Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

The Nigerian literati have continued to eulogise Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka who turned 86 last week. To mark the milestone, tributes have continued to pour in from the Nigerian literati. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.

Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka was 86 last week. The playwright and  poet has remained a constant voice against injustice and a strong critic of successive Nigerian governments.

It was no wonder then that the literati rolled out the drums to celebrate his milestone with tributes in his honour. Prof. Femi Osofisan, along with Odia Ofeimun, PEN Nigeria, Poets in Nigeria (PIN) among others, are full of praises for the celebrator.

For renowned playwright, Prof Osofisan, Soyinka is a man of “great legacies”. He praised Soyinka, who was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, for legacies and sacrifices towards a better society and humanity. He, however, raised fears over the legacy Soyinka is leaving behind and how that is dying now in the country.

Speaking with The Nation, Osofisan said: “I am particularly delighted that he is still with us and still very much vibrant.

‘’I’m happy for him and for us. Here is a man who struggled and suffered for good governance here. He was even imprisoned.  But when I read some write-ups on the Internet, I am worried.

“It doesn’t seem as if some of the young people are aware of the legacies and the sacrifices that people like him have made for the progress of this country. And I think this has to do with the refusal for many years to teach history in  schools to let us know what we are about. On all fronts, I am happy he is still with us but also worried on all the fronts.”

On his part, the author of “Soyinka In Spite of Ogun, In Search of Nietzsche”, Ofeimun, said the laureate’s consistency is worthy of praise. “I think that as Soyinka turns 86, we should celebrate him for how this imaginative genius has contributed to the development of ideas in our times and in our climes,” he stated.

The President of the Nigerian Centre of PEN International, otherwise known as PEN Nigeria, described the celebrator as an “icon of Africa’s literary culture” who has been “a father figure to younger members of the literary community, offering inspiration and encouragement to all”. While recounting his encounter with Soyinka, Agoi said: “My reflection on the personality of Prof Wole Soyinka will be from the perspective of his interest in – and relationship with – young people, as illustrated by the Wole Soyinka Essay competition, an annual art and creative writing competition for school children organised by Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange – WSICE. For instance, I didn’t have to persuade him before he contributed one of his freshly crafted poems to Silver Lining, an anthology produced by PEN Nigeria in 2019.

“Again, I recall how, when he turned 70 in 2004, we, members of Lagos Chapter of Association of Nigerian Authors, ANA Lagos, decided to dedicate our July monthly reading/meeting to him. I was, at the time, the Chairman of ANA Lagos. In view of my awareness of his numerous engagements, especially events organised in his honour by various organisations, I had invited his son, Makin, to represent him. You can imagine how surprised we were when he showed up a few minutes after the commencement of the reading. And later, while addressing the gathering, he kept referring to the association as his primary constituency.”

In the words of the President, NANTAP and Member, Governing Board, National Theatre /National Troupe of Nigeria, Israel Eboh, “Our dear WS, is an enigma. He is a man like every one of us, yet uniquely different – a scourge to oppression, corruption and bad leaders, friend to the oppressed. The black race`s ingenious gift to the world…WS, the consummate writer, theatre scholar and director, global affairs analyst, citizen of the world and speaker of truth to power. I join the world to celebrate you. Happy birthday dear WS.”

READ ALSO: Celebrating Wole Soyinka at 86

For the President, Poets in Nigeria Initiative (PIN), Eriata Oribhabor, Soyinka is “a literary guru who believes that writing shouldn’t be for writing sake”. He said: “On behalf of Poets in Nigeria Initiative, I celebrate Prof. Wole Soyinka on his 86th birthday for who he is and what he has represented over the years…His avowed stand of using literature for people and societal development and physical efforts at realising his dreams in this regard is legendary. That he has remained a worthy rudder for us poets and writers is worthy of celebration. I am wishing him many more years of good health that would keep him as the voice of choice against abuse of political power and man’s inhumanity to man.  Happy birthday Prof.”

Performance Poet Iquo DianaAbasi, who is also the Interim Chair, ANA Lagos, Soyinka remains an “inspiration.” “Baba keeps inspiring us, by being so hard working at his age. He also inspires others to produce work centred on him and his life; the children’s essays, colloquiums articles, exhibitions and even children’s books.  I wish him continued good health!”

 

By Tola Adeniyi

 

Not since the display of energy and passion by Duro Ladipo as Sango at Koso in Oba Koso, Kola Ogunmola as Lanke Omu in Palmwine Drinkard, Sonni Otti as Danda in Danda, Jimi Solanke as Ovheramwen Nogbaisi in Ovheramwen Nogbaisi or Columbus Irosanga [not in his role as powerful chief priest Igbudu in the 2003 Nollywood blockbuster movie Issakkaaba but the young Irosanga who almost set both the stage and audience ablaze with his act in Port Harcourt in 1975] have I been literally thrown off my seat by Ibrahim Chatta last week.

COVID-19 had locked me down and locked me up with the Nollywood series on GoTV and for several hours each passing day, it was a switch between movies and the news channels.

My eyes have been entertained with the best and the worst in Nigerian movies and also pissed off with several nauseating shades of bleached skins that made me to wonder once a while whether I was seeing double in Coca-cola bodies carrying Fanta faces!

Chatta sent me to memory lane of my younger days as Macbeth in Macbeth, Mr. Sipo of Sipo Amalgamated in Dinner for Promotion, Smirnov ‘the Bear’ in Chekov’s The Bear and the sweet Prince of Aragon in Merchant of Venice among several others. What a huge loss Movie Industry has inflicted on Stage Drama!

The star-studded movie which provoked this review is titled Ofin Ilu Wa which celebrates some of the leading giants in Nollywood such as charismatic Odunlade Adekola as Chief Diviner [ Babalawo] of Ilu Ayero, Saidi Balogun as Oba Adeoti, delectable Bukky Wright as his Olori la’afin, Segun Ogungbe as Akanji Anikinnikun, Sola Kosoko, daughter of Grandmaster Jide Kosoko, as Atoke Orodoyin, Muphy Afolabi as Deputy to Chief Diviner, Faosat Balogun as Mama Agba, Ajidara as Oba Adeoti’s father, Afeez Abiodun as Oloye and Amusan, Mr. Latin a palace courtier and many more.

A  Grade A movie, OFIN ILU WA, with script written by Dare Ogungbe, has all the essential qualities of the best in film production.

The script, theme, message, moral, location, casting, costume, scenic sequence and flawless flow, make-up, special effects and spectacular grandeur are simply beyond words.

It certainly is not a low budget enterprise. The movie will dignify the screen of any cinema house anywhere in the world.

The story is set in a rustic village where the passing Oba called up his heir to the throne and admonished him never to get drunk with power and to always remember that laws [Ofin Ilu Wa] are made for man and not the other way round.

The supposed heir to the throne was not actually entitled to the throne but was rigged in. Hence everything went wrong on his assumption to the throne.

Chief Diviner told the King that human sacrifice must be made to appease the gods. In such situations there is always a curfew and whoever broke the curfew would be the cursed sacrificial lamb.

Unfortunately, the daughter of Chief Priest, the Abore, whose duty it was to carry out the execution dreamt that her father was in an imminent danger and therefore travelled out to warn her father but unfortunately arrived the village late in the night and got caught in the web of the curfew enforcers.

Atoke Orodoyin was sacrificed by her father as divined by the gods. Her brother Anikinniku was enraged and was bent on vengeance. He and his militia men gang-raped a village beauty and he alone was singled out for punishment and sentenced to death!

The Abore who had earlier sacrificed his own daughter for the village was enraged and confronted Adeoti the King. Adeoti responded by banishing him or with the option of suicide.

Enraged Abore, challenged the king to let go his [Abore’s] son and daughter in the palace, whereas unknown to the Oba, the two children born by Olori were actually fathered by the Abore.

The dénouement was the suicide of both the Olori and the king and scrapping of the village as Abore in powerful invocations led the whole village out [obviously to found a new town!]

The whole drama starts on high pitch note. Full of electrifying invocations, Saidi Balogun as the Oba, dramatises his love for power drunkenness, ignoring his Olori Bukky Wright’s intermittent warning that his excesses would have dire consequences.

As expected of star studded movies, all the actors in the movie proved their mettle. But Ibrahim Chatta was simply mesmerising.

He gave his body, soul, spirit and voice to Atanda Aworo’sa the revered Abore [Chief Priest] of Ilu Ayero. He became Aworo’sa personified.

When it dawned on him that his daughter was the victim caught that night, he displayed unusual equanimity and stoicism which left the entire village dumbfounded.

And as he moved to the scene and spot of the sacrifice, where his daughter was tied to the stake to be ritualistically executed, his eyes became blood shot and his face puffed up like a python about to swallow her prey.

His daughter, wailing and screaming with basketful tears pumping out of her face and cheeks, presented unbearable pain and disbelief which combined the duo in heart wrenching agony.

Sola Kosoko was simply arresting with her high pitched cry reminiscent of the legendary Atahualpa in The Royal Hunt of the Sun.

Chatta meanwhile, in the same train of streaming agony, kept repeating to the gods to accept their ransom! The spectators in the movie as well as the viewers in my living room were drowned in tears…first class character acting. Konstantin Stanislvski rose from his grave and became whole!

At the point Aworo challenged the king to release his two children, following the death sentence passed on Anikinniku his son, Chatta’s voice and looks were no longer his.

And when Aworo was summoning all the villagers to move en masse in procession out of the vanquished Ayero, Chatta has assumed the aura not just of the Chief Priest but of the Oracle himself! Chatta transformed from humanity to the gods and effortlessly elevated himself to the Pantheon of gods!

Full of electrifying invocations and evocations of magical proportions, Chatta gave his face and eyes to Sango, the dreaded Yoruba God of Thunder, and replaced them with Sango’s. His voice rang out to the skies, the heavens echoed with thunderous lightning, and ground his feet stamped shook.

In fitful feat of frightening fury, the energy burst of Ogunmola, Duro Ladipo, Isoronga and Sonni Otti grabbed Ibrahim Chatta’s face, voice and limbs while he repeatedly lashed the ground with a bewitching chain. And the villagers trooped out in unquestioning obeisance.

Chatta, the Chaka of Drama and theatricalities henceforth resided in the body and soul of Konstatini Stanislavsky.  In years to come Ibrahim Chatta’s tremendous energy, dexterity, versatility and inimitable character interpretation will be high in the curriculum of Acting Classes.

 

• Adeniyi is chairman of Tola Adeniyi Foundation for Theatre and the Arts (TAFTA)

 

Can the government alone take the over 10.5 million out-of-school children off the streets? With worsening insecurity in the Northeast and the current economic depression occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of these children seems bleak and hopeless. But, a young female dance dramatist with the National Troupe of Nigeria, Miss Ihuoma Harrison has ‘sacrificed’ her career and is giving her all to reverse the misfortune of homeless children using her drama academy as a change agent, Assistant Editor Arts OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.

 

Miss Ihuoma Harrison is one of the very few Nigerians of her age with the heart of a philanthropist. She was not born with a silver spoon, yet finds fulfillment in giving to the less-privileged.

She overcame the challenges of being an orphan and a street child at an early age to become an inspiration to hundreds of homeless children picked from slums in Lagos.

Few years after joining the National Troupe of Nigeria in Lagos as a freelance dancer on a monthly salary of N27,000, she took to the streets of White Sand, a slum in Ijora community to pick homeless children aged 5 to 15, to train as dancers.

She risked her job to accommodate these children in one of the rooms (she used as costumes’ store) in the Artistes’ Hostel until she relocated to Ikorodu for adequate space.

Today, with about 26 (resident) children (12 boys and 14 girls) at her Gifted Steppers Academy, Oma (as she is fondly called) is everything – mother, sister, father and trainer to the children.

She achieved all this through the support and assistance from corporate bodies and individuals who share in the dream of rehabilitating and educating the children.

The objectives of the academy, according to her, include taking the kids off the streets, giving them hope and providing quality education for them as well as shelter.

She disclosed that it is primarily to ensure that every disadvantaged kid is enrolled in school and taught the art; drama and dance because it is the art that got her this far in life.

“I was once a disadvantaged kid as my parents died when I was a small child. My father died first when I was 10. As a result, life became difficult for us.

One day, the landlord of our house at Ilasamaja in Lagos threw our belongings onto the street around 5am because my mother couldn’t pay rent.

My siblings were sleeping outside and church while I was sent to live with my aunt. We were eight in the family.

‘’Later, family, friends and our church assisted my mother to rent an apartment but we couldn’t sustain the rent for two years. We were back on the street again,” she recounted her travails as a child.

It was amidst these challenges as a street kid that Oma found solace in participating in church drama sketches, which did not only give her joy but also a sense of belonging to a caring group.

From the church, a friend introduced her to a private theatre outfit where she honed her skill as a dancer.

“This was the period when I joined a dance group, Theatre Flame Production, led by Austin Ajibolade in 2005. I was in SS3 then.

I got all the trainings as a dancer at the theatre group, which enabled me to apply as freelance dancer at the National Troupe.

I joined the National Troupe of Nigeria as a freelance dancer in 2010. God assisted me all through these years.

I used my little allowance at the troupe to pay my school fees at the Lagos State University, Ojo. But, unfortunately for me, my mother died in 2012. Yet, I never gave up on my education.

“After surviving these problems with the help of God, I resolved that I will use my art to assist any street child. So, in 2017, I started picking kids off the streets, starting from White Sand in Ijora community in Lagos where many families are living in slums.

I brought them to the troupe’s hostel where I lived and I was teaching them dance, drama and song. I contacted their parents to allow me take care of them,” she said.

Continuing, she said: “I had a store at the troupe’s hostel where I kept costumes, which served as their sleeping room. I reached out to corporate bodies, individuals for support.

However, the children’s rough life started attracting the attention of the management and I was ordered to relocate the children or I lose my job.

To me, sending the kids to the streets and losing my job were two unattractive options. So, I decided to strike a balance by seeking a loan from a cooperative to get xan apartment that can accommodate all of them.

By that, I retained my job and secured the children off the street. That brought me to Ikorodu where rent was fairly affordable.

“Apart from the 26 in-house children, there are 20 children coming from within Ikorodu community. All the children are in same school.

We have been getting money from individuals, foundation and corporate bodies and performance fees when we go out to perform for corporate bodies.”

On the training programme for the children at the academy, Oma said to complement what she provides, she often invites other artistes to the academy to train or present talk-shop to the children.

The training in dance and drama, she said is held after school periods and holiday periods.

“These kids can dance, sing and drum well. Some are good in singing, drawing, dancing.

As for education, they are doing their best, reading and writing.

We emphasise here that the art is mathematics, physics and biology because there is art in all of the subjects.

In terms of manners, this is one difficult aspect of raising them.

I use talks and prayers to reform them.

 

 

“Performances are during festive periods.  Rehearsal is evening of Monday, Thursday and Friday. We participated in the last two editions of African Drum Festival in Abeokuta.

For now, we have been doing marketing to the world…we don’t really charge money for appearances now,” she stated.

But the early period of COVID-19 pandemic gave Oma and the children a tough time to contend. With the total lockdown, getting adequate food and other basic needs became a huge challenge.

“It was not easy keeping the children, feeding and caring for their other needs. A foundation came to our rescue at that critical time. I am the only person in charge of the children. No house help and security guard in the house,” she addednhelplessly.

Despite these challenges, Oma still found time to visit and give palliatives to families at White Sand in Ijora. During this year’s Children Day celebration, she in company of some of the children visited White Sand to give out palliatives to the children.

“We do visit their parents during vacation and, sometime, the parents do come here to see their children. Until now, some of the children were sleeping inside parked buses in the slums,” she said of the cordial relationship between the children and their parents.

Unfortunately, though a passionate project, the academy has allowed Oma little or no time for her private life because the children according to her come first.

“I don’t have time for myself. I overlook some jobs because I cannot leave the children without a care giver. As for marriage, I am looking up to God.

Not every man wants to accept this project. I knew what I experienced in my past relationship. If I don’t do this I will not have happiness.

This was what God used in helping me and my family. When my mother died in 2012, I was in National Troupe. I had to collect loan from the cooperative society to bury my mother.

So, if I wasn’t dancing how would I get money to bury my late mother? I had to give back to the society. I am helping not because I have money, but because I had once known what it is to be hungry and be on the street homeless,” Oma said.

So far, her priority needs include to make the academy, which has been registered as a foundation, function at optimal, feeding the children, hiring an assistance like a guard or house help and a means of transport in case of an emergency and to convey the children to event venues when they have shows to attend.

“We will be glad to have any company that can provide food not money as well as pay the security guard’s salary,” she pleaded.

One of the children, Goodnews Ini-Ubong David, 10, said of his experiences: “When I was with my parents, we didn’t have house to sleep.

We slept outside. When we woke up in the morning, we moved about the community and anywhere we saw we slept. It was difficult to find food to eat.

We used to sleep near dustbin every night. But, luckily, I joined the academy through the assistance of a woman who introduced the academy to my father.

“I thank God that I am here today. I don’t know what would have happened to my brother and I, who is also here at the academy if we were still at Whitesand Community in Ijora.

Now, our life is better than before. Before, we ate only once and, sometimes, we didn’t have anything to eat while at Whitesand Community. Most times, we did some domestic work for people to feed.”

Another child, Yagana Abulama, a nine-year-old Basic 2 pupil, recalled: “We are three in the family. Most time we didn’t have food and no lesson, no school.

We didn’t have slippers to wear and our clothes were torn. We roamed about sometime with only pant. We ate only once in a day and sometimes it was garri we would take.

‘’My father didn’t care about us. He came home once in a while to give us money to feed. My mother is a local midwife that takes delivery of babies.

Today, I can read and write. Before I joined the academy, I couldn’t pronounce any word in English.”

By Evelyn Osagie

 

The Centre for Children Health Education Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE) has drawn attention to orphans as a result of Boko Haram and herdsmen killings in the North as it launched ICT centres in five states across the country.

According to the Founder of CEE-HOPE, Betty Abah, more should be done to better the lot of the children, especially during the pandemic, while calling for quality educational intervention.

She made the call as the NGO commissioned an ICT centres along with a borehole in Monkey Village at the weekend.

She said: “One of ways to keep children busy is to keep them learning, especially at this time of COVID-19 when they are not in school.

The presentation of the ICT centre is very symbolic. We are doing this in five different locations across the country – Lagos, Kaduna, Plateau, Benue and Imo.

“Three of those are orphanages with close to 200 children orphaned as a result of Boko Haram, herdsmen killings across the Middle Belt, etc.

Without quality education and computer training, its double tragedy for the children, and because many of them saw their parent being killed, many of them have inbuilt anger against society already. Without being computer literate, they can’t have a firm grasp of ICT skills.”

To curb future crisis as a result of such tragedies, Abah said that such children should be educated, developed and exposed to diverse opportunities.

“More should be done to cushion the effect on them brought by the pandemic. At CEE-HOPE, we believe that by exposing them to such opportunities, we are giving them wings to fly.

We are starting off with these ICT centres, launching it here in Monkey village and we are hoping that with time and more resources we would be able to go to other places because majority of Nigerian children are not computer literate.

We are here to commission two projects as part of CEE-HOPE empowerment programmes.

On his part, a member of the governing board of CEE-HOPE, Lekan Otufodunrin, stated that the borehole project was as a result of the NGO’s outcry, especially on Facebook, due to the severity of water scarcity faced here when Monkey Village was fenced in by their wealthy neighbours sometimes back.

While urging the children to stay true to their dreams, he encouraged the children in the community not to give up hope. “I grew up in Ajegunle as a young person.

The fact that I can accomplish what I have accomplished today is a proof that anybody can become somebody,” he said.

By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

 

Last Sunday, the open ground of Sheraton Hotel, Abuja provided a natural setting for the first successful drive-in theatre experiment courtesy of Otunba Segun Runsewe-led National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC).

Nigeria cultural tourism community thus recorded its historic count down to a post-COVID-19 new normal engagement.

The event was a revelation that Nigeria and indeed its creative sector is proactive enough to cope with the new normal being faced by the globe, no thanks to COVID-19.

The Sunday experiment shoveled with very tight security, social distancing and a must-wear mask protocols, ushered in selected car owners strategically connected to a special programme frequency for sound, dedicated pavilions and over forty visitors convenience.

The well illuminated and decorated open theatre stand was centralised and visible from all directions and angles, with the thespians observing the approved protocols, and the Abuja hotel staff serving guests with snacks and beverages at intervals and fully following established hygiene protocols.

Beamed on National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) platforms such as Zoom, Instagram, Facebook and other social media page accounts, the performances backed by live coverage by notable Nigerian television stations added to the glamorous experiment. The print media were not also left out.

In tandem with the NCAC post-COVID creative efforts, the drive-in open theatre was geared towards perfecting the up-coming National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) holding in Jos in October.

With the digital interaction attracting over 18 countries, with ambassadors of Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, India, Pakistan and China, the template for Nigeria’s come back to life post-COVID was on showcase.

Added to the live theatre experiment, was a clinically-driven pre and post fumigation of the event ground and facilities, with a special attention paid to the dedicated pavilion for photo journalists and television camera personnel.

NCAC Director-General Otunba Segun Runsewe expressed happiness at the encouraging presence of individuals and culture enthusiasts who graced the occasion, adding that Nigeria has once again made statements that life has returned in the country post-COVID-19.

“We are a big country and we shall continue to prepare and not relax. COVID- 19 may have impacted on the cultural tourism businesses worldwide but in Nigeria, we are back on the beat, we are going to overcome challenges and put the right foot forward.

A country with 36 states and a federal capital, ready to come together in a cultural show of force slated for Jos in October, cannot take anything for granted.” he explained.

On the showcase of the iconic culture and tourism destinations in Nigeria, he stated that the effort, powered at the end of each performance, was to add value to the business of promoting Nigeria and her people.

“Each performance comes up at the end with a dedicated video playback of selected destinations and iconic cultural offerings to spice additional information about any state on showcase.

We also got the Nigerian media backing because we understand the reach and usefulness of keeping the government and people informed of how ready we are in this whole process.”

Chairman, House Committee on Culture, Ogbeide Ihama, congratulated Runsewe on the drive-in effort, noting that NCAC has more than justified its corporate relevance and contributions to the advancement of Nigerian cultural tourism beyond COVID-19.

“Runsewe once again has shown capacity. He was not waiting to be told what to do but has shown everyone how to rise above the fears of the pandemic.

He is futuristic and proactive. No doubt NAFEST 2020 in Jos is a reality. The national assembly, the house committee on culture in particular, is proud to be associated with this outing and with Runsewe at NCAC, Honourable Ihama noted.

By Sam Anokam

 

As the rest of the world marked the International Widow’s Day, Nigeria was not left out as a special welfare outreach was organised by the International Women’s Society (IWS) in Lagos through it’s Widows Trust Fund arm.

The event held in three locations – Ikeja Military Cantoment, Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA and the IWS Skills Centre, Lekki. Over 1000 widows benefited from packaged food stuff such as semolina, wheat, spaghetti and noodles, among others.

With a UN theme for the year tagged, ‘I am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights,’ Mrs Ibiwunmi Akinola, the society’s President, noted that the plight of widows has gained significant global attention. She added that since June 23, 2011, the United Nations International Widows has set aside the day to honour widows.

According to the IWS President, the organisation has been able to impact women in the society through the support of individuals and organisations including Wife of Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo through her Ayodele Project and Concerned Mothers – The Women’s Helping Hands Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Royal Majesty and Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi among others.

Mrs Ibiwunmi explained, “This is a very important day for the IWS, as it brings under the spotlight, our SAWID PROJECT – (S -SUPPORT A-  WID WIDOW). We started the SAWID PROJECT 22 years ago even though IWS was established in 1957, 63 years ago.”

According to her, “The LOOMBA Foundation UK 2015 Global Widows Report estimates the total number of widows globally at over 258million, it would be nice to know what percentage of them reside in Nigeria, but we can safely say that they are numerous.

Therefore, sustainable empowerment and policy changes will be the hallmarks of taking proper care of our widows. More progress would involve less social or legal restrictions when it comes to sorting out their lives when the unexpected happens. This will be our mandate in 2020 and beyond.”

Chairperson, IWS Widows’ Trust Fund Mrs Olabisi Alokolaro disclosed that since March, the IWS has handed out palliatives to women with support from Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) and Cherith Child.

Her words: “To date, we have distributed palliatives to over 2,000 widows since the COVID-19 pandemic and we still intend to continue to do this throughout this period.

For our ‘Support a Widow Campaign’, we call on individuals, government, corporate organisations and development agencies to support us as we restore hope and support for widows in our society and I implore you all to join hands to make life more worthwhile for widows across our nation and the world at large.”

Josephine Linus, a widow and beneficiary of the IWS Widow’s Trust Fund, commended the IWS for their sustainable interventions which she has been benefiting for the past three years. “I’m so grateful to the IWS for standing up for widows knowing full well what they are going through.

I got to know IWS since 2018 and they have empowered me with a fridge that I use to sell cold drinks to meet my needs.I didn’t look this good when I first walked into the IWS Skills Centre.

They have also trained us on how to make Zobo drink, Chapman and soap which I now supply to customers in large quantities.Being a widow is not an experience that anyone would enjoy but it has happened.”

Maureen Oseni, a widow of 11 years and mother of two, lamented the sufferings of widows while thanking organisations such as the IWS for their support.

“I first got to know the IWS about three years ago. They have organised various forms of empowerment programmes to equip us. Our condition as widows requires the sympathy of well-meaning Nigerians,” explained Mrs Oseni.

 

In a month’s time, the late Prof Solomon Irein Wangboje would have turned 90, but for his death 22 years ago. The former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Benin City left an indelible mark on the sands of time as a rare humanist, educationist, artist and administrator. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME writes on his life and times in this tribute.

 

Nigeria’s first professor of Fine Art and former Deputy Vice- Chancellor, University of Benin, Prof. Solomon Irein Wangboje (1930-1998), would have been 90 years in August, but the wicked hands of death took him 22 years ago at 68.

Until his demise, he was a bundle of kindness and humility. Yet, Prof Wangboje was a phenomenon in contemporary Nigerian arts as he became the first academic professor of art in 1973 at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, having researched and lectured at the then University of Ife, Ile-Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University.

He was one of the pioneers of academic trained artists in Nigeria, having passed through the Nigerian College of Art, Science and Technology (NCAST), Zaria from 1955 to 1959 with reputable artists, such as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Uche Okeke and Demas Nwoko, among others.

He obtained a doctorate degree in Art Education in 1968 after he bagged a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in printmaking. He was an artist, educationist, administrator, scholar and a humanist.

The late Professor was the architect of the Department of Fine Art/Applied Art, Ekenwan Campus, University of Benin; and a great administrator of impeccable quality and vision.

As Head of Department, he had a vision of making the Benin Art School one of the best art institutions in the world. He contributed immensely to the development of printmaking in Nigeria through the application and exposure of various themes, techniques and media in his creative works.

And in appreciation of these, he was inducted posthumously into the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) Hall of Fame for distinguished service to the country and for dedicating his life and career to the mission and values of the society. Until his death in 1998, he was a founding member of the SNA.

As an academic, he was a leading light especially in the area of art education. As a pioneer artist who rose to the peak of his career at a time art was less attractive urged the younger generation artists to show commitment and dedication to the profession in order to raise the bar.

He once said in 1995 that ‘now that we are no longer anonymous, let’s see what we have done. Let us shift emphasis from making art. Rather, we should be talking about it.’

At his 66th birthday celebration in 1996, humility ruled the VIP Lounge, National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, venue of the event, which featured some of his old students, relations and professional associates.

Members of the University of Benin Arts Graduates Association (Ekenwan Art-Grads), organisers of the event, extolled the virtues of the master print-maker.

In commemoration of his lofty ideas and contributions to the contemporary Nigerian Arts, the association which was coordinated by Dr. Kunle Filani, declared every August 16, as “Artgrads Day” to be marked by exhibitions, workshops, conference and seminars, among others.

At the birthday bash, Prof. Wangboje was also unanimously appointed as the life patron of ‘Ekenwan Art Grads.’

The association also lined up a group art exhibition on October 12, 1996, at Wangboje’s Art Gallery, Osborne Road, Lagos, followed by a conference on “Art and Art Education” at the University of Benin auditorium on a later date. A large size painting, CELEBRATION by Akin Onipede, one of the old boys was presented to Wangboje as birthday gift.

Like a happy father, he commended the association for the honour but charged them to start on a very strong note, stand together and work harder in order to make their own presence felt on the art scene.

“We are very individualistic in our arts and life and for anybody wanting to group artists he stands for a very herculean task and journey.

My hope is that when this group gets together, they must start on a very strong note, stand together and work harder” he advised.

On the state of contemporary Nigerian art scene, he said: “In developing countries like ours, where artist is just coming into his own, trying to make a statement that the audience should appreciate and understand, you require a third party to be able to serve the link between the artist and audience. The critic or art writer is crucial in the understanding and propagation of the art in our society.”

The late Prof Wangboje who hailed from Avbiosi, Owan-West Local Government Area of Edo State was a lover of children.

According to his daughter, Mrs Iwoje Wangboje-Eguavoen, a lawyer and gallery owner, Prof. Wangboje’s strong passion for helping young art enthusiasts started when he introduced a programme entitled TV Model Club on NTA Benin in the 1980s.

“He saw the importance of training children in art early, hence Children’s Art Classes, which were free,” noting that Wangboje’s legacy of workshop was well known in his Ori Olokun project at the University of Ife, Ile-Ife.

In continuation of that legacy Iwoje initiated the Wangboje Children Art Competition, a yearly art competition organised by Wangboje Art Foundation for children under 10 years in 1998.

It was held at Wangboje Art Gallery at Ikoyi Lagos attracting no fewer than 150 school entries from nine schools on the theme, Romance of the Head Load, which is one of Prof. Wangboje’s works.  

Until his death, he created great number of prints, employing different techniques like wood-cut, and lino-cut which are relief printing techniques.

Most of his works are influenced by his experiments and events around him. The Creative Arts Faculty at the University of Benin, according to Wangboje, was founded primarily to project the African arts in African way.

Wanting a departure from the European approach, he modeled the faculty to accommodate music, painting, theatre and other departments of Creative Arts.

Though his works focus on people, places and events, as expressed in Desert Journey II (1964), portrait of a Labourer (1964), and idle boats, he locates the African motifs and symbols in most of the works.

Perhaps , a continuation of the philosophy of the “Zaria Rebels”, others like Music Maker (1964), By the light of the moon (1962) and At the Wharf (1964) remain symbolic in his collection.

Wangboje finds mask as inseparable from African art and did highlight mask’s expressive and aesthetic values in his retrospective exhibition.