Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

Goethe-Institut and Grohs Family have called for entries from African artists for the Henrike Grohs Art Award, a biennial art prize by Goethe-Institut and the Grohs family in memory of the former Head of Goethe-Institut in Abidjan, Henrike Grohs.

Applications will open from October 15 to November 15, followed by the awards, being organised in conjunction with Dak’Art-Biennial of Contemporary African Art in May 2020.

The prize is awarded to pratising visual artists working on the continent. Application is available on www.henrikegrohsartaward.africa, and must be made online.

The main prize is awarded by an international jury after a shortlist is compiled by a committee. The winners or  agroup of winners will receive a prize of 20, 000€ and a publication worth 10, 000€ on their work.

Two artists or groups will be selected as runners up and will receive a prize of 5.000€ each.

The award aims to support emerging artists in their careers, responding to the challenges of practising on the African continent. Artistic quality is the most important criteria for the award.

Cameroonian intermedia artist Em’kal Eyongakpa was recipient of the inaugural award last year with the international jury of Koyo Kouoh (Artistic Director, RAW Material Company, Dakar), Laurence Bonvin (artist and representative of the Grohs family, Berlin), Raphael Chikukwa (Chief Curator, National Gallery of Zimbabwe, Harare) and Simon Njami (Curator, Paris).

 

Ambassador Akporode Blessing Clark is a well-travelled diplomat, who has served in various capacities in Europe, America and Africa. From New York as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, he was reassigned in 1981 to Nigeria as a Director-General of the Foreign Ministry in charge of service matters. But, while at the United Nations, he served as Chairman, Special Committee against Apartheid and Chairman, Committee on Peace Keeping. Ambassador Clark, who retired prematurely in 1984, speaks on the sad story of Nigeria’s development, the poor state of Niger Delta region, his career in Foreign Service, gender parity, among other issues.

As a career diplomat, how was your journey in Foreign Service?

It has been a very interesting and eventful experience. As a civil servant, I was not much affected by the vagaries of the government. My oath of office was to serve whoever was in government, consequently I made progress under both civilian and military rule.

I never applied for posting or promotion, yet I had a very satisfactory career. I joined the old Western Region Civil Service in 1957 as an Assistant Secretary under Chief S. O. Adebo in Ibadan. I served in several ministries before transferring to the Foreign Service in 1961.

 Since retirement in 1984, what were your preoccupations?

Since my retirement, I was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2015 and I have been an active trustee and member of both the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries (CORFEPS) and the Association of Retired Career Ambassador of Nigeria (ARCAN). I have also been serving as the Chief Executive of the Yakubu Gowon Centre for International Peace and Development. I am a life member of the Institute of International Affairs, the Ikoyi Club 1938 and a member of the Metropolitan Club.

Lastly, among the honours that I am most proud of is the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) which was conferred on me in 1999.

As a prominent elder statesman, you are conversant with the history of Nigeria, what do you think are the problems of Nigeria and your solution to them?

Nigeria has not evolved along the lines which were envisaged at the time of independence, yet we cannot overlook immense physical and material development in the country. As the late President Leopold Sedar Senghor of Senegal said, ‘there are many slips between the cup and the lip,’ the achievements we have made so far in the country do not match our expectations given the prodigious human and material endowments of the country. It is a crying shame that the impression is given that we have become a country of crooks and corruption where there are no knowledgeable and honest people to drive the progress and development of the country. Consequently, we have become globally notorious for our deficits in infrastructure (physical and institutional), power and poverty. One does not require a ‘Solon or a Solomon’ to direct the affairs of this country. All it requires as was in the case of modern Turkey is a team of young men and women dedicated to the proposition that Nigeria must be different and great starting with changes in education that is knowledge based, disciplined reform of the administrative services, provision of adequate healthcare and dedicated economic planning as was in the case in India. Nigeria can be different and proud again.

You graduated from the University of College Ibadan, now, University of Ibadan. What were your life experiences as a student at the premier university?

My days at Ibadan were very rewarding and carefree. The University College was then a manageable institution with a crop of young men and women admitted from all over the country committed to making Nigeria great as there were no so-called catchment areas. Independence was then within reach and the expectation was that we were being educated to own our country and therefore prepared to serve. I am proud to say that I do not know or heard of any Nigerian of my generation who went through UCI that has been accused of treasury looting. We replaced the foreign administrators and professionals quite seamlessly and laid down the foundations of the new country which was the envy of people everywhere before the current rot that we are all complaining about.

As a key stakeholder from Niger Delta, the region is currently enjoying a relatively calm scenario. What role did you play to achieve this?

I have neither served in my state of origin, Delta nor in any state government apart from the old Western Nigeria. Yet, I was fully aware that my services were for them and on their behalf. And therefore, my service to the country as a whole has affected it. I am fiercely Nigerian by conviction and persuasion, and irrevocably committed to a united and indivisible Nigeria. My services, my loyalty have been at the federal level. I therefore cannot claim that I have made any direct substantial personal contribution to the situation in the Delta even though I am immensely concerned about the situation in the area. However, I am deeply pained by the hugely deleterious effects of the oil industry in the region. Not only has it destroyed the socio-economic life of the people, it has also inflicted tremendous cultural and psychological wounds on the societies. Unfortunately, there is an apparent lack of recognition and appreciation of the very significant contribution that the region has made to the prosperity and unity of the country. Of course, I do derive vicarious satisfaction from the fact that my elder brother Chief E.K Clark has been at the forefront of the struggle of the people for improvements in their quality of life, and peace in the region.

Contrary to the ostentatious lifestyles of your contemporaries, you have chosen to live a very quiet lifestyle. Is it intentional or that is your natural way of life? 

I feel flattered that you have observed my modest lifestyle. It is in my character. Honesty has been my byword. I can proudly say that I can account for every single penny I have spent. My family background and the schools I attended equipped me to learn to live within my means.

How was your life experience growing up with the renowned Chief Edwin Clark and J.P Clark?

My brothers and I were brought up as a closely knit family united by the family traditions of mutual loyalty and love. We ate together, slept together and went to school together. Till today whenever we are together, we still eat together from the same pot. Fortunately, we have developed our own individualities each of us pursuing different courses. There was no basis therefore for rivalry because of our upbringing. We always took pride in the success of one another because of the way we have grown up together we like to believe that we have set an example for other families in our community to follow. Parents have striven to send their children to school and tried to emulate us. This has been a matter of great satisfaction to us.

What is your advice to the upcoming career diplomats in Nigeria and the aggrieved Ijaw youth?

I always take very opportunity to tell my young colleagues and upcoming diplomats that they belong to a noble career and profession. They should take pride in themselves and work hard to justify themselves. No diplomat is judged by local standards, every diplomat must compete against his peers from other countries because diplomats compete to defend and protect the interest of their countries. I also counsel them to keep their noses clean and not to be jealous of their contemporaries in the home service because they are not judged by their material wealth but by the quality of their service abroad. Few diplomats practice what they learnt at school. They are, therefore, required to be inquisitive, work hard and to master any schedule given to them. The international agenda is not determined by any particular country or individual. Every diplomat must therefore equip himself to deal with any contingency that may arise in the course of their career.  They must be willing to adapt and practice to the best standards. They must learn as much as they can about their country and to see the whole country as their own. Their loyalty therefore must be to the whole country and seek its good in all its ramifications. Since every nation is a microcosm of Nigeria made up of different ethnic groups, religious persuasions, individual interests and ambitions. Diplomats must learn to be tolerant, and open minded. They must be prepared to undertake training and more training to be able to cope with the vagaries of the international agenda.

As for the young Ijaw men and women, they must not lose hope. They must learn that the responsibility of developing their areas lies with them and because of the hostile terrain where they most live they must acquire skills and habits to develop themselves as nobody else is going to do it for them. I always remind them that the hallmark of an Ijaw man was honesty hence an Ijaw man will say he is speaking an ‘Ijaw truth’ because that defines their character. Fortunately, we are blessed with resources and intelligence. It is up to us to covert the challenges facing us into opportunities for development. I remind them that the Ijaws were the first to come into contact with the western world. The hallmark of which was the pursuit of education. They must, therefore, draw up on that history to acquire education and professions that will enable them to control their resources properly and develop their areas.

The campaign for gender equality is increasingly high. During your time in service, what were the roles of women? 

There was no gender difference in the part of Nigeria that I grew up in. Of course, there were cultural practices that tended to favour boys over girls. But basically, we had equal opportunity to go to school and gain employment. The boy child certainly had certain advantages, but a determined girl competed equally and favourably with her male counterparts. Nigeria is one of the countries where there is no differentiation in salaries and remuneration of workers male or female. When there were some discrepancies in the entitlement of Foreign Service Officers between male and female at the initial stage of the service like marriage status, single parents, Nigeria did not hesitate to redress the situation. Officers both male and female followed the same career paths. They were appointed Ambassadors, Counsellors, first Secretaries and so on without discrimination. In my family for instance, all of us both male and female went to school and had equal opportunities to advance but the dropout rate was higher amongst the girls because of cultural pressures to marry.

Lanre Amodu

Robert awoke one morning feeling excited. He sang to himself as he walked from one end of the room to another, dressing up for his big day. He had been unemployed for five years, but his luck was about to change. He locked the door of his tiny room, and headed out of the overcrowded compound. On his way out, he met Tina. “Wow, you seem quite motivated today, Robert.” “Morning Tina,” he replied, “Today is my big day.” “A job interview or something?” she asked. “Not quite. I simply have this deep feeling that something great is coming my way today, so I’m going out to find it.” “That’s good. So, where exactly are you going?” She asked. “I don’t know yet,” he answered, “but I think I will start from Victoria Island. There are very big businesses there”. “VI is a pretty big place. Don’t you have a list of the companies you wish you visit?” Tina asked concerned. “Nope! That will limit my scope. I need to keep my options open for my big break”. With that, Robert left.

After several hours of wandering around in Victoria Island, Robert saw a black Mercedes Benz SUV about to drive into a big office complex. He rushed towards it and pleaded for the attention of the occupant. The middle-aged man wind down the car window to find out what Robert wanted. Robert explained to him how desperately he needed a job. The man asked him what he could do and Robert said he could do anything. Shocked, because anything actually meant nothing, the man asked him the course he studied in school and he said Biochemistry. “Do you know what we do here?” The man asked, “This is an auditing firm!” “Well,” said Robert, “I can do that too.” “What did you do with your time for five years, while searching for a job?” The man wanted to know. “Nothing sir. I decided not to get actively involved in anything because my dream job may show up at any time. I had to be focused. I also couldn’t settle for a mediocre job for the same reason. Once I get my big break, the five years will be worth the wait.” The man looked at Robert pitifully and said, “When you know what you want to do with your life and you have developed your capacity in that direction, I may have a few suggestions for you.” I believe we can learn a few things from the experience of Robert:

• Optimism without direction: while it is great to have a positive disposition towards life, you must have a direction. A lot of people are excited about a new day, month or year without really having a plan. A plan is always the first step. Zig Ziglar said that without fail, those who don’t take the first step will never take the next step.
• Lack of vision: Robert neither knew the exact kind of opportunity he wanted nor where to find it. According to Dr. David Oyedepo, “If you don’t know where you are going, everywhere will look like it”.
• Big break mentality: the problem with “big breaks” is that many people wait without doing anything. Your big opportunity will come, but it must meet you prepared. “It is better to be prepared and not have an opportunity, than to have an opportunity and not be prepared,” says Les Brown.
• Disrespect for small beginnings: Robert felt he deserved more than the little opportunities around him, so he waited for the big one. What most people don’t realise is that those small opportunities in life help to prepare them for greater ones. If you refuse to handle small projects because you think they are beneath you, how will you acquire the necessary skill and experience to handle the big ones? Learn to have respect for every opportunity.

Thanks for reading my article today. I would really love to hear from you. So, do share your views with me by sending SMS to 07034737394, visiting www.olanreamodu.com and following me on twitter @lanreamodu. Remember, you are currently nothing compared to what you can become. This can be your year if you want it to be!

 

Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, 77, decked in light blue top and trousers, walked in gently aided by his son Femi, Personal Assistant Taiwo Olujimi and Manager Tunji Odunbaku. Few minutes after taking his seat, the quietness that ushered him in was disturbed by the crowd’s request for the rendition of his classic songs. That changed the setting of the opening of the College Gallery, Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, last Wednesday. And for some minutes, Fabiyi was in his best element, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.

It was sweet homecoming for  music icon Evangelist Ebenezer Fabiyi, last Wednesday, at his home state, Ogun State. He was at the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta to present some of his personal effects – two guitars, dresses, shoes, eye glass, albums and covers, vintage photographs, among others, to the College Gallery.

His presence drew a huge crowd of fans, guests and staff of the college, who took series of selfies with the legendary musician. From the presentation of the archival items, he was ‘conscripted’ by his fans to offer free musical show.

Prompted by the cheering crowd who were mainly his music fans, Fabiyi, popularly known as Obey, in his famous juju zdays rendered some of his hit tracks to the delight of the guests. His short performance literarily silenced the band that was on hand to entertain the audience at the ceremony. From Aimasiko to Aye wa a toro, Ota mii dehin le yin mi, Oro Oluwa Ede, Board Members, Eniri Nkan he, Ori mi koniburu and Kete kete, he took the audience down memory lane while they sang along with nostalgia.

His renditions, though impromptu and not backed by instrumentation, became the major highlight of the event and were very refreshing for the audience who demanded  more. Sitting, Fabiyi obliged the audience asking, ‘’Okay, which one do you want?’’ Twice, he changed his microphone to thrill the audience free.

Earlier, Fabiyi said the need to curate spaces for the preservation of our history and heritage was important. He stated that the reason for donating the items to the school was in response to the college’s request for a museum space in my honour as an indigene of the state.

“I am a proud son of the soil and a legendary music icon, who has been active in the last 60 years and is still active. The journey of my life has been a source of testimony and inspiration to me. I was conceived in Idogo, born in Massey Hospital on Lagos Island, raised in Idogo and Abeokuta before finally coming to reside in Lagos.

“I know this museum space would be of immense benefit and a source of inspiration to the students of the school and future generations who would find motivation in my story and journey through life as a musician, an African and an indigene of Ogun State,” he added.

According to him, he donated the items to the school in good faith, hoping that posterity will ‘’serve us well as we try to preserve our history for the benefit of generations to come. The need to start curating spaces for the preservation of our history and heritage is more important now than ever.

“I dedicate these items to the memory of my parents, most especially my mother, Mrs. Abigail Oyindamola Abeke Fabiyi (Nee Toriola) from Owu quarters in Abeokuta, and to my father Chief Nathaniel Olasewo Fabiyi from Kesi, Abeokuta and to the glory of Almighty God who has been my source of strength all these years! I hope you will enjoy and appreciate some of my personal effects and belongings that I am sharing with you in this museum space,” he said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, he stated that in 60 years of his music career, he never lost followership or fans when he embraced gospel music because he did not change from secular to gospel music per se as erroneously believed.

“I have been a musician for over 60 years. Mine is not changing from secular to gospel, but a call from God. Though it was difficult for me to say yes or no then, after 12 years, I realised God wanted me to use music to propagate his gospel. That was exactly what happened to me. After 17 years of doing that, the Lord allowed me to do special outreach and appearances. I charged people and I keep part of the proceeds for myself and the ministry. There were comments that I was backsliding then. But, my works were there as evidence and I was still using my music to serve God. I didn’t miss anything,” he added.

Fabiyi said the secret of success of any musician must be a function of what kind of music he releases to his fans. “When I go into the studio, I always asked myself three ‘whats.’ What do I want to give to my listeners? What do I want to impress on my listeners? and What do I want the listeners to remember me for in that particular music? These three questions guided me all through my career. As a result, I rendered meaningful lyrics like counsel, prayer and advice, which listeners want to hear and sing. Also, when I tell a story like Ketekete, it is conceived to teach lesson that no one can please the world. Little wonder my hits have won lots of gold,” Fabiyi said with all modesty.

Reacting to a question on the quality of music being produced by young generation musicians, he said they are communicating to their generation and doing their bit but they can still do better.

He disclosed that he was working on a legacy project that will involve music school, skill acquisition and audio engineering training for the youths. The project, which he said, was being managed by his foundation, is located at Kilometre Four, Ayetoro Road, Abeokuta.

Curator of the show, Oludamola Adebowale said the purpose of curating the mini-museum space is to celebrate a proud son of the soil, noting that all the items were supervised and handpicked by him and Obey and that the idea was not just to create inspiring works for posterity.

He stated that it was also to inspire the younger generations and students of the college that they could also achieve greatness too, as long as they stay focused, work hard and stay diligent.

To him, curating the project of an iconic figure like Fabiyi is nothing but a privilege he would forever cherish. “It’s not just about telling the story of his selfless and legendary life, but also witnessing his accomplishments, struggles and success at the same time,” he added.

He recalled that his journey with Fabiyi started after the successful showcase at the festival exhibition for the Ogun State Government at this year’s African Drum Festival in Abeokuta in April.

“When the authorities at Federal College of Education, Osiele approached him, requesting that he donates some of his personal effects to this space, it was an opportunity for me to work with “Baba Obey” as he is fondly called.

“The purpose of curating this mini museum space is to celebrate a proud son of the soil. Obey-Fabiyi started his musical career in the mid 50’s. He focused on using his music to promote the cultural welfare of Yoruba land and most importantly the culture and heritage of Ogun State. To this effect, it’s worthy enough to celebrate an iconic figure who has contributed to “Juju Music” as an export from Nigeria. A global feat to say the least,” the curator said.

He noted that the Fabiyi’s museum space is not an ordinary one but a presentation to showcase the unique artistic life of the music legend aimed at immortalising him.

Speaking on behalf of the college, Dr. Soyele Adekola said of the many Ogun indigenes that were contacted to set up a cubicle for their archival items, only Fabiyi was the first to show interest.

“Here we are today. This is what he has done. As far as I am concerned, this is the best cubicle in this gallery. He donated it and has spent millions of naira and we appreciate him for that. You have made our day and you are part of history,” he said.

Unlike Fabiyi’s cubicle, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s cubicle at the gallery was barely filled with handful of archival items, such as quotations, sculptural pieces and photographs. The college’s past and current board chairmen and provost had their photographs displayed on rollup banners at the adjacent cubicles. The inauguration of the gallery, which was done by the former Provost of the college, Dr. Kunle Filani, coincided with the its 24th Convocation, the foundation anniversary, commissioning of the Theatre Art Complex, College Conference Hall and Obasanjo Vocational Education Building; an edifice meant for thew School of Earlky Childhood Care Edaucation/primary Education Complex.

By Ozolua Uhakheme

No fewer than 250 artworks will be showcased at Oreze V11  today at Ime Obi  (Obi of Onitsha Palace), Ezechima Square, Onitsha, Anambra State.

The exhibition, which will run till Sunday, October 13, will feature artworks in three categories. They include works by artists from West African countries, by Nigerian artists, and by those in the Diaspora, in addition to those by artists of Onitsha origin as well as others practising in various parts of Southeast.

Professor of Art History and Theory, Department of Fine Art and Design, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Frank Ugiomoh, is special guest at the opening ceremony.

Oreze V11 is part of activities marking this year’s Ofala of the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe.

According to the monarch who is the chief host of the exhibition, Oreze is part of efforts to ensure that art making, appreciation and enjoyment is accessible to a wider cross section of our society, including those in the provincial and rural communities.

The exhibition’s curator, George Edozie, disclosed that Oreze VII promises to be a festival of colours and creative energies in a collection of great works of art from multi-talented artists to celebrate this year’s Ofala.

The  Oreze art exhibition series has been conceptualised and promoted under the auspices of Chimedie Museum Trust Foundation. It holds annually during the Ofala of the Obi of Onitsha. It opened for the first time as Oreze 1 on October 7, 2013,  the eve of that year’s Ofala.

Oreze has grown in leaps and bounds and has had some of the largest collection of works in a group show in Africa. It continues to feature artists from various parts of the world and has served as an avenue for promoting up and coming artists.

On Thursday, October 10, a panel of discussion on the Role of art in community enlightenment, Cohesion and Development’ will hold as part of the exhibition. Panelists include artists, such as Tayo Adenaike, Obiora Anidi, and Nneka Odoh.

Others are art collector Hakeem Adedeji, and art curator Iheanyi Onwuegbucha. Prof. Ugiomoh will moderate the discussion.

The Chimedie Museum Trust Foundation has been established by  Obi of Onitsha.The foundation seeks to help create a future in which African art achieves greater visibility, appreciation, relevance and sustainability. The Chimedie Museum Trust Foundation is a centre of excellence for the development and promotion of African art as a vehicle for community transformation. In this regard, it has decided to establish the Chimedie Museum in Onitsha. Construction of the museum building is underway.

 

By Ozolua Uhakheme

THE Board of Trustees (BoT) of a Non-Governmental Organisation, Life In My City Art Festival (LIMCAF), has appointed renowned art teacher and painter Mr. Nsikak Essien as chairman of the festival jury panel for this year.

This follows the approval of the recommendations of the Central Organising Committee detailing the names and bio-data of the members of the national jury panel.

Other members of the panel are Sam Ovraiti, Dr Lasisi Lamidi, Erasmus Onyishi and Klaranze Okhide.

Essien is one of the best known full-time studio artists of his generation. The 64-year-old multi-talented artist was a founding member of the famous AKA Circle of Exhibiting Artists, which included other stalwarts like El Anatsui, Bona Ezeudu, Obiora Anidi and the late sculptor Okpu Eze.

He studied art at the Insititute of Management and Technology Enugu, graduating with Distinction in Painting as Best Overall Graduate and winner of the Fasuyi Best National Art Graduate in Painting in 1979.

After 11-year stint as lecturer in his alma mater from 1980 to 1991, Essien opted for fulltime studio work, from which he has continued to enchant the world of art lovers with acclaimed productions shown in solo and group exhibitions including permanent ones in many very highly visible venues such as Aguda House and the Asso Villa collection, the National Assembly and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters, all in Abuja.

Others are to be found in highly notable and famed institutions, galleries and private collections of in the many famous homes and palaces.

Art Director LIMCAF Dr. Ayo Adewunmi said, in a statement, that the appointment of Essien is a continuation of the trend set from the beginning of the festival 13 years ago to ensure the highest level of integrity and excellence in the judging process by appointing the very best of practitioners, scholars and curators in contemporary art in Nigeria.

He noted that this is sometimes carried out with inclusion of foreign experts into the panel.

Adewunmi added that in the last three years, a deliberate policy directed by the BoT had also resulted in the inclusion of younger talents from the pool of past overall winners who have distinguished themselves and advanced their careers to join the regional and the national jury.

“The aim is to ensure continuity and help build leadership in the Nigeria art landscape both in academia and studio practitioners in the art industry. LIMCAF’s in this regard is to continue to contribute significantly to the robust growth of the art industry in Nigeria,” he added.