Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

As Lagos hosted the country at the 2022 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), along with thrilling cultural and artistic activities, the festival preached peaceful co-existence. ASSISTANT EDITOR (ARTS) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.

This year’s National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) with the  theme: “Culture and Peaceful Co-existence” resonated in almost all its cultural activities, tagged “Eko NAFEST 2022”.

The theme of the festival which ended in Lagos on Sunday, November 13, couldn’t have come at a better time than now when the nation is experiencing some existential challenges.

From drama to essay writing, cuisine, music and interior decoration competitions, the 29 participating states and the FCT came into the festival with a clarion call for unity and peaceful coexistence, among all.

At the start of the festival last week Monday, Lagos State Cultural Troupe presented a command performance of a drama titled “Osusu”, which harped on the need for Nigerians to consciously work towards living together peacefully.

“Osusu” in Yoruba language is symbolic and means bunch of brooms that can be difficult to break and was likened to the way Nigerians must remain united.

But the trend continued during the drama (musical) competition, as the thrust of states’ performances were calls for good governance, electoral reforms, and anti-corruption wars as panacea for peace and unity to reign in Nigeria.

In particular, Ekiti State troupe’s performance focused on promotion of unity among ethnic nationalities, using the tree as a symbol of Nigeria and its interdependence. It also drew attention of audience to the symbiotic relationship between all parts of a tree for it to be a source of shelter, food, herbs and fruits. But, unfortunately according to the drama, few people are exploiting the tree to the disadvantage of the majority. This is a mirror image of the Nigerian situation.

In the drama, protest and agitation later became common place as a result of the unequal access to the benefits of the tree. Still, the call for unity took the better parts of the performance.

Like Ekiti State, Osun State also presented a drama that was a theatrical narrative of the nation’s trajectory that was characterised by many military incursions in governance. Also, it highlighted issues of hatred among ethnic groups and the need to co-exist in peace as a people.

Little wonder Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu tasked Nigerians to always follow the path of dialogue and other non-violent approach in resolving potential issues capable of igniting violence.

He said that it is almost impossible not to have our differences, considering the multiplicity of our culture and languages as Nigerians.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, spoke at the closing ceremony of this year’s festival, held at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Lagos last Sunday.

“One of the lessons from this year’s NAFEST is that if we pay serious attention to harnessing the differences in our culture, it can assist in building consensus and bond of friendship towards genuine reconciliation that will promote the much needed unity, reduce tension and tribal conflicts in the country, “ he added.

He charged all participants at the festival to continue to imbibe the good virtues learnt through the platform of this year’s NAFEST and also share the good lessons with their kinsmen in their respective states.

Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the concept of carrying school children along in the annual cultural event, noting that it is the best way ‘we can sustain, protect and preserve our culture for posterity.’

He urged National Council for Arts and Culture, organisers of the festival to continue to engage more children in this competition introduce them to our cultural heritage and sustain the children corner of this competition so that more talents can be discovered and groomed.

He said: “It is my belief that if we take deliberate steps to put these youths on the right path through positive orientation and meaningful engagements, the rate of youth related crime and violence will gradually reduce and the whole society will be better for it.

Director-General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, said Nigeria has changed positively with the celebration of arts and culture. He said Rivers and Ogun who came with 1,000 and 300 contingents and others contributed massively to the economy of Lagos State. He commended the First Lady of Lagos for donating laptops and tablets to all the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

For the competitive events, Lagos state won the overall best state prize while Rivers and Bayelsa states emerged joint-second place winners, with Ekiti coming third.

Sanwo-Olu’s wife also harped on the theme of the festival as she admonished participating children at this year’s to be of good behaviour and good ambassadors of their states in particular and Nigeria at large. She spoke when she hosted the children to a befitting reception at the Lagos House Marina on Friday. The governor’s wife, who is Mama NAFEST 2022, said the decision to host the children at her official residence “was intentional to give you a sense of history,” adding, “We want you to be part of the history too.”

She noted that ‘we have decided to invest in our children; we do not play with our children at all.’ To add value to the children’s participation in this year’s festival, the first lady gave out laptops, tablets and other educational materials to the children from the 29 participating states.

“That is why we deemed it fit to give you gifts that will be memorable, a gift that you will not throw away, a gift that will be planted in your minds. Your experiences will tell the whole world what you have seen and how Lagos treated you to hospitality. “NAFEST has come to stay. We are the ones hosting the 35th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST). Lagos State hosted it in 1988 (24 years ago). We welcome all the children from the 36 states of the federation of Nigeria. Welcome to Lagos, the Centre of Excellence and aquatic splendour,” she said.

Beyond the gifts, the governor’s wife organised a tour guide of the old parliament in the colonial building at the Lagos House, Marina for the children who also participated in dancing competition, games amid sumptuous meals and drinks. The Director-General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, who accompanied the participating children and state delegates, presented a portrait painting of the Lagos governor and his wife, Ibijoke, to the host. Runsewe urged Nigerians particularly the children to be patriotic and appreciate the cultural values and ethos of Nigeria.

At the Entrepreneurship roundtable, Runsewe urged Nigerians to make friends between ethnic groups to discourage and stop separatist agitations.

He said the stimulus was necessary in light of separatist turmoil in some parts of the country. According to him, this will bring more understanding, effective communications and peaceful coexistence.

“At this stage of our national development, we need each other more than ever; we need to stick together as friends.

“I want everyone to become friends with each other so that we can understand each other very well and guide each other against constant rancor,” he said. Runsewe pointed out that the essence of drama and other cultural competitions was to ensure that children were guided on cultural topics at a young age. He also urged parents to always instill cultural values   and norms in their children.

The 35th edition of the festival, which ran from November  7 to 13 at the National Institute for Sports, National Stadium, Lagos was not all about competitions in cultural events. For three days, hundreds of women and girls were trained  in make-up, basket weaving, bag making, leather works, freely at the skill acquisition section of the festival.

Revellers and other fun-seekers were thrilled to scintillating performances from Sir Shina Peters and Alariwo of Africa on the entertainment ground on Saturday night.

The entertainment segment in the festival was to enable revelers have a bit of the Lagos nightlife experience.

Alariwo of Africa kicked off with impressive performances, irresistible for his fans to walk away. He replicated the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti on stage with his dance styles and evergreen instructive music. Fela’s popular songs such as “Water No Get Enemy”, “Palava”, and “Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense” dominated his performances.

For Shina Peters, he gave some doses of his “Shinamania”, “Omoge Loke Loke”, and other songs.

After a successful outing in Benin between October and November 2019, a solo art exhibition on Benin royal art tagged: “Uhunmwen Vbe Ehinmwen and Master of the Circled Cross in Benin Kingdom”, by Dr. Princess Theresa Oghogho Iyase-Odozi moves to National Museum, Lagos on November 10. It is being organised by Green House Art Empowerment Centre, in collaboration with the National Museum, Lagos. 

According to a statement by the organisers, the second leg of the travelling exhibition is focusing on Benin iconography and Edo Batik and consists of five main components: mixed-media paintings; art installations; Edo Batik textiles and wax prints; an empowerment workshop; and presentation of an art journal/brochure. The exhibition will open till November 17. 

“A key objective of mounting the exhibition is to create awareness and publicise appropriations of the rich Benin icons found on artefacts dating as far back as the 16th Century which are now being deployed by the exhibiting artist in her endeavour to revive the waning culture of Edo Batik clothing.

“During the exhibition, a collection of Edo Batik textiles and wax prints designed and produced by the exhibiting artist, will be on display,” the organisers said. 

Special guests expected at the opening ceremony include Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, (Mrs) Nike Monica Okundaye, Omooba Yemisi Shyllon and Atedo Peterside. 

Dr. Iyase-Odozi said she recognises and admires the wealth of Benin culture, which was reinforced by her beloved father (Iyase N’Udo of Udo) of blessed memory.  

“Thus, I developed the yearning to promote enlightenment about that culture and the history that sustains it, a quest that propelled my research into Benin art history. Since then, I have been completely absorbed in that endeavour which has been fulfilling in terms of the works I have produced and my personal experiencing over the years.

“ The journey culminated in the exhibition on Benin Art and Iconography, the first leg of which was held in Benin City from 26th October to 30th November, 2019. That first outing was a huge success, judging not only by the large number of prominent personalities and foremost artists who graced the opening ceremony, despite the torrential rains on that day, but also the appreciable number of visitors who showed up on subsequent days of the exhibition,” she said. 

She disclosed that the Lagos leg of the show was initially scheduled for November 2020 but had to be postponed indefinitely following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in late 2019. 

Dr. Iyase-Odozi is a professional visual artist, writer, curator, empowerment expert,

community leader, philanthropist and Founder/CEO, Green House Art Empowerment Centre. She received her B.A. Degree in Creative Arts (Painting), M.A. and PhD (Visual Art Education), all from the Department of  Creative Arts, University of Lagos.  

EPE Local Government has put a spotlight on investment potentials and opportunities in the tourism industry in the ancient town.

Under the leadership of Surah Olayemi Animashaun, the council celebrated the richness of the tangible and intangible exports of the place at an event anchored on the theme: Rethinking Tourism with a periscopic view on rural and community-centric tourism. It sought to chart a new course with a mind of building a formidable and inclusive tourism ecosystem that will enhance, stimulate and promote the livelihood of Epe and the community.

The Epe Marina Waterfalls was agog with activities as the people of Epe defied the early morning rains to celebrate tourism. It was an electrifying and equally dramatic moment for the people and indeed guests as drums of culture pervaded the entire environment; from different cultural dance displays to the masquerade performance and then the boat regatta, the richness of Epe cultural artistry and its heritage were further epitomised. The mastery of colours was a beauty to behold.

The event was a two-fold spectacular occasion.

The second part of the celebration continued at the Jubilee Chalets Event Hall where the aesthetically crafted ambience further created a warm hospitality for guests and participants.

The Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture troupe creative, scintillating musical and dance performances by was breathtaking.

Animashaun reiterated her commitment to putting Epe in the global map of tourism and development and create the enabling environment that will foster peace and attract investors to Epe land.

She said: “Epe is blessed with rich culture, vast lands, diverse natural resources, aquatic abundance, skillful artisans all within a peaceful community – and it will be a shame to see this all go to waste.  If we do not take calculated steps to harness and develop the resources at our disposal or tell our own stories through rich cultural exchanges such as festivals and the likes – outsiders will come in, do it for us, benefit and take credit for it while we remain onlookers on the sidelines.

“I have said it before and I will say it again, our end goal here in Epe Local Government, is to create an ecosystem that is inclusive; where every single individual from the tour guide to the fishermen, farmers or petty traders and investors alike can benefit from it in equal measure. One by one, structures are being put in place for the ease of access and to encourage trade and investments including the construction of the 18km concrete roads between Eleko to Epe and the commencement of the second phase of road construction from Eleko to Abraham Adesanya – and this is just the first step. The completion and launch of the Lagos Film City by the State Government, situated within Epe division will further open up this region and position it as a global village. Great things are in the works and as we speak, the word out there is that Epe is the best place to be and invest in within Lagos. Therefore, I urge the good people of Epe not to stand idle or turn their backs on the growth that is coming to us.”

The Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NHOTOUR), Nura Sani Kangiwa was not left out of the celebration. On his part: “Celebrating this year’s event in Epe area provides the opportunity to appreciate the hospitable people of this locality blesses with rich cultures and aquatic life for community based tourism, ecotourism and aqua tourism.

“Reflecting on the objectives of this year’s world tourism day theme on Epe Local Government Area, I see a platform for inclusive dialogue to identify solutions to realise tourism’s potential as a vehicle for recovery and transformation the rural areas. This effort will amplify the message of tourism as an inspirational and transformational force, and the role of NIHOTOUR, UNWTO and the whole of the sector in fulfilling this potential.”

He called for is the political will to ensure tourism is a central part of policymaking, stating that the government must identify solutions to realign tourism for the future.

Dignitaries present at the event were HRH Kamorudeen Animashaun, the Oloja of Epe Kingdom; HRH Oba Adewale, the Oba of Epe, among other dignitaries.

Grace is believed to be a divine way God positively affects the lives of human beings; it is seen as the hand of the Divine helping one to prosper, endure trial, tribulation and resist any form of temptation.

Chuks Ukor’s music video entitled ‘Grace’, produced by Sunny Pee and directed by MJ, laid credence to that fact and more. It encourages the listener that Yahweh (God) loves you too much and has lavished you with His Grace in excess to confront and win the battles of life’. Thus, to win the present and the future battles of life, one needs the abundant grace of God.

A passionate gospel singer, Ukor has three musical albums to his credit. And they are, My Testimony, Praise Uninhibited and Sound of Praise. His single released in 2020, entitled Halleluyah preceded Grace. As an ordained man of God, Ukor is the convener of Afikpo Arise and Praise, an annual event he organises in his hometown. And in Abuja, he hosts an annual music concert, tagged: Sound of Praise Concert.

The music video is both lyrical and performance. And it is divided into three interconnected sequences featuring an 11-man band, which consists of a lead vocalist, five support vocalists, two keyboardists, two guitarists and a drum-set player. The video starts with a melodious display that involves all the musical instruments on display. The opening, which is built gradually from the lead keyboardist, becomes intense when others join its flows. Ukor, the lead vocalist later controls the pace of the music and breaks into the intro of the song: “It’s all about your Grace/Thank you Jesus/Come on everybody, let’s do this together/This is my testimony”. This is immediately followed by the first chorus by the other five other vocalists.

Ukor is seen singing a solo verse in the next sequence of the video. After the solo verse, the support vocalists lend their voices to back it up while appearing from the wings one after the other singing the main chorus.

As the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) holds in Egypt, the Federal Government, represented by the Federal Ministers of Environment, Power and Trade, has recommended a white paper entitled: Trade, Energy and Climate Change: Harmonising Nigerian and Global Concerns on Climate.

Led by PUTTRU, the white paper is a collaborative effort with the Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Power, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Energy Commission of Nigeria and the Office of the Deputy President of the Senate.

The objective of the white paper is aimed at informing the international community and Nigeria’s trade partners on how the country’s national concerns on trade, energy and climate change can be harmonised with global concerns in a manner that ensures that Nigeria’s interests are seen as global interests. The white paper posits that given Nigeria’s large and growing population, achieving this balance between trade, energy and climate change is a matter of national, continental and global concern. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a global trade partner in the global supply chain as the world moves towards a net-zero future.

The 58-page document is divided into four chapters namely: ‘Climate Change’, ‘Energy’, ‘Trade’ and ‘Trade, Energy and Climate Balance’ with three Forewords written by Mohammed  Abdullahi (Minister of Environment), Abubakar Aliyu (Minister of Power) and Otunba Niyi Adebayo (Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment).

Enriched with insights, the document has an impressive list of contributors and reviewers drawn from members of Technical Working Group (TWG) with experts from the Federal Ministries of Environment, Power, Industry, Trade and Investment, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and other ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government, the academia and civil society organisations.

This year’s National Festival of Arts  and Culture (NAFEST) opened on a brighter note with a command  performance of a play entitled Osusu, as a clarion call on Nigerians to continue to work together for the unity of the nation. The production was by the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture on Monday night at the National Institute for Sports,  National Stadium, Lagos.

The play, ‘Osusu’ which dwells on the need for Nigerians to work as united people, could not have come at a better time than now considering the many.challenges confronting the existence of the nation. It.calls on all to work.assidiously towards the peaceful coexistence of the different ethnics while respecting each others differences.

The main thrust of the play Osusu, which in Yoruba language is symbolic and  means bunch of brooms that is not.easy to break, is promotion of unity. And.to.further achieve.this, the production thrilled the guests to musical tunes rendered in different indigenous languages, while sensitising Nigerians to jettison greed, pride, nepotism, moral decadence and kidnapping, as well as to embrace unity and peace.Also the play which lasted about an hour  focused on the importance of hardwork, honesty, sincerity and imbibing the nation’s beautiful, unique and rich culture.

As a throwback to the good old days, the troupe entertained a to musical works of the oldies by the likes of Victor Uwaifor, Fela Anikulapo Kuti  when afro hair and mini skirt were in vogue. The costumes were also a reminder of the changes in fashion.D

Director-General,  National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC),in a remark commended the morals projected in the play notimg that there was great need for Nigerians to do everything within their power to ensure the unity of the nation.

“I  am grateful to the Lagos State Government for the hospitality so far and the message conveyed in the play, we should all know that we do not need to fight one another,” he said. Present at the event included Lagos State Commissioner for Touriam, Arts Culture Uzamat Akinbile Yusuf, the Permanent secretary in the ministry Oyinda Nath Mash and former Ekiti state Commissioner for Arts, Vulture and Tourism Prof Rasaki Ojo Bakare.

The African Continent contributes 2.7 per cent of global seaborne trade. Experts say 80 per cent of imports and exports within Africa are carried by sea. Stakeholders have, however, described Nigeria’s maritime sector as “one of the biggest unexploited industries”. To liberate the country from the proverbial ‘sea blindness’, Havi’s African Maritime Art exhibition gathered artists and stakeholders to its epoch-making event at the Alliance Française Lagos for discussion. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.

Taiwo Akinyele’s Orange Boat with different murals inspired by the sea welcomed guests to the premises of Mike Adenuga Centre, the Alliance Française Lagos. And as they marched into the exhibition hall, they were presented with the remarkable trappings of the seaworld and maritime sector, tagged: Footprints on Waters.

From the ocean life preservation to the Shorelines of Yenagoa (2021) to the Warri Waters (2021) and the Azumini Blue River Series (2022), not forgertting the display of Colours of Apapa (2021) and Inland Dry Port, 2022, the world of the maritime came alive. Welcome to Havi’s African Maritime Art exhibiion.

The event, convened by Ezinne Azunna, a maritime journalist, brought together stakeholdersin the Maritime industry, led by Prof. Ayodeji Olukoju, a pioneer professor of Maritime History at the University of Lagos and two-time vice chancellor of Caleb University also in Lagos. 

It also featured works of five artists along with over 30 digitised oil paintings by Havi’s African Maritime Art.

 Ocean and man

At the event, stakeholders noted that a link existed between the sea and humans, aside the fact that 97 per cent of water available is made up by seas and ocean. Africa has a combined coastline of 38 out of 55 countries, covering 17,000 square kilometres.

The sector also offers about 70 different career paths which Africa’s teeming population could leverage on. However, stakeholders as well as the participating artists have decried that even as this data underscored the wealth and importance of the maritime sector, it was highly unexploited.

 Establishment of maritime museums  

 “There is life below the water level,” began Prof. Olukoju. While calling for the establishment of maritime museums across the country, he decried that the educational system had completely neglected the study of maritime history. He canvassed the increase of maritime studies in schools.

“The solution is to insert the course not only as a degree programme but at the senior primary level, junior and senior secondary level, especially in cities with ports like Lagos and Port Harcourt. Such courses should not only be limited to the history of the state but also the history of the state’s maritime and marine world in general. Also, just like this exhibition has done, the government should bring arts into maritime history because people learn mostly through what they see. People also need to be trained to teach these courses. The establishment of maritime museums will also serve as a means of revenue generation.

 We are not competing with males, we want balance

Dr. Felicia Chinwe Mogo, who retired from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), where she rose to the position of Director, Marine Environment Management  (NEM), called for balance in THE sector.

Dr. Mogo, who was recently appointed as a member of group of experts for ocean assessment by the United Nations, said: “I am really excited with what Ezinne has done because she is now merging science with art. And as the saying goes, ‘the pictures say it all’. Anybody seeing the pictures will see what we are talking about on the values of the marine environment and the need to sustain it. She has done she has really done a very great things and I associate with it.

“I have always sued for gender balance in the maritime. There is never been a time I felt that a woman cannot do it. Nigerian women, especially in the maritime sector are highly innovative. so is just they have the trait to handle things very well. We are not competing with males but we want balance.  What we are saying is that we cannot be excluded for any reason.”

 Nigeria’s rich costal history should be harnessed

Board Member, Nigerian Shippers’ Council and Convener of Ocean Ambassadors, Hon. Violet Olaitan Williams, who is from a coastal community, Nigeria has a rich costal history that should be harnessed. “This particular picture looks more like Lagos Island where I come from. It was a harbor before it came to Apapa. So at night, the beauty comes alive with diverse activities; so was in the day so when she told me I said I must come because it is a reminiscence of my own costal community. 

“We can only encourage her because and invite others. This could be an arm that the ministry should invest in. We are very particular about talent discovery. These pictures, which can be shown outside Nigeria and more, actually show that we have a rich costal history that must be tapped. This is the Maritime but it is also tourism. It depicts people from coastal towns. People from Badagry or Epe or the French will appreciate it more, and who says we can’t put some it in museums in those places for tourists to see. 

“I believe in catching them young in the maritime industry. You would be surprised that we have undiscovered artistic talents in the ministry. We can actually incorporate this. So that other talents can come out.  This has really challenged me. We into succession plan – this is a platform to catch them young. We also work with secondary school.”

Marine Consultant and Ship BuilderCapt. Suleiman Baiyee, said: “What they have done here today is innovative they’ve brought different generations, stakeholders and each would see something different. I commend her for doing it, and she is a great person that always does always do all such of things.”

 Art can help end sea blindness

Hazi’s portraitures are focused on human interface with the waters, aquatic life and vice versa, according to the convener.

For Azunna, art can help end sea blindness. For her, the maritime industry is trans-boundary and requires collaboration by states from source to sea.

She said: “The pursuit for the utilisation of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs as well as the preservation of the health of ocean ecosystem is campaign the African Maritime Art exhibition brings. The waters are fluid but not one ÒfootprintÓ has been washed away, it keeps record.”

The African Maritime Art Exhibition, according to her, is to offer us a chance to own and showcase our story and our history using marine archaeology and many more, to understand who we are better, to look at the culture and experiences of coastal communities in hues and strokes, to be better educated, to analyse Africa’s association with the waters, to utilise opportunities for trade and to be healthily disposed to our maritime space. Every art here connects with the sector and shows how crucial the maritime industry has become to our everyday living and in linking Africa to the rest of the world. We believe every piece of art that resonates with you, which you take along, supports the drive to eradicate sea blindness in Africa from your corner in the world.

The event had in attendance LCCI Director of Training, Dr Taiwo Nolas-Alausa; Chairperson, Ship Owners Forum, Nigeria and Maritime Trade Group, NACCIMA, Mrs Margret Orakwusi; Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr Oscar Onyema; ACG Charles Edike (Rtd); Chief Chris Borha; Madam Affi Ibanga; Mr and Mrs Obinna Okezie; President of African Women in Maritime otherwise known as WimAfrica, Chief Carol Ufere, and Maritime Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere, among others. It also had as guests Nollywood celebrities like Mr. Charles Novia, Mr. Deyemi Okanlawon and Joy Isi Bewaji.

It featured Ekene Ngige (the Coffee Artist), Christine Nnaji (the Autistic Artist), Olayemi Thomas (Textile Art Director), Taiwo Akinyele (Visual Artist), Ronkylamix (Marine Conservationist) and Peter Bassey (Water Hyacinth artist). 

MyBody My Asset Cancer Foundation has concluded its one month cancer  awarness campaign with checking of breast at Centrepoint Medical Services at Aturase Estate Gbagada Estate, Lagos. The hospital also offered free blood pressure and sugar checks.

Earlier, the foundation  started the programme with football match to encourage women to participate in sports, exercise and embrace Cancer Information and Awareness.

 It was played among Muslims and Christians sisters as cancer has no respect for class, religion or race.

‘With the theme, Check your breast, Change your bra, the goal is to be healthy and we are committed to ensuring a Cancer- free society. We use the opportunity to thank the management and staff of  Centrepoint Medical Services’’said Founder of the foundation, Mrs Franca Eze. 

As the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) returns this November, Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka will be the toast of one of its annual staple – Timeless Memories: Elastic Effects. The exhibition, which is curated by Oludamola Adebowale, seeks to highlight the connection between two renowned writers – Soyinka and D.O Fagunwa.

According to the organisers, the show, which has the theme, “Connecting the lines between Soyinka and Fagunwa”, is a tribute to Soyinka’s works and legacies. It will opens on Tuesday, November 15

For this year’s edition, Adebowale has prepared a traditional Yoruba-themed installation exhibition and a literary discourse based on the classic literature, “Forest of A Thousand Demons: A Hunter’s Saga” originally written by one of Nigeria’s foremost Yorùbá fantasy writers D.O Fagunwa in Yoruba but translated into an English language text by Prof. Soyinka in 1968.

Speaking on the project, the Curator and Producer of the Project, Adebowale said: “It is also a celebration of Soyinka at 88. The dynamism of this project keeps changing year by year and the more we interrogate the works of Prof Soyinka, the more I create more intriguing and creative ways of presenting his works in a more artistic way. It’s been nothing but an absolute pleasure and delight to stand in this gap to work on the huge body of works ‘Kongi’ has blessed us with.”

The show, which is in its fifth edition, will interrogate this book, titled originally in Yoruba as “Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irumole” (1938) which tells a fantastic story of a hunter who was caught in a mystical forest filled with a thousand demons.

Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irumole is acclaimed as the first full-length novel published in Yoruba. In celebrating the genius of D.O Fagunwa and bringing contemporary art installation and interpretation to his intriguing work, we would be recreating the book’s essence in an art exhibition, installation and multimedia project.

 Fagunwa was an author who told stories with a fantastic tilt as far back as the 1930s. He was one of those who documented what can be regarded as fairytales heavy with elements of Yoruba folklore – spirits, gods, magic, and more. His skillful use of Christian concepts and traditional proverbs mark him as one who had a healthy knowledge of classical Yoruba ethos and spirituality. He did all these before the rise and popularity of fantasy and magic realism as sub-genres in literature. This is a master deserving of celebration.

The installation will entail the recreating of an enchanted forest with recyclable materials. A variety of indigenous masks representing a thousand demons will be deployed to symbolise the essence of Yoruba spiritualism and the mythical depths of Fagunwa’s literary brilliance.

Ambience will be provided by audio readings of different excerpts from the book; the voice-over excerpts will be taken from both the original Yoruba text and the English Translation by Wole Soyinka.

The month-long show will be viewed at the Kongi’s Harvest, Freedom Park, Lagos.

Book review

Title: This city knows my name

Author: Abayomi Abiru

Reviewer: Chukwuma Ajakah

Publisher: Inkdrops Press

Pagination:  52

Nigerian poet, Abayomi Abiru, tells fascinating stories of African migrants in his collection of poems, This City Knows My Name.

 The anthology, a 2022 publication of InkDrops Press, Great Britain, features 40 poems, encompassing topical issues that revolve around the dilemma of Africans in the Diaspora who are inexorably in a web of indecision – neither able to return nor focus on their quest for greener pastures.  

 Poems chronicled in the 52-page masterpiece include Let Me Go Back Home, I Write from a Place of Grief, On a Ship Fleeing Tarshish, New Terrain, Seedling in New City, Portrait of Grandma As Home, I Once Called You Home, and To Whom Do I Pray in this Land? Each poem features a poet persona, struggling to eke a living at the risk of being totally alienated from his roots. 

 As the sub-titles suggest, the poet extensively explores the central theme of the aftermath of migration through a broad spectrum of subject matters. The dominant themes in the collection include cultural alienation, unfulfilled dreams, cultural conflict, unrequited love, separation from loved ones, and beauty of nature. 

 The tone of nostalgia resonates in virtually all the poems as the personae reminisces on the challenges of being away from home.  Poems that aptly convey the prevalent mood of loneliness and pessimism include Headstones and Flowers, A Poem of Waste, The Sayings of Yore, Rock Bottom, Cravings, The Silence You Speak, Not Unfamiliar to Hope Lost, How to Mourn My Grief, and Love Has Refused to Identify with Me Anymore.

Although the persona is physically present in a new city, his mind is inundated with thoughts of home, severed relationships, demise of loved ones and unfulfilled dreams. Most of the themes are realised through the estranged persona, narrating his experiences from diverse perspectives that depict his emotional attachment to the fatherland. 

One fascinating feature of Abiru’s This City Knows My Name is its simplicity. Beside the aptness of the imagery, the poet’s diction consists of lexemes that readers will find useful in unraveling the intended message. Moreover, the poet avoids overt complexity by making each poem reader-friendly through diverse stylistic approaches and poetic devices such as repetition, humour, metaphor, alliteration and biblical allusions. 

Aburi’s ingenuity in the use of language also reflects in his unique style of presentation, which includes peculiar structural patterns that allow the infusion of lower case letters in positions that traditionally require capitalisation, a few emotive lines into relatively short stanzas, rhythmic and rhyming patterns that give the predominantly narrative poems a musical flavor and enhance their appeal.

 In consonance with the title poem, This City Knows My Name, other poems in the collection reinforce the central message, revealing the attitude of the poet to multifarious socio-cultural realities and some natural phenomena. Such poems include Rain, Liquid Mirrors, Hallucination, Across the Blues, Gratitude, Salted Sores, Arrows of Straw, On a Ship Fleeing Tarshish and Not Surviving, which hinge on nature, religion and relationships.

Ajakah is a Lagos-based journalist, writer and academic.