The Nation Newspaper

Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

  • LABAF 2017: Campaign for literacy, human development

    LABAF 2017: Campaign for literacy, human development

    The 19th edition of the Lagos Book & Art Festival (LABAF) focusing on the theme: Eruptions: Global Fractures and Collective Humanism, began on Monday and will run till  Sunday at the Freedom Park, Lagos.

    The pre-festival events started on November 6, climaxing today at various venues, while the main festival is between November 9 and 12.

    Explaining the theme, the programme directorate of the festival, said: “The theme is primarily inspired by the convulsions in the global political and economic space; the sort of angst that’s led to the emergence of Donald Trump and now upsurge of the ‘supremacist’ and rightists’ movements in the United States; the decision by 17.4million British voters to leave the European Union; the siege on Europe by Islamic militias; the crises in the Middle-East, which have led to millions of refugees besieging Europe; the resurgence of ‘separatist’ rhetoric from some youths in different regions of Nigeria etc. We wish to examine the implications of all these actions on the fundamental rights and privileges of affected people; and in general, our collective humanity”.

    The2017 festival is”dedicated to the Poet laureate, Prof Niyi Osundare, stated Toyin Akinosho, secretary general of the Committee for Relevant Art, CORA, promoters of the festival. He described Osundare as a “true national and cultural icon,” who has influenced generations of younger poets and writers, helping them to find their voice and developing their own styles. The 18th edition was dedicated to the dramatist, Prof Femi Osofisan, who, as Festival Special Guest of Honour was present at all the sessions of the festival that started in 1999 as a “literacy and human capital development campaign.”

    The festival will also honour some icons in the Nigeria culture and creative industry sector, who clock landmark birthday anniversary (usually those just attaining the milestone ages of 80s, 70s and 60s) in the course of the year.

    Programme chair of CORA, and Curator of the festival, Jahman Anikulapo, said, “as it is traditional with the CORA,in deciding our theme for every edition, we always look at most cogent development in global political and cultural circuit and try to weigh in on the effects of such on the condition of our collective humanity. This year we have resolved to look at emergent strange tendencies in world politics that is rapturing political establishments; for instance, Brexit in the UK; the emergence of an extremist like Donald Trump as president of the bastion of democracy, the United States. And we already have warnings that some parts of Europe could also have their own Trump-like character emerging as leader! These developments obviously have grave implications for our shared humanity and the spirit of free interactions among various peoples of the world. You could see such effects in the demonisation of the Syrian refugees by some political leaders in Europe; and continuous threats from Mr Trump to segregate and profile people who are not of his skin colour and racial convictions.”

    Anikulapo said the central programme team of the CORA is assembling publications, authors visual arts contents that treat issues around the theme.

    About 25 publications have been identified as the books of the festival, and will feature in the various readings, reviews, conversations, discussions sessions that will feature in the week-long festival.

    He stated, however, that at the festival, book rather than the writer is usually the determinant of the direction of programming. “The book is the Megastar at our ‘fiesta of Ideas and Life’, after all the writer is only as Big as the idea contained in his or her work, he declared, while thanking the festival guests, patrons, volunteers, “whose various contributions have always made every edition a rounded success”.

  • LIMCAF 2017 showcases Nigeria’s rich art landscape

    LIMCAF 2017 showcases Nigeria’s rich art landscape

    This year’s Life in My City Festival (LIMCAF) was a showcase of Nigeria’s rich artistic landscape. It drew art collectors and dignitaries from across the country, reports ASSISTANT EDITOR (ARTS) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

    Eleven years on, the annual Life in My City Festival (LIMCAF), Enugu, which started as a modest art event, has become the most credible and longest running art event in Nigeria, empowering and promoting young artists.

    This year’s edition, with the theme, In The Midst of Realities, was a festival of contemporary art that showcased brilliant  artistic minds. It paraded top-notch talents whose works left guests fascinated.

    Auchi Polytechnic-trained sculptor Ibrahim Afegbua’s piece, Facing The Giants (binding wire) caught the eyes of both the  grand jury and guests. Not only did his work beat those of 99 other young Nigerian artists and won the overall best prize of N500, 000, it also fetched the coveted prize, which included an all-expenses paid trip to the Dakar Art Biennale in 2018 —courtesy of Prof El Anatsui.

    But Ibrahim was not the only winner: Nsiobodo Doris’ Obscured Ideas won the Best Painting/Mixed Media/Drawing prize of N250,000. Daaduut Judith’s installation got the Best Sculpture Installation/Ceramics prize of N250,000. Raji Bamidele Abdulgaffar’s Irin Ajo Aye (Multimedia, Charcoal on Canvas) won the Best Graphics/Multimedia/Digital Art/Photography/Video prize as one of the top four and a cash prize of N250,000.

    The top four winners thus won the Prof El Anatsui’s all-expenses paid trip to the 2018 Dakar Biennale in Senegal. Raji Bamidele Abdulgaffar also won the French Embassy prize (a sponsorship of a solo art exhibition in Abuja).

    The festival, which was held between October 23 and 28, climaxed with the  award and prize giving ceremony attended by art collectors and bigwigs from the across the country, such as the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, Dr Christopher Kolade, Prof Christian Anieke, Prof Augustine Nweze, Prof Ozioma Onuzulike (who represented Prof El Anatsui) and representative of France’s Ambassador to Nigeria, and Enugu State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs Rita Mba, among other.

    Ugwuanyi reiterated his administration’s commitment and resolve to making Enugu State a tourism hub within the West African sub-region. He said the festival was within the state government’s vision and had the potential of taking Enugu city into the realm of art and culture.

    The chairman of the occasion, Duke, who described art as a measure of civilisation, urged Nigerians to collect art works and decorate homes and offices with quality works. “We need to keep LIMCAF alive and we should try to appreciate works of art,” he said.

    Congratulating the organisers of the festival for the sustenance of the event, he noted that sustainability is not our strong point. According to him, the collection of works leaves one in awe and there is nothing like earning a living from what one enjoys doing.

    Patron of LIMCAF, His Royal Majesty Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, said art should not be for the elite alone and should not be concentrated in cities like Lagos or the capital so as to make meaningful impact on the people. He disclosed that his multi-million naira private museum project in Onitsha would be ready by 2018 and would be the largest exhibition space in Nigeria besides the National Gallery of Art and National Museum. He said entry to the museum would be free as soon as it is open officially to the public.

    Igwe Achebe described LIMCAF as the only art event that holds in every zone of the country as well as a platform that brings artists together. “LIMCAF has done well and Enugu is ready to grab international event hosting in future,” he added.

    Ambassador Kolade praised the artists who in the midst of the realities in today’s Nigeria, were able to produce quality art works that are being showcased at the festival. He lauded the efforts of the artists  and urged them  to create artworks  that are gifts from God. “The realities of our country today, often lead us to think we are going in the other direction. Some of our expressions lead to conflicts, dissatisfaction and discouragement and we wonder how we are going to get out of these and return  to where the Almighty God want us to be,” he said.

    Chairman LIMCAF Board, Elder K. U Kalu, recalled that 11 years ago, the tentative steps led to the first edition of LIMCAF at the Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu which was a modest affair with no board in place. He said there was just a group of enthusiasts who sensed that there was some vague promise in the proposal by Chief Robert Oji, who is the founder of the festival.

    “And clearly after these 11 years, Life in My City is now firmly in place as the most credible, biggest and longest running art event in Nigeria today. And we have our hearts set on becoming a credible and sustainable international event as well because, after the blood, sweat and tears of the last 11 years, we now fully believe that we can go the whole hog and become a high profile, art tourism destination, ranking among the top three in Africa within the international art events calendar,” he said.

    Elder Kalu assured that there is a big quest to make the festival internationally relevant but ‘above all it underscores our major mission not only to empower our youths through opportunities to commercialise their works but also to afford them opportunity to advance their careers.’’

    Prizes were also given on the endowed prizes category. Winners included Ugwuagbo Godwin Ejike’s Pro-Life Campaign: Please Can We Just Stop (Justice Anthony Aniagolu Prize for Originality ( N100,000), Taofeek Badru’s A Ayeye Igbeyawo (Wedding) (Dr. Pius Okigbo Prize for Technical Proficiency ( N150,000), Essang Etim’s Reality of Our Heritage (Mfon Usoro Prize for Outstanding work from Uyo/Calabar Zone ( N200,000), Onaolapo Bolaji’s The Struggle (Thought Pyramid prize for the Outstanding work from Abuja (N100, 000), Armstrong Obialo Grillo’s Social Embrace (Thought Pyramid prize for the Outstanding work from Auchi/Benin/Delta (N100,000), Fatola Isreal’s The Story of My Life (Lawrence Agada Prize for the Most Promising Young Artist N100,000) and Ayogu Kingsley’s Valley (The Failure of Time) (VinMartin Ilo Prize for the Outstanding work from Enugu N50, 000). The rest 20 shortlisted artists got consolation prize of N20, 000 each.

    The grand jury consisted of Kolade Oshinowo as Chairman, Joe Musa, Amarachi Okafor, Jeff Ajueshi, representative of the French Embassy. However, providence made Joe Musa to act as chairman because Mr. Oshinowo could not attend the event on the advice of his doctors. After two levels of screening, the jury team selected 27 artists’ works for the grand finale considering the followings: Art principles, creative use of material, originality of concept, thematic expression and quality of artwork. But at the exhibition were exquisite works of the top 100 young Nigerian artists.

    According to Musa “In this selection, the textile category was unavailable this year, while in the photography/video or digital art, we did not see a work strong enough to get that prize. So we included multimedia in that category”.

  • Daughters of Igbo Woman for premiere Nov 13

    Following a successful tour in October of two memorial sites in Bristol, United Kingdom – the Georgian House Museum; Greenbank Cemetery ‘the Bearpit’ – for Black History month, Daughters of Igbo Woman will berth in Lagos on November 13, at the Freedom Park to thrill film lovers.

    The film was part of the Journey to Justice Bristol programme held between August and October,

    It looks forward to another impressive outing and is open for a possible tour of other cities in the country.

    Three African writers – Ros Martin (UK), Akachi Ezeigbo (Nigeria) and Vida Rawlins St Kitts – are united in weaving this moving tale in memory of Fanny Coker (Fanny being shortened form of Fumnanya) to mark her 250 birth anniversary and to commemorate International Slavery memorial day.

    Daughters of Igbo Woman is a literary film that recaptures and renders audible and visible the forgotten voices and lives of three generations of 18th century African women from one family permanently separated by the transatlantic slave trade in inhumanity. Utilising University of Bristol 18th Pinney archive papers, the trilogy digital shorts that comprise “daughters”, are scheduled for screening, which is open to all, at the Freedom Park on Monday November 13 by 6:30 pm as an extension of the Lagos Book & Arts Festival, LABAF 2017.

    The Artistic Director, Martin says: “It is an absolute thrill and honour for daughters to be presented on Nigeria soil where the narrative begins, linking our common ancestry for those of us in the Diaspora. We, African women writers, have evoked ancestors’ voice into landscapes of our residence, in bringing together the three film shorts we symbolically reconnect to honour our common ancestral spirits who endured forced migration, separation and loss”.

    The first part of the trilogy opens with Prof. Ezeigbo rendering Abu Akwa (dirge) in memory of Ojiugo in the wake of her daughter’s disappearance. Set in 1764-Uga in present-day Anambra State, Southeast, Nigeria, is during the time of the boom of slave trade when activities of head-hunters were rampant with women and children often falling victims of wars and raids.

    Similarly, while Adaeze ends up on a sugar plantation in the Caribbean, her daughter – Fumnanya, is taken to Bristol, UK and her mother is emotionally forced to pen her an effusive letter.

    The film has been sponsored using public funding by the Arts Council England and supported by Bristol Culture, The Georgian House Museum and Journey to Justice.

     

  • CEE-HOPE establishes ICT centre for girls

    CEE-HOPE establishes ICT centre for girls

    TO boost girl-child education, a rights and development-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), has established a Girl ICT Centre in Lagos.

    The centre, which comprises numerous computers meant to empower and train girls on ICT skills, was commissioned by a team of women rights activists and science experts led by the president of Women Arise, Dr Joe Okei Odumakin, and a Scotland-based Nigerian engineer, Anuli Obiaga Marshal.

    With  the emergence of ICT, Odumakin said the field had seen several women who have made their marks and are doing great feats. She, however, observed that ICT still needs more women innovators. While praising the efforts of CEE-HOPE at girl empowerment via education and now ICT, Odumakin suggested that catching them young is the key to raising more women in the sector.

    The commissioning, which held at CEE-HOPE head office after a seminar and screening of a documentary on the foundation, also had in attendance school girls from Lagos and Ogun states, members of CEE-HOPE’s Girls-Go-for-Greatness (Triple G) empowerment club drawn from Makoko and other marginalised communities in both states and CEE-HOPE volunteers.

    For Mrs. Marshal, a 37-year-old mother of two, there is nothing a girl cannot achieve given the right support. She called for more to be done to encourage girls and young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), saying it is an investment with great dividend.

    Marshal, who was said to be a staunch supporter of the foundation and a First-Class graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO (2002) and the University of Manchester (2005), currently works for a multinational company in Aberdeen, Scotland.

    Formed in 2013, CEE-HOPE works with marginalised children and girls in urban slums and marginalised communities. Its biggest programmes are sited in Makoko, which it describes as “Nigeria’s and West Africa’s biggest slum community”. The ICT Centre, which is part of the foundation’s newest initiative, tagged: Girls Take Tech is part of its girl empowerment programme meant to bridge the gap in the sector, according to the founder of CEE-HOPE, Betty Abah.

    She decried the gender disparity in the ICT, observing that the ongoing project is meant to urge disadvantaged girls to go for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) discipline.

    Commissioning of the ICT Centre, Abah noted, was the project’s pilot phase which would be replicated in the various communities where CEE-HOPE works with at-risk children across Lagos and in other states.

    “We, at CEE-HOPE, believe that the dream of every girl is important whether they live in the city – highbrow areas such as Banana Island – or in marginalised communities such as Makoko, Otukpo and Monkey Village. We must give wings to their dreams no matter their background, and since we are in the age of the ICT, we must encourage girls to embrace and go into the field, especially because of the wide gaps that exist there. Nothing says a girl cannot be an astronaut, an ICT guru, or a pilot, etc. All things are simply possible with the right encouragement,” she said.

    A member of the ‘Triple G’ programme in Makoko, described the event as “inspiring”, saying: “It is wonderful to see people who are ready to support our dreams. I am inspired to go higher in my education”.

    Other guests at the event included  Dr. Princess Olufemi-Kayode of the Media Concern for Women and Children (MEDIACON); Dr. Adeolu Olusodo of the Society for Love and Social Justice; founder of the Yinkakenny Girls Care Foundation, Olaoluwayimika Kehinde; founder of Kids and the Environment (CATE), Sola Alamutu; a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police and a CEE-HOPE board member, who is also Abah’s uncle, Mr. Paul Ahmed; senior correspondent with the BBC, Mr. Sam Olukoya, and publisher of The Difference Newspaper, Mr. Richard Mammah.

     

     

  • I’m just too much(2)

    Last week, we shared the story of Motorola and its landmark achievements in pioneering remarkable technologies like the first hand-held walkie-talkie; the hand-held AM SCR-536 radio used during the World War II; and even the radio equipment Neil Armstrong used to contact earth from the moon. We, however, observed that the company is no longer a major force in the market because it lost its competitive edge. One major reason we identified for Motorola’s fall from grace is that “first doesn’t mean best”. When imitators begin to offer a better version of a product, pioneers had better watch out. Today, we shall discuss a few other reasons Motorola lost out:

    1. The stumbling block called success: one of the best ways to deal with success is to quickly put it behind and face the next goal. Success is progressive so it has no end. If you are done innovating then good for you; someone else is taking over! Knowledge doesn’t stop with what you know. Where one person’s expertise ends is where that of another begins. We must be willing to admit that there is something out there that is more than what we currently have. This is the ever learning attitude that can keep us relevant in life. While we are celebrating our achievements, someone else is working on an improvement on our efforts. There is no time to take a break from innovation.
    2. Disconnect from the end user: it was reported by Network World that Motorola missed the opportunity to migrate to 3G because the US Wireless Carriers, its biggest customers, weren’t interested in it. Unfortunately, the end users were ready for the migration. We cannot overemphasize the importance of staying in touch with every level of those who use our products or services. The question we need to ask is “who do we need the most?” Middlemen are a means to an end; users must be our priority.
    3. Failure to adapt to changes: I found this very strange considering Motorola’s commitment to research and development. However, we cannot deny that the company’s technology gradually became obsolete in the face of competition. Finding out new ways of doing things is the way to the future. Steve Jobs had this to say, “I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.” We must not be too enthralled with our achievements to realise that the world has moved on. We must accept that people are too restless and dynamic to celebrate our successes for eternity; before we know it, they are looking for the next best thing.

    When a problem lingers, it may be an indication that the current level of information is not adequate. According to Albert Einstein, “You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created”. If it is true that every solution to an existing problem creates other problems of its own, then we must never be satisfied with yesterday’s solutions. What we know now may be good enough to solve today’s problems; but make no mistake, it will never be adequate for tomorrow. We must never become “too much” to realise we have stopped learning for “so long”.

    I look forward to reading your stories of great successes and your comments. Share your views with me by visiting www.olanreamodu.com and following me on twitter @lanreamodu.

  • Lagos hosts the world at LIPF

    Lagos hosts the world at LIPF

    The city of Lagos hosted scores of poets, writers and artists across the world at the Freedom Park at the CMS, Lagos, for the 2017 Lagos International Poetry Festival (LIPF).

    The five-day festival, the third in the series, opened with poets from across the world in attendance.

    The poetry festival, which essence was to bridge the falling walls of our society with the power of words, was attended by many African poets and more than eight American poets.

    The annual poetry fiesta, which is usually spearheaded and sponsored by the Nigeria Breweries, began with a master class poetry workshop for young poets who are willing to climb to the top hill of poetry.

    This year’s theme, Bridges from Walls, explored arts capacity to unite society around its common humanity. The series of events lined up for the festival express the universal desire for love, joy and fulfilment. Workshop, master classes and poetry performances from poets from across the world characterised this year’s festival.

    The festival was prefaced with a theatrical musical dance. Chika Jones opened the floor of poetry with his spoken words.

    Chika, in his spoken words, explored the nausea of the conglomeration of different tribes with different geographical and traditional backgrounds in Nigeria. According to him, Nigeria is metaphorically a country forced together by the power of the gun.

    Ndukwe Onuoma, a Nigerian poet hailed the themes of colonialism, corruption over revolution, secession and agitation, devolution of power and so on which were mentioned in Chika’s poetry. “Change will come somehow, change will come someday, but that day is not today,” he said, in his poetic lines.

    Koleka Putuma, a South African female spoken word poet and a radical feminist divulged her displeasure over gender inequality and inequity in Africa and the word generally. She said that taking the females as the weaker sex is unfair and unjust. She also mentioned how the rights of women are being denied of them and how they are usually maltreated in the society. To Putuma, both male and female genders should be treated equally.

    Dike Chukwumerije, a popular spokenword poet, expressed the need to frown discrimination, ethnocentrism, jingoism, neo-colonialism, internal apartheid, xenophobia and dehumanisation. Dike furthermore poured thoughts, insinuating that evils, corruption and social vices recognise no one consequentially. “When the drum sounds, let everyone answer”, he urged.

    Rezthepoet Afolabi, who is also a musician, said: “Poetry is life, expression and the basis of our experience and existence. Our being here is to channel the power of poetry to stimulate conversations about topical issues as they affect the society. Poetry uses the power of words to inspire. As poets, what we learnt is what we share. We learn from others and others learn from us”, he said.

    In line with its commitment to youth empowerment and talent development in Nigeria, Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries Plc, is sponsoring LIPF.

    Ekanem said: “The sponsorship is a strand in the fabric of the company’s philosophy of “Winning with Nigeria. We recognise that the arts play an important role in strengthening the cultural values of our society and we believe that we can help to contribute to the breeding of young, emerging talents and create a shared performance space for poets from Nigeria and across the world”.

    Ekanem further stated that Nigerian Breweries Plc is supporting the festival to help project the role of poetry as a tool for re-engineering of society. “Poetry does not only interpret society or serve as its mirror, it also helps us imagine better ways of being and living,” he explained.

    Also the Director of the event, Efe Paul, commended the Nigerian Breweries for spearheading the sponsorship of the creative event. He also thanked everyone and supporters who made the event worthy of attending.

  • ‘Ado-Odo used to be citadel of traditional religion’

    ‘Ado-Odo used to be citadel of traditional religion’

    Son of the soil, Alhaji Adulrahaman Olamide Akinola, who is chairman of Alamuwa Central Development Council and Baba Adini of Aduranigba Central Mosque, Ado-Odo speaks on the significance of Oduduwa-Alaje festival and how it used to be home of traditional worship in Yorubaland.

    What is the importance of Oduduwa Alaje festival?

    It has been on since the creation of Ado-Odo town around 1015AD. Alaje is a goddess revered throughout Yorubaland because of her prowess. Research gathered from the Ibadan archives actually showed that Bishop Ajayi Crowther visited the shrine in 1842 and recorded that Alaje is a goddess of fecundity, whom when propitiated, gives children to the childless. For example, King Tofa of Port Novo, who was barren for a long period, was introduced to the Alaje goddess and after worshipping at the shrine, got a child and many more thereafter. As a mark of devotion, he came on pilgrimage every year with his people to worship at the shrine. Even King Kosoko and later King Akintoye came from Lagos to worship at the shrine. The Egba woman, Iyalode Tinubu, also came. So literally, Ado-Odo was a citadel of native religion.

    So why has it taken a back seat now?

    That’s because of the new religions. People now regard worshipping these gods as idol worshipping. Then, people believed and that believe is still there for some of us. That is why Ado-Odo still celebrates Alaje and Alamuwa festival almost at the same time.

    Should the people fail to celebrate this festival, is there a repercussion?

    Of course. That’s why we’re having the present situation on our hands. Can you think of any town where the oba has been involved in a street brawl? It’s an anathema. That is why the people are having sympathy for the festival and wholly embracing it. The last time it was held was 19 years ago in 1998. The Ifa oracle actually made us realise that things may never be the same with Ado-Odo, unless we perform the rites.

    You are a Muslim, yet you seem fully involved in this celebration…

    That is what I was brought up in. You can see the photos on the wall. That’s my grandmother in a traditional religion regalia and that’s me in an Islamic turban. We are able to co-exist with other religions because we have come to realise that if we decide to live strictly by religious lines, we may not make any progress. The people we look at as idol worshippers also call on God, whom they call Olodumare. They just believed they had to reach Him through lesser gods or emissaries. But they were faithful and loyal. There were regulations and taboos in place, and if anyone did anything wrong and was caught, they were summarily dealt with.

    Tell us about the drums and the whole myth of repelling enemies during war

    That’s the Igbi-ora. During the Egba/Ado war between 1845 and 1853, the Egba warriors were outside our city wall for years but could not come in primarily because of the wall and trenches dug round it. The Igbi-Ora, when beaten, has such a loud terrifying sound that the enemies usually got worried and scared of coming in. They usually wondered why the people could be beating drums and making merry even in the face of war.

    What effort is the town making regarding the exiled Oba?

    The issue is of mixed feelings. Mixed feelings because the government that is in place to make peace has started somehow. After the scuffle in 2013, the government set up a commission of enquiry and people went there to testify. I was the first person to testify in my capacity as chairman of Alamuwa Central Development Council, because we don’t want any blemish on the rites. But why has the government not made public their findings after the enquiry. Ado suffered a lot during that time. Two years’ curfew was imposed on the town before he was crowned; even when he wanted to celebrate one year on the throne there was a scuffle; same for when he wanted to celebrate his second.

     

  • ‘Why we labour in our old age’

    ‘Why we labour in our old age’

    Against the popular belief that aged men and women should take life easy, sit back and enjoy the care and benevolence of their children and grand children, more and more old people now seem to throng the streets, working their bones for money. But is this out of a need to survive or a way of killing boredom?  Dorcas Egede spoke to some of them.

    IN recent times, a number of Nigerians have been embracing the old people’s home culture, a culture hitherto known and regarded as foreign or Western. This of course has been ascribed to their increasingly busy schedules, as jobs now come with higher demand on individuals’ time. Some, who wouldn’t go that way, for fear of being accused of dumping their elderly in ‘no-man’s-land’, have employed maids to take care of them, while they are away. But these notwithstanding, many aged people seem to be flooding the streets, laboring away, sometimes, very hard, to fend for themselves. Or is to keep their mind and body active?

    Writing to keep mind at alert

    Inside Pa Olabode’s compound is the closest one may ever be to nature. Around the vast compound are well-trimmed flowers of all kinds. So neat is the compound that one may mistake it for someone’s living room. This reporter soon discovered that Olabode is a stickler for clean environments, when he introduced himself. “I am Adesakin E. Olabode, and I’m a senior citizen of Nigeria and a blessed octogenarian. I am an accountant by profession but I’m an unwavering environmentalist. I do that even more than my profession. I practised my profession as an account clerk, as an accountant with Guinness, Texaco Nig Ltd. and others. But more importantly, my view is that Nigeria is a dirty country. In 1978/79, Lagos was being described as the third dirtiest city in the whole world and I did a lone demonstration at the Lagos State secretariat when Alhaji Lateef Jakande was governor. It was a result of that action that he started the Ministry for the Environment, when he appointed Alhaji A. L. Masha, as Commissioner for Environment. That was what turned Lagos around, but they’re spoiling it again instead of improving on the system.”

    Though the nearly 84 year old man has retired from his accounting profession, he is still very unretired as a writer and author. Asked how long he has been writing, he said, “Since the 60s. I have a lot of unpublished and published works. I think my first work was on Awo in Nigeria’s political storms in 1966. It was published and distributed freely. I’m working on my next book. I just finished one, which I’ve not published. Reading and writing help to keep my mind at alert.”

    Pa Olabode is absolutely passionate about Nigeria and would like to see the nation change for the better. He is resolutely determined to keep writing things that will effect a change in the nation. He believes that if his voice isn’t heard now, he would at least leave a lasting legacy in prints for generations yet unborn. “Like I recently said to my children, who are mostly accountants, I’m not a rich man, but I want to die as an institution. You may ask me why, but it is because I have ideas. That’s why we always say the grave is the richest place in the world. Because we have ideas and these ideas are not actualised, they’re not accomplished, they’re not brought out, and before you know it, the person is dead and all the ideas are buried with him. There are lots of things I’ve written and yet to publish; look at them, if they’re publishable, then publish them, so that when I am dead, people will have research materials. One of my previously published books is, ‘Thinking aloud with you.’ It was published in 2014 when I turned 80. The one I’m currently working on is ‘Deep thoughts,’ and it’s basically on our country.

    What’s Pa Olabode’s typical day like? “I’m up as early as 4/4:30 in the morning. The first thing I do is thank God for giving me another day to live. I do not take for granted the privilege of sleeping and waking. After this, I go brush, shave, because I shave every morning, then I proceed to have my quiet time, where I pray and allow God speak to me through his word. Thereafter, I proceed for the family devotion. After the morning devotion I can walk around. I do walk around fairly. After walking around, I take my breakfast and get to work, writing or reading. I also find time during the day to pay visits to members of my church in the neighbourhood.”

    Still doing supply rounds at 77

    Every time you see Mrs. M. A. Joseph, 77 behind the wheels, you’re most likely going to be struggling within yourself to come to terms with the fact that she has lived nearly eight decades. She’s as strong behind the wheels, as any young person. On this particular morning, she was smartly dressed in a pair of pants, a tee-shirt and a fez cap; ready to go out for supplies.

    Though she looks every bit as strong as a hart, mama said she tries not to drive too far away from her immediate environment. “I drive within Festac and environs” she said. As a business woman who has to daily supply goods to her customers, mama said, “I go out for supplies daily, but I make sure I only go to a few places I know will not put too much strain on me.”

    Mrs. Joseph lives with one of her grandsons. Even though her children are all well-established and take care of her, mama insists on working “just for the fun of it and to keep me going.” This is owing to the general belief that old people tend to grow weaker and even die, if they embrace idleness.

    A visit to some markets revealed that a number of aged women who ought to be in homes for the old or at best, being taken care of in their children’s homes are still working rather hard for their age and strength to irk out a living for themselves and maybe their children. In a market at Ayobo, in the Alimosho LGA of the state, our reporter spoke with some aged market women to find out why they were still working at their age. Iya Suliat (not real name) who sat behind limes and garden eggs, which she displayed at the market, when asked why she still had to work at her age, said in Yoruba “Bi ilu se ri na ni” meaning that the state of the nation has required her to keep working to fend for herself. How about her children? This reporter quipped. From the response she gave it was obvious that even her children had a hard time taking care of themselves, she only prayed life would deal kindly with them so that they would be able to take care of her. “We are praying that it will be well with them and they will be well established in life.”

    Iya Jimoh (not real name) on the other hand, trades in limes, whole and juiced lime, packaged in bottles. She revealed to this reporter that she used to sell vegetables in large quantities before. Needless to say, now she is no longer as strong as she used to be, and so cannot sell more than what she had displayed on her table. According to the old woman, her children have constantly prodded her too stop going to the market. In fact, she told our reporter that she had just returned from staying with one of her daughters for nearly three months, within which she was sick and recuperating, but that as soon as she regained her strength, she had quickly taken her things and run back to her own apartment, as she couldn’t wait to continue with her buying and selling. Though she couldn’t exactly tell her age, she should be in her late 70s at the least.

    According to her, staying idle at home would only cause her health to degenerate the more. She strongly believes she is better off leaving the house every morning, even though she merely makes anything substantial enough to sustain her.

    Mr Owolabi Michael Arogundade is a 60 year old school bus driver, who as a result of the hard blows life has dealt him, looks like he’s in his late 70s. “I started driving for the Federal Government Staff School, Ijanikin 10 years ago when I couldn’t continue my work as a mechanic anymore. I am also a small pastor in one of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.”

    Asked why he was still driving a school bus at his age, he said,

    “I am still working because I don’t have money in a bank to fall back to and I am not going to be entitled to anything after retirement. The only thing that can make me retire now is if I am fully ordained a pastor because I can’t go back to being a mechanic, which is my original trade, so I will keep working until I can work no more, because I have  a son  that is still in Junior Secondary School and I pay his fees.”

    Born 1946, 71 year old Patrick Adefioye, works at the Alimosho Local Government Council. “I am occupying an elective position. I am a member of the Community Development Committee, CDC. We were elected by communities to come and represent the different communities in this local government. We have about 214 communities under this local government and 22 of us were elected to oversee activities of these communities and report back to management of this Council.”

    Adefioye, who is apparently working to stay busy, when asked how he’s coping with the work said he finds it very enjoyable because he wasn’t used to being idle.

  • Ado-Odo agog for Oduduwa-Alaje festival

    Ado-Odo agog for Oduduwa-Alaje festival

    The ancient town of Ado-Odo, north of Badagry and west end of Ogun State was agog with celebrations and worship recently, as the Awori people of the town held the Oduduwa-Alaje festival for the first time in 19 years. Gboyega Alaka reports.

    It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon and the excitement in the air was fever-pitch. Even without being told, any visitor or first-timer to this town, Ado-Odo, west end of Ogun State, Nigeria, would know that an occasion was unfolding. The milling crowd, pockets of men and women here and there; some in one-piece white wrapper – typical of the traditional orisha worshippers, some in blue Ankara, apparently chosen for the festival, and others in different casual and occasion clothes. A little bit to the right of the centre of activities, about four elderly men, steadied by their drums, the gbedu, which they beat intermittently. Pockets of crowd – those who could not ignore the scorching sun, took shelter beneath the various trees that litter the centre of the town.

    From time to town, the people exchanged greetings of ‘eku odun o’ roughly translating to ‘compliments of the festival.’

    Suddenly, there was a rush of excitement. The children and youth, who still had the energy, were in front, jumping and shouting with joy, while the middle-aged and older, trudged on as fast as they could. Soon the reason became clear. Two bulls, one black, the other, white, were being pulled into the centre of the town. At this point prince Wasiu Akinde, who is secretary to the four indigenous quarters of the town and chief host to The Nation reporter, attempted an explanation.

    “This occasion is the Oduduwa-Alaje festival and what you are witnessing is the ceremonial presentation of the bulls to the youths of the town. One of the bulls is supposed to be bought by the king, while the other is purchased from dues collected from the different quarters of the town. The dues are collected by the Itepa’lu, men who are title heads of igas (compounds) – pretty-much like the white cap chiefs of Lagos. They present it to the king. They are also like messengers to the priest and announce the coming of the festival.”

    “Later,” said Akinde, also generally hailed by all and sundry in the town as Baba ‘sale, “the bulls will be beaten to coma and offered as sacrifice at the Ilaje shrine. The male bull is sacrificed at the shrine of Ogun (the god of iron) while the female is sacrificed at the Ojubo Oduduwa, both located in the Ilaje Shrine. The head of Ilaje is a woman called Alaje while the deputy, also a woman, is Aragba. There are also men involved in the worship but their role is minimal.”

    As the name Aje (wealth) implies, Akinde said the festival is held to boost the economy of the town and Ogun State in general. This is the first time Oduduwa Alaje festival is being held in 19 years and the first since the town got its own LCDA; and it is to appease the gods and ancestors of the land, to shower peace and prosperity on the town. It will be recalled that Ogun State recently emulated Lagos State by breaking down its local government areas into 57 LCDAs, to ease administration and ensure effective grassroots governance.

    According to Akinyele Balogun, the festival occupies a pride of place in Yoruba history and usually has people visiting the Oduduwa and Obatala temples from far and wide.

    Their explanations were suddenly interrupted by another frenetic rush. The traditional gbedu drums were being beaten Ilaje-Ado and the olorisha women, decked in white, were filing out for a historic dance. That is another peak moment in the day’s celebration, as all attention shifts to them.

    The Igbi-ora drums

    But it was another opportunity for Akinde to throw light on another vital dimension to the celebration. “Only the gbedu drums and the Igbi-ora drums are allowed to be beaten during the festival. The Igbi-Ora is a 16-set drum beaten to forestall war and the gbedu drums assist it during celebrations like this.

    “The festival as a whole is a 13-day affair that commenced nine days ago. Today (Saturday October 28, 2017) is just the grand finale. It is a well-renowned and cherished festival that brings youths and elders of the land together from different parts of the country and beyond. During this celebration, there are days set aside for hunting stray cocks, hens and dogs.

    “Aside the Alaje being worshipped on this day, there is also the Idoliwo Shrine with its faithful. Its chief priest is called the Oluwo. They started their own celebration the Saturday before (October 20th). They were followed by the Isanyin group.”

    The chief priest at Alaje shrine also known as Oluwo, Sunday Idowu explained that anytime the goddess is worshipped, peace and prosperity usually reign in the town, and the women give birth safely and peacefully and everyone is happy. To the right side of the shrine, Idowu pointed at the shrine of Ogun, the god of iron, while at the centre was the Oduduwa Alaje Shrine; and to the left is the Ogbe shrine, symbolised by a massive tree, which stands well over 30 meters.

    “Legend has it that the Alaje goddess, Ogun and the Ogbe came to Ado-odo together from Ile-Ife. This is why they all have their abodes in the same shrine. The Ogbe tree has been at the same spot, not falling, not wilting from time immemorial. No one alive remembers the genesis of the tree.” Oluwo Idowu said.

    He explained that the first settlers of Ado-odo were from Ile-Ife; that is why the gods worshipped in Ile-Ife were brought to the town. Historically, the head or oba of the town is the Olofin. Next to him is the Osolo, followed by the Ojomu.

    When asked if there is a connection between the Osolo title in Ado-Odo and Isolo town in Lagos, Prince Akinde explained that the Awori people of Isolo, Lagos, migrated from Ado-Odo. He also said the Itire people of Lagos also have their roots in Itire in Ado-Odo.

    The festival took roots from time immemorial when their great ancestors, Onitako and Onirunmi Ekun aka Jagunde first settled in the virgin land. As a tribute to the memory of Onitako, a statue stands till date at a central position in the town, near the town hall.

    Not too far from the Ilaje shrine is the Ojomu Shrine, where Ojona, the god of war is worshipped. Ojona is said to protect the community during times of war. He also helps to ward-off evil spirits. Abiodun Ogundare aka Iko Ojomu aka Erin is the Gbafoosa or chief priest here.

    A brief disagreement unfolded here, as Ogundare attempted to outline the hierarchy of the high chiefs to the Olofin. Contrary to the arrangement narrated by Oluwo Idowu of Ilaje, Ogundare stated and insisted that the Ojomu and not the Osolo, is next to the throne, followed by the Aro and the Raa. They are the traditional high chiefs of the town

    But Akinde, in an attempt to clear the haze, said “The Ojomu (and his descendants) believes he settled in the town along with the Onitako. He also came with a crown. However, this has never degenerated into a fight. At the palace, the sitting arrangement is such that the Osolo sits to the right of the Olofin, while the Ojomu sits to the left. Next to the Ojomu is the Raa. The Aro, however, sits in front of the Olofin. Aro’s position is special in the sense that he is like a confidant of the Olofin. He is the only high chief who does not have a palace of his own.”

    Oniyanka

    The Oniyanka shrine is where the Egemo Igbala, which is next to the Alaje goddess, is worshiped. Youthful Kabiru Agbogunleri is the chief priest or Gbafoosa here. Oniyanka is celebrated along with Alaje every three years, and on special occasions to resolve family conflicts, confrontation over land or to appease the gods over economic problems.

    Not too far away is the Isanyin shrine. The Isanyin faithful started their celebration Monday through to Wednesday. At this point, the heavens opened up and heavy rain interrupted the process. But to the people, this was a sign of acceptance of the sacrifices.

    According to Akinde, the youths busy parading the bulls round the town must be happy now. The rain would also have cooled the atmosphere and created a perfect atmosphere for the tug of war that would be taking place among the youths at sundown.

    The deity at Isanyin shrine is also called Alamuwa. It is also a god of war. The Igbi-ora drums are resident in Alamuwa quarters, even though it originally belonged to the Ashaje or Alaje group. It got into the hands of the Alamuwa, when during the heat of war; the Ashaje people cowardly abandoned them and ran away. The Alamuwa people however demonstrated bravery, stood to save the day and carted the drums to their quarters. Now, the Alaje, even when they want to beat the drum during Alaje festival such as this day, have to send emissaries and make certain payments before the drums are moved to their shrine. Even then, it is the Alamuwa who beat the drums.

    But the Isanyi or Alamuwa superiority does not end there. According to one of the Alamuwa priestess, they also crown the Alaje (Ilaje Priestess) and her deputy, Aragba at Alamuwa quarters. This is because we are descendants of a male child, while they are descendants of a female child. Olofin Adimula

    Olofin Adimula is the title of the crown king of Ado-Odo town. At the moment, the town literally has no Oba. According to gathering from some of the townspeople, the incumbent, Oba Lateef Adeniran Akanni, was an unpopular choice installed by former Governor Gbenga Daniel administration against the wish of the people. Part of the fallout of that crowning was a crisis in 2013, when the monarch was engulfed in a street brawl with one of his subjects. As a result, the government ordered him to stay out of the town for the time being, while it set up a judicial commission of enquiry. The commission submitted its findings but the government is yet to respond officially. At the moment, no-one knows the where-about of the Oba although some say he is somewhere in Abeokuta.

  • Exhibition makes case for agric

    With the theme, One home, one farmer, artists and poets marked the World Food Day with poetry and photography exhibition at Didi Museum, Lagos.

    The event was sequel to the maiden edition of the exhibition held last year. This year’s edition was by Fingerprints in conjunction with Foodbank Nigeria and SheAgric.

    ‘One home, one farmer’ featured award-winning poet, Tade Iapdeola; Jos-based spoken-word poetry artiste, Andrew Patience; award-winning photographers Uche James Iroha; Rufus Ashiru, and accomplished graphic designer, and body performance artist, Yusuf Durodola.

    According to the organisers, this year’s theme was selected to drive home the awareness and advocate for subsistence agriculture and possibly encourage every full-blooded Nigerian family to devote a portion of their homes, no matter how little to planting food crops and other agricultural practices.

    The Fingerprints creative content director, Olawale Oluwadahunsi, said the exhibition was instituted to create the needed awareness for agricultural re-invigoration in Nigerian homes.

    Fingerprints, according to Oluwadahunsi, who is also a United Nations Youth delegate who represented Nigeria at the 20th UN Assembly at the United Nations, is a registered trademark under Poetic Mines Incorporated. It is a Creative Arts platform which expresses art through Photography, Creative writing, Motion Pictures and Literary Journalism to drive the practical significance of United Nations world calendar dates using various platforms to address the various socioeconomic issues affecting the nation to achieve sustainable development.

    He said: “We should all be farmers. The ‘twin’ green colors in our national flag signify fertility, chief of which is agriculture. This is in consonance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number two which stands to promote zero hunger and agricultural development in the country.

    “We all know we should diversify the economy, but how many people are taking a bold step towards it? What are we really doing? Can we really wait for the government to do all? We are proposing that every family in the country should have at least one person practicing agriculture as a part-time engagement.”

    The exhibition consultant, Rufus Ashiru, noted that the exhibition proceeds will be used to encourage the work of the Agricultural NGO, Foodbank Nigeria.

    “This is a charity exhibition but we are also using Art as a tool for agro-social advocacy to revive the back-to-the-basics culture of farming. Let us build our Nigerian dream and take our destiny into our own hands by agreeing to this proposition that we should all be farmers. We can make it happen. Meanwhile, this is a sales exhibition and 100% of the works sold will be donated to the Foodbank Nigeria”, he said.

     

     

    The maiden edition of the exhibition, with the theme Life, was held in 2016 in conjunction with Priceless Arts Inc, Ara Studio, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) at National Theatre, Iganmu Lagos State, it was said.