Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

AMID the devastating effect of the Coronavirus on the creative sector, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) has hosted an Art Fair in Lagos to showcase some of the works of master artists.

The fair, which opened recently at Aina Onabolu Complex, National Theatre, Lagos, will run for one month. It will provide opportunities for art lovers and enthusiasts to relish and purchase a wide range of stunning artworks.

NGA Director-General Chief Ebeten William Ivara is excited over the exhibition because it features a distinctive class of artists.

He said: “The master artists are in a distinctive class, because they paved the way for the vibrant art practice we see today. They are forerunners who did the hard job of making visual art acceptable to Nigerian parents. Their effort also catapulted Nigerian visual art onto the international arena, even before the country’s independence. We can only thank them for leading the way.”

Master artist and printmaker Prof Bruce Onobrakpeya, represented by his son, Ufuoma, commended the National Gallery of Art for the exhibition of the artworks as a reminiscent of the production of world-class arts in Nigeria.

He said: “NGA remains the engine room for organisers of arts at the public art fair in Nigeria. Some of the artworks present here are priceless at this point. However, we are thankful to NGA for having the insighs to collect them even before some of these artists became very important.”

For renowned artist and textile designer, Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye, represented by Ayola Omobo, the Federal Government needs to build a gallery for NGA to showcase more exciting works of classic and emerging Nigerian artists.

“I am joining concerned Nigerians to ask the Federal Government to build a gallery for the National Gallery of Art. There is no country where I visited that does not have a good building as their gallery. This is the best way to promote arts. I believe Nigeria should do the same.”

The exhibition features exclusively dozens of drawings and prints of master artists such as Onobrakpeya, Irene Solomon Wangboje, David H. Dale, Gani Odutokun, Tunde Ogunlaiye and many other foremost artists, who have enriched the collections of the National Gallery of Art and other galleries across the country.

In the face of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, the nexus between digital technology and development and how it can leverage the former to achieve economic boom was the focus of leading players in private and public sectors at the unveiling of Technology and Development: An African Perspective. EVELYN OSAGIE writes.

With the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, on the rampage across the globe, there are fears of a possible meltdown of the Nigerian economy. Against this backdrop, leading players in the private and public sectors are pushing for proper harnessing of technology for development as a way out of economic depression.

To them, more should be done to harness the good in technology and curtail the bad.

They included the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, and the renowned Political Economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, among others.

They spoke at the unveiling of  a book by Assistant Editor of The PUNCH newspaper, Dr. Everest Amaefule.

The book, entitled: Technology and Development: An African Perspective, explores how African countries can utilise technology for development, particularly in the face of digital revolution.

The event, which was held at the LCCI Conference and Exhibition Centre, Ikeja, was chaired by the Chairman of Stanbic/IBTC Bank, Mr. Atedo Peterside. The publisher of The Whistler newspaper and Managing Director, Channelkoos Media Consult Ltd, James Ume, was the chief presenter.

The book was reviewed by former Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria, who is of the Department of Information and Media Studies, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu.

For the minister, who spoke on The Role of the Digital Economy in Developing the Nigerian and Global Economies, the digital sector has recorded unprecedented achievements and supported the Nigerian economy.

He said the sector played a pivotal role in lifting the economy out of recession.

Pantami, who was represented by Mrs. Uwa Suleiman, said: “Nigeria’s digital sector will continue to play a key role in  the growth of our economy. Technology is a necessity and the only requirement for relevance in the global scheme of things is technological advancement. As the author illustrates copiously in his book, the flip side of technology can be ugly but we must harness the good and curtail the bad in making the most out of the choices we have.”

Expressing that Nigeria must not miss its place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Utomi, who is also the founder of Lagos Business School and Centre for Values in Leadership, said: “The key theme of my remarks is for us to re-examine the place of the non-techy sectors or businesses in the digital revolution; and what we must do to ensure the competitiveness of this era is not lost?”

On his part, Peterside praised the author for his passion. He said: “I love to encourage people like Amaefule. He is one man that keeps to his words: I commend his passion and commitment over the years which has given birth to this book.”

While bringing to the fore the significance of the nexus between technology and development, Ume, who was represented by Obinna Chima of ThisDay, highlighted how the digital space can leverage technology to achieve development in all spheres of endeavour, particularly  in the face of global recession owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restriction of flights from Nigeria by some countries over the Omicron variant.

Ume said: “The book is coming at a crucial period in global development as the increasing commodification of technology has often left us questioning the extent to which technology can control the narratives of our lives.

“This book is a challenge to other journalists not to rest on their oars but to continue to strive to develop themselves and be part of living history by documenting their perspectives on issues of growth, development, politics, economy and security,” Ume, who is also the founder of Unubiko Foundation, said.

For the book reviewer, Prof. Adamu, “Dr. Amaefule’s expert and incisive analysis of trends clearly proves his understanding of the history of technology. He is careful to point out the need for adapting the technologies to suit African environments. This can only be done by building internal capacities – both human and infrastructural – which will enable African technology users to tell their own stories.

“In this exploration of technology and development, Dr. Amaefule went beyond the condescending views of how African countries can utilise technology for development – he went to the root of the evolution of the technology itself to demonstrate its humanity, and consequently, its universality in development communication, regardless of the political culture. This is a commendable contribution to the sociology of technology in African societies.”

 

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Anne E. Patterson joined Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, to launch a new National Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Situation Room at the ministry.

USAID works closely with the ministry to deliver multi-sectoral services — health, protection, household economic strengthening, and education — for vulnerable children and their caregivers through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative.

Under the Data for Implementation (Data.FI) activity, USAID is strengthening the capacity of the ministry to monitor and improve services through development and operationalisation of effective data management systems.

“The mandate of the Ministry of Women Affairs — to promote women’s equality and opportunity and protect women and children from abuse and exploitation — also cuts across all USAID programming,” Ms. Patterson said at the launch. “This new Situation Room is a collaboration that will help Nigeria prevent violence against women, improve resilience of vulnerable children and their caregivers, and respond to the needs of survivors of violence.”

The new Situation Room will harmonise OVC program reporting and optimise the National OVC Management Information System and harness the power of data to help case managers respond effectively — and provide appropriate services — to help these children affected by HIV in their families and communities.

USAID works closely with the ministry to coordinate OVC interventions within its broader child protection and women’s empowerment mandate not only to mitigate the risks of HIV, but also to support caregivers to strengthen the economic resilience of their households.

Implemented by Palladium, Data.FI is among several USAID activities that help Nigeria provide essential social and health services to nearly 500,000 vulnerable children and their caregivers, including 13,000 children living with HIV.

Last year, more than 19,000 beneficiaries received USAID-supported GBV services in 7,500 government and private health service providers that provided counseling on gender inclusion, and gender-based violence prevention and response.

“These efforts have brought us to this historic moment of opening a repositioned OVC situation room where we can obtain real time data with ease,” Tallen said.  “This will no doubt enhance the data generation and management at the national, regional and international levels.”

Today’s event also served as an opportunity for Minister Tallen to present USAID with an award recognising the agency’s substantial investments in women and children in Nigeria over the past two decades, auspiciously timed to coincide with the annual 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence commemoration around the world.

“We are honoured by this award,” Patterson said.  “Our support to health care as well as livelihood training for caregivers through the Ministry of Women Affairs will continue to ensure the nutritional, educational and other needs of some of the most vulnerable Nigerians are met. We look forward to further collaboration to protect children and promote women’s equality.”

 

 

Chinazo Egburonu Anya and Philips Agwu Akwari have combined writing and photography to produce a detailed 388-page book entitled Abiriba.

The book was unveiled at a high-level event held at Dover Hotel in Lekki, Lagos.

The event had in attendance renowned historian, Prof Anya O. Anya and his wife, Inyang, MD, FBN Holdings Plc, Elder Urum  Kalu Eke and his wife, Doris, the Chairman, Dover Hotels Ltd, Chief Jackson Agbai, and representatives of Abiriba social groups, among other guests.

Chinazo is a lawyer and a public servant with focus on risk, compliance and ethics programme management. He is passionate about telling the African story, promoting African arts and culture.

Chinazo has researched and written several essays about history and culture of communities he describes as the Nsibidi trail communities. He is vice president of Abiriba Communal Improvement Union-North America (ACIU-NA).

Philips is a photographer who holds M.Sc in Geography and diploma in Photography and videography from India.

His photo exhibition of The Rich Abiriba Heritage travelled to three Nigerian cities and Abiriba in Abia State in 2019.

The photographic book Abriba focuses on a particular community with rich culture, way of life and festivals. The book vividly explains what each photo is all about and the reason behind it.

According to Chief Agbai, who was the book reviewer, the publication, which exposes the Abiriba community to the world, also promotes Nigeria and Africa’s culture in a unique way.

He said: “What the authors of this book have done is worthy of praise. They have not only documented history but have also simplified it in a fun and exciting way for all ages to comprehend, especially the younger ones. For days after I took the coffee table pictorial book home, my children could not put it down. It gives an overview about the knowledge of Abiriba.

“Abiriba is a dynamic and active society where high achievement is the watchword of its people; the Abiriba people are renowned for their enterprise. It is an organised city, magnificently sited on a series of hills and valleys. Abiriba is one of the communities on the Nsibidi trail (communities that used the Nsibidi ancient system of graphic, which date back to at least AD170). We praise the author for bringing it to us the way they did.”

The chief launcher, Elder Eke, said: “I have heard partnership doesn’t work out successfully rather it slows one down, but for you both guys partnership yielded a great result. Never in the history of Nigeria has any detailed intellectual work focused on just a particular community been published.”

Speaking on the inspiration of the book, Chinazo, said: “Africa is a very rich culture but we don’t promote our own culture instead we practise the Western culture, the Western culture lack community spirit whereas we Africans have community but we don’t take it seriously, their people are very lonely you can see during COVID, they were frustrated and bored but here in Africa, we take a lot for granted because we always have support from people. I’m here to show the positive side of our culture.

“Before colonialism, we had a system that functions for us, we had our way of making laws in the communities which were working for us before diverting in the Western culture. We have a rich history with no documentation and online presence. Our aim was to show the world who the Abiribas are which is why we decided to combine words and pictures. We intend taking this publication to the world, then we are planning on working on other photographic books focusing on cultural fashion, food and talk about other communities in Nigeria and Africa.”

On his part, the co-author and photographer, Philips said: “As a photographer, I decided to focus my lens on Africa when I got back from India one of the things that got my attention was living in India where people don’t have an idea about me and they have a different view about me. For me, it’s what inspired this intellectual work, I need to tell people about who I am and my community.”

On the journey on the voyage into the writing the book, he said, “It all started in 2013 when I returned to Nigeria same as Chinazo, we met here in Nigeria and both had some discussion. We started this in a blog where we post exclusive pictures from Abiriba together with short write-ups, we started getting views and traffic which inspires this hardcover book. None of these pictures was acted, they are all real pictures taken during festive periods, events or particular actions.”

 

The Chief Executive Officer of Quintessence Nigeria Limited, Jude Oni-Okpaku, has canvassed the need to shift focus from oil, banking, and telecoms, among others, to art and craft.

He spoke recently in Lagos, during the company’s fashion show-themed ‘Style Zero’.

He said: “What Quintessence does is to advocate for African art and crafts. Not only because it’s beautiful but for economical reasons. We want to shift the focus from industries like oil, banking, telecoms and others, to advocate and promote the art and craft sector.

“It is the easiest sector for any individual to pick up a start. But it all starts with us first appreciating our own textiles, our own designs, and so on; as we also create jobs and opportunities for people that are making these local fabrics and crafts.”

On the theme ‘Style Zero’, he said: “We call this Style Zero because  African fashion should start on a blank canvas, and our take on Africa fashion is that it should be simple and comfortable due to our climate and our working conditions. And why is this zero? Because we believe that our fashion has become way too inspired by Western influences.  We’re wearing suits and ties to work although we live in a climate that’s 40 degrees  every day, So this Style Zero is saying hold on, let’s wait a minute. Let’s erase everything, start from a black and a white canvas. And let’s wear clothes that are made for us, conducive to our kind of environment,” said Oni-Okpaku,

He, however, advised the Lagos State Government to put more resources into developing the art and craft sector for economic development.

You claim one’s work as yours

Claiming you made it all

But you only made it worse.

Whether it be a song, painting, poetry or an idea in making

You play the Role of a pirate

Plundering one’s creation like a tyrant.

 

Indeed authenticity and originality are magnetic

Plagiarism is despicable and tragic

You disrespect the efforts of the creator

And credit yourself an imposter!

Creations need to be protected from the unexpected as expected

This is where copyright as the hero is needed.

 

Copyright fosters creativity and improves productivity

Eradicates piracy and other forms if negativity

It protects one’s reputation and fives them motivation

So here is my advice to you

Get a copyright to protect your world all through.

 

As part of their mission to promote humanitarian service in the society, Zionist International Club, a Christian-based, not-for-profit organization, has intensified effort to push against youth unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria with their tenth anniversary celebration.

The anniversary celebration, which was held at Excellence Hotel, Lagos, was chaired by Comrade Femi Aborisade. It also featured a lecture presentation titled Youth Unemployment, National Security and Sustainable Development. Interestingly, the lecture’s title was also this year’s theme of the club anniversary.

According to the president of the club, Mr. Lekan Adebayo FCA, the objective of the event is to highlight the bright future and legacy of the Zionist International Club which include tackling youth unemployment, sustainable development, welfare for the vulnerable and widows as well as proffering solution for national insecurities.

On the decade journey of the club, he said: “On December 11, 2011, five of us met at a restaurant in Covenant University, Ota and resolved on the establishment of a Christian club for the purpose of caring for and development of its members, the youth and the vulnerable in the society as well as to train a new set of leaders within the citizenry.

“Today, our members are now far better in leadership and management skills than we came in. We have empowered some women by grants which have changed their lives. We have a whole unit for the care of the widows and their restoration into new homes, many into new marriages. Even some of our members have been able to raise business funds within the Club without any interest. As at today, we have an NGO unit for youth and women empowerment duly registered by government. We give all the glory to God.”

The lecture was delivered by the guest speaker of the occasion, Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN. According to him, the theme for the anniversary is well-timed and strategic since these are critical issues besetting the country with need for urgent solutions.

He said, “Young people feel let down and marginalized by society. In short, they are in crisis. At the moment while the national unemployment rate is 33.3 percent, Nigeria’s youth unemployment rate is over 42 percent! This translates to tens of millions of young people without jobs and roaming the street. Many who are employed are underemployed with many offering casual labour in factories and sweat shops where the labour regulations are not enforced. And all rights, including rights to a minimum wage and trade union membership, are routinely ignored.

“Consequently, the youth demography which ought to be an advantage for Nigeria has now turned to a curse. There is virtually no aspect of the violent and multifaceted crises plaguing Nigeria today that the youth do not play a role. Be it electoral violence, urban restiveness and riots, Boko Haram and terrorist activities, banditry and kidnapping, herdsmen versus farmers clashes, self-determination and separatist agitation, ethnic and religious conflicts, Niger Delta militancy, internet fraud and cyber threats etc. As a result of these violent crises especially in the face of the stark failure of the successive governments to carry out the basic task of governance, Nigeria is now being variously described either as a “failing” or “fragile” state. This is a testament to how much Nigeria’s national security and development has been undermined.”

However, he quick observed that many Nigerian youths have shown great resolve and capacity to change the narrative with successes in the fields like ICTs and fintech, for instance, despite limited opportunities.

He then encouraged the government to double down effort in creating more job and increase the minimum wage of those already in the labour market.

“The Nigerian government needs, among other things, to provide full employment for all, end casualization and increase the minimum wage to ensure job satisfaction,” he said.

For Comrade Femi Aborisade, who is also a lawyer and a human right activist, Zionist International Club has shown a great resolve in providing sustainable solutions to the youth unemployment in the country in just ten years of their establishment. He also noted that it’s his belief that Nigeria needs to adopt the values the club espouses in order to progress as a nation.

He said, “While I commend the programs of Zionist International Club for caring for the needy, it is beyond what individuals can do. I think Nigeria will change for the better in the interest of the majority of people if the values of the Zionist International Club have to be adopted.  Therefore, I want the Zionist International Club to also continue to insist in its publication and in its statements that the Nigerian government has a responsibility to provide for the poor, to provide jobs and employment for the unemployed. It’s a constitutional responsibility.”

The event also featured the presentation of awards of excellence. According to the president of the Club, the awards were presented to recognize distinguished citizens who have contributed immensely to national development in their various professions and whose works reflect the mission of the Club. Recipients of the awards were Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, Comrade Femi Aborisade, Esq, Mr. Shola Akinlade, Dr. O.O. Kukoyi, and Mrs. Odun Owolabi.

 

Director General National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) and  President, World Craft Council (WCC), Otunba Segun Runsewe has identified culture and religious heritage as instruments to drive global peace.

“ We must revisit culture as a veritable tool of ensuring the Unity, peace and development of the society, hence every government and nation must  strive towards the preservation of their heritage as means of collective identity” Runsewe said.

Speaking as special guest at the World Peace Conference hosted by People’s Republic of Bangladesh,  Otunba Runsewe told a gathering of political and business moguls from all over the world that culture apart from religion is a potent weapon in sustaining peace and unity.

Reflecting on the impact of Nigeria’s iconic cultural festival, National Festival of Arts and Culture (Nafest), Runsewe stated that the yearly festival in Nigeria, has sustained the unification of the Nigerian people despite the huge diversities, noting  that the festival helps celebrate what unifies Nigerians and not what divides them.

Recommending the Nafest cultural tourism model to the World Peace conference delegates, Runsewe said “it is known locally as our unity forum and through the platform, Nigerians from all ethnic backgrounds interact, exchange different cultural manifestations and build bridges of Unity and friendship across ethnic nationalities”

He added that respect and concern for the weak and less privilege, could help descalate conflicts driven by socioeconomic and political exclusion.

He however warned that slide to religious intolerance fuels bigotry, fanaticism, indoctrination and factionalism, with tension, conflict and outright violence as seed of discord. He therefore called on world leaders and men of all faith, to see God in the best of humanity.

“While we may not all necessary share or believe similar religious views with others, tolerance of other people’s religion requires that we appreciate the fact that others are entitled to their religious beliefs and practices, and have the right to practice their religion without let or hindrance” Runsewe admonished, adding that religious conflicts are usually driven by lack of understanding of the meaning and purpose of religion.

“Religion if positively deployed can also be a veritable tool for fostering  national and  international development, peace, understanding, and cooperation and for driving the process of development and if wrongly deployed, could become a liability” he noted to a rousing applause from the audience.

“Peace is not only for a community or nation; it’s the primary goal of all nations of the world. A breach of peace in one nation or continent is a threat to the peace of the entire universe. The world is a global village and what happens in one part of the world, will also affect other parts of the world” Runsewe added.

Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has trained over 500 people in Water hyacinth conversion to wealth programmes.

The General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr Damilola Emmanuel disclosed this during the 5th Edition of the Seven-Day Annual Water Hyacinth Recycling Initiative, organised by LASWA in conjunction with Social Enterprise Mitimeth and Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos.

According to him, LASWA had trained youths in various communities such as Badagry, Falomo, Badore, Epe and Ikorodu on skills acquisition through water hyacinth recycling adding that no less than 100 people have been trained in this year’s edition.

“What the government is doing is to create an enabling environment for businesses to flourish and encourage people to be self-employed. The interested participants have been trained and motivated financially by the Lagos State government with the aim of creating waste to wealth.

We will be happy to see all of you turning waste into wealth simultaneously by extending to other youths and interested people in Ijede communities in assisting governments to eradicate poverty in the society,” he said.

Emmanuel was overwhelmed with the productions of the hand crafted materials by Mitimeth and also the Biochar which is like a manure for farmers produced through the conversion of the water hyacinth for growth sustainability.

He explained that the whole idea of the water hyacinth programmes was to ensure going into those riverine communities and sowing a seed by Empowering them with natural resources.

The Chairman, Ijede Local Government Development Area (LCDA), Mrs Motunrayo Gbedebo-Alogba, said water hyacinth could be used for organic feed for animals and fertiliser, adding that the objective was to move the state forward.

Gbedebo-Alogba said that they picked the 100 beneficiaries from different communities within Ijede to enable them to train other interested people on how to recycling water hyacinth to various organic for farming and decorations.

She commended the efforts of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for giving Ijede youths opportunity to be self-employed.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mitimeth, a Lagos Based Social Enterprise, Mrs Achenyo Idachaba-Obaro, commended the government for teaching people to learn various ways of making money through water hyacinth.

“We have been training 50 participants on how to make different household souvenirs, ropes and other things with water hyacinth between Nov25. and Dec 3 which is tomorrow.

“Through the water hyacinth which is locally called “Ewe-gbeborun” LASWA had trained residents and Indigenes of Epe, Badagry, Falomo and now in Ikorodu.

“We plan to continue to work with the Ijede LCDA, the Chairman, Vice Chairman and other members of her council to see how we can make this more sustainable enterprise within the Ijede community.

We build a sector of people that are actually transforming the water hyacinth into crafts, lifestyle decor, home decor and the likes so the plan is that this is just the beginning.

Partnerships are key, in fact it was through partnership with LASWA we came to Ijede, so the intention is to continue growing the partnership, cultivating the partnership and hopefully would in very short time begin to hear good things concerning creative arts of water hyacinth here in Ijede”, she explained.

The Chief Executive Officer, PIB Gbobal, Mr Peter Bassey, said he had been training another 50 people on how to convert water hyacinth into organic products which kills offensive odours at the poultry and also converted the hyacinth into fertilisers.

A 55-year-ol Mrs Kudirat Aremu, who participated with her son said they had been able to make different choices of souvenirs to sell during any festive season and would also continue after the season.