Shapowei's maritime history strikes a familiar note for Akintayo Judah Aduragbemi. The Nigerian environmental engineering master's student is visiting Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian Province for the 2026 World Ocean Week. He sees parallels between the area's past, when people lived on boats and on the water, and traditions in parts of Nigeria's coastal communities.

For Akintayo, these similarities point to the importance of passing maritime heritage on to younger generations. He believes they must learn from their elders and preserve these traditions, while ensuring that urban development does not erase the cultural history of coastal communities.