Preservation and conservation of Cross River Monoliths for tourism development

Abstract

Heritage and conservation have gained currency in academic and professional discourses on tourism and resource preservation across the globe. Today, many developed and some developing economies regard heritage as a very significant component of tourism. Literary documents on studies conducted in Gambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and UK are cases in point. In southeastern Nigeria, there are numerous unique heritage sites that can be harnessed for tourism development. Although they showcase universally accepted cultural expressions, the majority of them are poorly managed and preserved. They also lack necessary facilities that can keep tourists for an extended period. This explains why Nigeria fails to attract visitation to her heritage sites. The study adopted a descriptive design and used interviews, direct observation, focus group discussion and literary sources to examine the state of Cross River monoliths in Nigeria; their preservation and conservation practices, and how these can be harnessed for tourism development. Research results revealed that heritage sites have a lot of potentials to boost the economy if the tourism value is harnessed. The study recommends, amongst others, the combination of traditional and modern conservation mechanisms for the preservation and conservation of monoliths. It also advocates that the management plans for the monolith sites should seek to balance the interest of conservation with those of local communities living in the area.