Author: The Nation

By Ozolua Uhakheme, Assistant Editor Arts

The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, MFR, has revealed the plans to digitalise tourist visa before the end of the year.

He assured that the digitalisation of tourist visa, which is ongoing, would further improve tourism and the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Babandede made the disclosure when the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr Folorunsho Coker and his team paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

He explained that the tourist visa would be web-based, saying: “Everything will be digitalised with no physical contact with anybody. Once you apply online, upload your application, submit, pay, and get approval, you start coming and within 24 to 48 hours, you get your tourist’s visa”

The Immigration boss observed that Nigeria is quite liberal with tourists’ visa for people coming to the country for religious tourism. “We give them visa-on-arrival for certain churches because we know their spending will boost our economy”, he said.

However, Babandede pointed out that there are challenges in making tourists visa liberal because tourism has become the weakest link for entry into Nigeria but tourism visa will be possible without compromising national security.

He then promised to look into seeping the access for VOA to tourists once certain parameters where in place.

The Immigration boss, however, explained that the Migration Information Data Analysis System (MIDAS) launched by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola will assist with statistics of tourists visiting Nigeria and more online

For NTDC boss, the ease of tourists coming into Nigeria and doing business in the country lies heavily on the successes of the visa-on-arrival for tourists.

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“We would essentially like to collaborate with the NIS to establish a seamless channel through which we can adequately furnish you with information on tourism activities to enable us to work better and ease bottlenecks.

“I have noticed that the embarkation and disembarkation cards are difficult to write on because the boxes are too small, I humbly suggest that the card be uploaded online so that, from your electronic gadget, phone or laptop, you can fill the card online, this will better foreigners’ experience”, he said.

Coker thanked the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for the facilitation of data collection and services, especially at the land borders while imploring NIS to assist the Corporation with complete data. “I will also ask on the other hand that some of the data we get is limited because we do not have a permanent presence at the borders. But the complete data that you have can assist us with the right data to the National Bureau of Statistics and Central Bank of Nigeria. So we would like to plead with you that the data starts to flow again monthly towards us.”

By Eke Praise

The music talent hunt television reality show, ‘Access The Stars’, has officially kicked off with auditions in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Monday.

Hosted by Dare Art Alade with Olive Emodi as co-host, ‘Access The Stars’ will air on Hip TV, Africa Magic, Views channel and Accelerate TV.

The show will showcase a number of budding talents across Nigeria who will be selected by celebrity judges and will grace the stage with a line-up of some of the best artists in the Nigerian music industry. The move is aimed at giving a chance to burgeoning music stars to learn from their celebrity role models and get access to shine more.

They will showcase their talents to a global audience as they go on tour with the A-list stars on ‘The Trek’. The roadshow started on Monday in Abeokuta and it will hit major cities including Lagos, Onitsha, Owerri, Calabar, and Abuja.

The show is a fusion between Access Bank Plc. and the Nigerian Breweries’ Star Lager Beer .

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Speaking on the drive behind the initiative, Sarah Agha, Portfolio Manager, National Premium Brands, NB Plc. said; “Access Bank and Nigerian Breweries have the shared interest of serving Nigerian’s, and through this partnership, we are harnessing our collective strengths to shape an exciting future. Via this collaboration, we will give hidden gems the access to shine more by discovering, polishing and showcasing them to Nigerians, Africans, and the world.”

According to Herbert Wigwe, Access Bank MD/CEO, the show is borne out of the desire of both brands to continue to connect with people through music.

“Both our brands share a long history of creating excellent musical experiences for not just own customers, but the wider Nigerian audience and this is us expanding on that,’’ he said.

Clintonic Strings is set to treat lovers of good music and live band performance to a night of excellence as he and his crew holds the second edition of his show. The event holds on November 24 at the Radisson Blu hotel Victoria Island, Lagos.

In an interview with The Nation newspaper, the graduate of the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) said; “This second edition is fully packaged to uplift the soul of attendees as the bar has been raised. The concert is a place to unwind and have some real unusual fun with friends and family.”

He also said that the winner of voice Nigeria season 2, Idyl, Cill Soul, Precious Emmanuel an others will perform at the event.

Read Also: Deliver soul-touching songs – Gospel artiste

Clinton Strings also known as Clinton Akinkuloie is a Violinist. His first concert which held a year ago at the Muson Centre featured Music – Comedy – Arts and several other side attractions.

“Every tree started out as a seed. Hence, my crew learnt early enough not to despise the days of beginning and we managed to successfully stage a world class event at the first concert without much external support; and we are already working on the second concert in the same vein knowing fully well that our increased successes will attract sponsors by free course.”

Clintonic Strings has worked with top Nigerian music artistes like Sinach, Frank Edwards, 2Baba and Dija.

By Evelyn Osagie

Chief of Staff to the Osun State Governor Charles Akinola has reiterated the importance of sustaining the vibrant intellectual tradition of the University of Ibadan (UI) .

He made the observation at a fine art exhibition, hosted by the Institute for African Studies (IAS), through the Cornelius Adepegba Museum of African Arts, at the UI convocation.

With the theme “Current Rhythm”, the exhibition had works of sculptor Adeola Balogun on display; it was curated by Prof. Ohioma Pogoson, a former IAS director.

The art show, whose works on display interrogate existential challenges in the society, had in attendance Prof. Edith Jaiyeoba, who represented UI Vice Chancellor; Elepe of Epe, Oba Adewale Osiberu; Alaperu of Iperu, Oba Adeleke Basibo, and columnist at The Nation newspaper, Tunde Fagbenle, among others.

Akinola, who chaired the event,  was visibly delighted to  be back on the UI campus where he had his post- graduate studies and also lectured for a decade. He underscored the importance of art to the society as a tool of reflection and introspection.

He said: “The place of art in social life would ordinarily not require any justification, insofar as we can claim that art is one of the attributes of our humanity. It gives us pleasure and can also disturb us. The disturbance of art can be one of those ways through which the society reflects on itself, considers its options, and projects its future.

The works on display give aesthetic pleasure. They are products of wonder. We cannot doubt that they came from the hands of a master. We would want to own them, being confident that they will strike whoever beholds them with the force of their beauty.

“Adeola Balogun is of that school of production that considers nothing to be waste that sees the good that can be processed out of things that others have thrown away. On the other hand, these works engage topical issues, for this is an artist who treats socially conscious themes in his works, and in doing this, he provokes us to think along with him.”

Akinola, a notable art collector, said art is not only a medium of exciting the imagination, but provokes thoughts towards nation-building, while stating that the institution for its contribution to the development of arts and culture in the country.

Read Also: ‘Arts and culture, vehicles of national unity’

He said: “As a foremost institution where the culture of rigorous and critical interrogation of society’s challenges has been sustained, the exhibition ceremony, now in its 11th year, among other achievements, attests to UI’s leading role as a benchmark of intellectual life in Nigeria.

“Such a ceremony provides the university with an opportunity to show to the society what it has done in the lives of the students who came into it as novices. But beyond that, it is also a ceremony of culture that promotes the artistic relevance of our art through the annual event.”

Akinola, who was honoured at the exhibition ceremony for his involvement to the development of arts, asserted that: “I consider it a great service to the society that the university has sustained the art tradition through events, like this prestigious exhibition as an aspect of its anniversary celebration, providing both graduating students and those celebrating with them something to excite their imaginations and provoke their thoughts. It is a fitting way to mark festivities of this magnitude. It sets the standard for all the other universities in the country.”

Chris Akwarandu is an academic and actor. He has taught for 10 years at the Universities of Jos and Lagos. At the Unity Festival at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos, he spoke with OMOLOLA AFOLABI on the movie industry and the  proposed school for dramatic arts, among others.

Theatre in Nigeria witnessed the contributions of legendary thespians like the late Hubert Ogunde, Duro Ladipo and Ola Balogun before the birth of Nollywood. How well do you think it has  excelled?

Theatre has been domiciled in institutions. Like some of us passed through theatre schools and all that. So, if it doesn’t come onto the streets, you’re only doing the academic part of it and you have not internalised it into the society. Nollywood as it were, effectively started in 1993 with Living in bondage with the Alaba Market businessmen. It involved you producing and selling on the streets, but it wasn’t structured then. When Silverbird Galleria came in, it moved away from the streets and moved to the cinemas. Unfortunately, we don’t have a thriving cinema culture because people need to have cinemas located 200 to 300metres close to their locations. Improvement in the industry came when MNET and DSTV began the process of buying movies, sponsoring soaps and they encouraged a film system, quality control and acting started improving. But, there were one or two challenges: when you listen to Nollywood actors many pretend to have accent; there are also emphasis on face especially light-skinned actors. So summarily, we need to move away from the superficial.

What standard would you recommend?

Acting is poor except for those who passed through training. There has to be a process of training so that people can learn and do not just become actors because her boyfriend is a producer. Or if you accompany a friend to a shoot, they shouldn’t bring such person on stage because they need an extra.

We need to begin to sift the real professionals from the gate crashers who want to use Nollywood to become popular. So, it has to be professionalised, which means there must be rules, regulations, there must be entry point, exit points and remuneration based on grading, performance and training.

 There are some A-list actors and producers, who have remained consistent over the years. Would you say they haven’t been doing enough in replicating themselves?

I would say no! But, of course, there is a movement. People are learning from them and they appreciate them. There is still at least one percent. We need to take acting and production from the universities to the streets.

Isn’t one per cent too little?

Oh, this is a call to action so people can see there is a lot to deal with and should therefore take appropriate actions.

Does that mean every aspiring actor must pass through the university, even if he or she is exceptionally talented?

Yes, you know the industry is all about 40 per cent talent, 40 per cent education and 20 per cent practice. If you don’t have the talent, then it would be very hard for you to adapt. But if you have talent without education its possible you’re relegated, and if you do not have neither talent nor education and you practice, you may become rustic.

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 Has our education system been doing enough in nurturing these talents?

I agree that our education system itself has a problem and there is a need for an emergency so that we can begin to have practical teachers and not just contractors who are teachers. We need to have students that are willing to learn and to practically demonstrate what they have learned, not students who will go through higher education to have a certificate for a meal ticket. |So, the orientation needs to be changed for people to go to school to acquire knowledge in order to impact that in the society. Then we will begin to see some differences.

 Where do you think the revamp should start from – the academics or Nollywood?

First of all, Nollywood needs to revamp itself and it is good to know that acting has improved with a few people. But, the worst thing is the script. There has to be a convergence between the young and the experienced in productions in order to give productions some quality and the producers some leverage. We also need to learn how to tell our stories. Most of these productions are not original stories and the conversations must revolve around telling authentic stories. We need to be original and deliberate and this can begin to happen when people are exposed and educated.

As an actor and film maker, how would you appraise Nollywood as a factor in promoting a unified Nigeria?

Well art is a reflection of the society. From the time of the Ogundes, the Baloguns and others, we have been mirroring the society, from stage to television, radio to celluloid and then the cinemas. It gets better with age and time. However, no doubt the industry has contributed immensely to cohesion of the tribes and the understanding of our culture because lot of scripts emanate from culture. So, it is not just about imagination but it has a lot to do with the internalisation of the concepts. A lot of them emanate from the society experientially. For instance, there is a script I have been working on for over 14 years; it’s a collage of history, experience and