting that as policy and decision makers, practitioners and scholars of

traditional knowledge, we have a responsibility to guide our Governments in

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articulating appropriate policies towards the protection and sustainable use of
indigenous knowledge and expressions of folklore;

Recognizing that this body of indigenous knowledge and expressions of

folklore has contemporary relevance to the world knowledge systems and
that its utility traverses the whole gamut of scientific, economic, medical,
educational, and environmental spheres which should be built into
development policies;

Alarmed that the rich cultural heritage of Africa and its indigenous
knowledge systems have been negatively affected, and continue to be so
affected, by its colonial experience;

Aware that there is a relationship between a people’s state of development

and their knowledge systems;

Noting that in the global knowledge economy, the contributions of

indigenous knowledge and expressions of folklore to the global basket of
knowledge is not sufficiently recognised and protected;

Concerned that the phenomenon of bio-piracy threatens the integrity of

indigenous knowledge and inflicts economic harm on the practitioners and
their various communities;

Regrettably noting that indigenous knowledge and expressions of folklore,

and indeed culture as a whole is under threat from multiple fronts, cultural,
political, economic and technological;

Taking cognizance that university and other centres of learning have

important roles to play in the identification, classification, dissemination and
preservation of indigenous knowledge and expressions of folklore;

Gravely concerned that the dominant regimes of intellectual property rights

protection are inadequate for the protection of the various manifestations of
indigenous knowledge systems and expressions of folklore.

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Gratified that indigenous knowledge practitioners are desirous of
collaborating and sharing their knowledge with researchers, academic and
research institutions, libraries and documentation centres on the
identification, gathering, collation, classification, digitization, and
dissemination of their knowledge;

Hereby Resolve that:

1. There should be more awareness amongst cultural heritage centres and

managers on the importance of and threats confronting indigenous
knowledge and they should be part of the ongoing discussions in
respect of policy formulation on intellectual property, indigenous
knowledge and expressions of folklore;
2. That the inadequacy of expertise in the area of intellectual property,
indigenous knowledge and expressions of folklore is of grave concern
and as such, concerted efforts should be geared towards capacity
building;
3. Although the ongoing efforts at different levels to document Nigeria’s
indigenous knowledge is commendable, there is need for a coherent
endeavor in this regard to ensure that the indigenous knowledge system
is not compromised by documentation. Consequently, available best
practices in documentation of indigenous knowledge should be
adopted.
4. That the biodiversity of Nigeria and its associated indigenous
knowledge belong to the State but as a Federation, Nigeria should
ensure that the relevant indigenous communities, that possess the
resources, are positioned to make effective contributions to their
protection, preservation and use.
5. The library is critical in the gathering, processing, preserving and
disseminating of indigenous knowledge and expressions of folklore in
various forms and therefore should be fully equipped with necessary

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 information and communication technologies for effective performance
of its role.
6. Indigenous peoples and various stakeholders in indigenous knowledge
must seek all possible avenues to use indigenous knowledge and
expressions of folklore as instrument of economic empowerment,
political leverage and socio-cultural development.
7. Access to biodiversity and associated indigenous knowledge should be
in accordance with the established principles pursuant to the
Convention on Biodiversity and emerging Protocols.

8. Researchers, academic and research institutions, libraries and

documentation centres should be encouraged to collaborate with the
indigenous knowledge holders and communities in the identification,
gathering, collation, classification, digitization and dissemination of
indigenous knowledge in a framework consistent with international
standards.

9. As an African regional power, Nigeria should work with strategic

partners and become a proactive voice at international level for
mobilizing African common positions or interests on the subject of
protection of African indigenous knowledge.

10. Nigeria should join the global Pan-African and African Diaspora
movement for the protection, preservation of and resistance to the
exploitation of African cultural heritage in all its manifestations.

REQUEST THAT:
In order to promote creativity and ensure sustainable use of indigenous
knowledge and intellectual property, the school curricula should include a
systemic exposure to indigenous knowledge systems and intellectual
property.

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An appropriate legislative framework should be provided for the regulation
of access to biodiversity and associated indigenous knowledge as proposed in
the Draft Bill on the Protection of Traditional Knowledge, Regulation of Access to
Biological Resources and Related Matters, which was initiated and developed by
Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA).

Having regard to the multiplicity of government agencies with related

mandates on indigenous knowledge and the cross-cutting nature of the
indigenous knowledge, Nigeria should streamline the institutional framework
for greater efficiency.

The benefits arising from the exploitation of biodiversity and associated

indigenous knowledge should take primary account of the interests of the
communities where such biodiversity and associated indigenous knowledge
are derived.

Thank the following governmental/nongovernmental agencies, organs, and

institutions for supporting, sponsoring, and facilitating the Workshop:

Dr. Afia Zakiya of AIDIKI;

IDRC Canada,
CBAAC,
NCC,
NNMDA,
Federal Ministry of Culture,
NOTAP,
AIDIKI,
NICO,
NCAC,
NIPRD,
Bioresources Development and Conservation Programme

Dated this 24 April 2009, at IBADAN, NIGERIA