AI Revives Africa's Lost Heritage Through Digital Storytelling and Ruins

Malik Afegbua is using AI to preserve Africa's cultural heritage through two ambitious projects. His LegacyLink initiative records the stories of elders, while ReMemory aims to digitally rebuild lost historical sites. Both projects combine technology with tradition to keep history alive for future generations.

Afegbua's LegacyLink project has already captured interviews with 15 elders in Nigeria. By 2028, he plans to expand this to 1,000 people across Kenya and Cameroon. The process involves recording conversations, filming videos, and creating 3D scans of family heirlooms to build 'digital twins' of each elder. These digital versions will later appear as holographic displays in public spaces, with AI generating responses based on the interviews. Initially, some elders were unsure about sharing their stories, but their interest grew once they saw how AI could bring their memories to life.

The project also prioritises accessibility, with plans to offer content in multiple languages. Instead of relying on AI translations, Afegbua insists on human translators to ensure accuracy. This approach follows his earlier work, The Elders Series, which used AI to create images of older Africans on fashion runways.

Alongside LegacyLink, Afegbua is developing ReMemory, a project to virtually reconstruct 100 African archaeological sites. The first focus is the ancient walls of Benin City, which once stretched 16,000 km with earthworks reaching 18 metres high. However, the reconstruction faces challenges due to colonial destruction of records, scarce surviving maps, and gaps in knowledge about construction techniques from the 13th to 15th centuries. Despite these hurdles, Afegbua remains committed to using AI to restore languages, artefacts, and symbols—allowing people to experience history in new ways.

Afegbua's work bridges past and future by turning oral histories and ruins into interactive digital experiences. The projects will make elders' stories and lost landmarks accessible to wider audiences. If successful, they could reshape how African heritage is preserved and shared.