Category: Life – The Midweek Magazine

As part of its contributions to the ongoing 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom, Solution17 for Climate Action and Naija Climate Now, held a group art exhibition tagged “Naija Climate Now: Race to Zero-Emission”.

Venue was British High Commissioner Ben Llewellyn-Jones’ residence in Lagos.

The exhibition, which featured four artists, who completed the ‘Art for Climate Change’ on 17 Canvases, was to showcase sustainable art that aims to provoke innovative responses on enhancing climate resilience, green economic recovery, and low-carbon development for Nigeria and worldwide.

The paintings were divided into four categories: ‘limiting global temperature by 1.5 °C’; ‘climate adaptation’; ‘climate finance’; and ‘collaborations’.

According to the Project Director of Solution17 for Climate Action and Naija Climate Now, Foluke Michael, “A Life of Our Planet’ by Sir David Attenborough provoked and inspired the artists and  innovators to produce 17 works of art, scheduled for virtual exhibition.

Michael urged everyone to act for Climate Change, noting that the journey that began in June 2021 has produced 34 finalists across Nigeria and four climate change artists.

“Why Naija Climate Now? Let us take a quick peep into the future: By the 2030s, there’ll be a significant reduction in rainforest until it can no longer produce enough moisture. Species will be lost and increase in the speed of global warming. 2040s greenhouse gas will be many times more potent than carbon dioxide, thus, accelerating the rate of climate change dramatically. 2050s – As the ocean becomes more acidic due to heat, coral reefs die around the world. Fish populations crash significantly. 2080s – Global food production enters a crisis as soils become exhausted by overuse. Pollinating insects disappear. The weather becomes unpredictable. 2100s – Our planet becomes four degrees Celsius warmer. Large parts of the earth are uninhabitable. Millions of people will be rendered homeless. There will be mass extinction everywhere. And our Garden of Eden will be lost,” she said.

“Big thanks to Sir David Attenborough for inspiring us at Solution17 for Climate Action. His Documentary – ‘A Life on Our Planet,’ inspired our climate artists to produce 17 Masterpieces! Back at home, we are mobilising everyone across Nigeria to act for Climate Change through Education, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology. ART will help us reach our goals pretty quickly.”

Llewellyn-Jones stated that climate change is a common concern for countries, which is a threat.

Read Also: COP26 Choices: Diversify or Die!

“We are at a critical moment for the future of our planet. Temperatures are rising, storms are raging and crops are failing across the world. Considering the impact of climate change and COVID-19, building back a fairer, greener and more resilient recovery and safer economy should be a big priority of all governments across the globe, including the United Kingdom and Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, addressing challenges relating to climate change is at the heart of the UK government’s agenda.

“We recognise the role that we, as a world leader in fighting climate change, have, to use our voice and our influence, to champion climate action. The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties or COP26 which the UK is hosting in Glasgow is an invitation for all of us to rethink our way of life. And we will use our platform at COP26 to focus this ambition.

“To keep the possibility of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5C alive, we need to act fast. We have to put the world on track to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century.”

Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II, expressed his confidence in the project, stressing that, “Our actions and inactions are very germane. I know what Lagos State Government is doing in making Lagos to be climate change resilient,” he said.

Renowned artist, Nike Davies-Okundaye, who also mentored the four artists, commended the artists for their efforts.

One of the artists, Anjolaoluwa Olarenwaju, who explored renewable energy in her work, described the exhibition as a unique opportunity.

“The CYCDI organised some art competitions in the past and that was how I got developed since I was eight or nine. As I was growing, I was always part of the art competition and I participated each year and the years when I was above the age, I was called in as a mentor to other younger ones.”

For Oluchi Nwaokorie, who is a CEO for a waste management organisation, collecting waste and converting it to art is serious business.

“Our last clean-up was in Iwaya. We have converted plastic waste to 3D filament. Everyone can make a difference,” she said.

Other exhibiting artists are Victory Ashaka and Tobi Titiloye, who explored mixed media paintings. Titiloye’s ‘I can’t Breathe’ underscored the need for cleaner earth.

 

 

At 60, seasoned journalist, public affair analyst and media consultant, Dr. Olayinka Oyegbile, is out with The Dirty Leap. Focusing on the challenges and problems of urban living, the play, which is his first, reflects the social ills, malaise, and other bane of society prevalent in Nigeria.

Dignitaries, colleagues, family, friends and well-wishers gathered at the Adam and Eve in Ikeja to celebrate the man behind the scene.

The event, which brought together the author’s colleagues and friends, family and other well-wishers, was chaired by former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu.

The Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), was the special guest of honour; while the Okanlomo of Aworiland, Chief Alani Akinde, was the royal father of the day.

The book, which was presented to sync with the diamond jubilee of the author, tells a simple but profound story of some of the problems besetting urban development in Nigeria. Steeped in both personal experience and artistic imagination, Oyegbile, who was formerly of The Nation, rendered a close-up account of some of the behind-the-scene incidences and crimes committed in the outskirt of urban cities like Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

For Marwa said the book would help drive the conversation against drug abuse and other social ills in Nigeria. According to him, NDLEA is open for partnership with creative individuals, like Oyegbile, who will use their voice as agent of change in the society.

While encouraging other writers to follow the footsteps of Oyegbile in speaking up against drug abuse and other societal ills with their creative prowess, Marwa, who was represented by Mrs. Ibiba Odili, observed that the book exposes the nation’s drug reality and would help create awareness to the new leap of energy, vision and NDLEA’s commitment at ensuring significant reduction in drug cultivation, production, trafficking and abuse since he assumed office in January, this year.

Read Alo: Lagos-Oyo epicentre of drug abuse, says Marwa

He said: “I want congratulate and commend you, Dr. Oyegbile, for this breathtaking effort you invested in the production of this outstanding work which is coming at a time where Nigeria and the whole world need to scale up the conversational spirit targeted at issues relating to the drug problem and other societal issues.

“The newly positioned NDLEA is also mindful of the fact that for this enormous task to be adequately addressed on all fronts, collaboration and partnership with key stakeholders who share the same vision with the agency will be required to build a significant resource platform for the desired outcomes. This is where people like Dr.  Oyebile comes to play. Commendably, Dr. Oyegbile has contributed enormously to the improvement of this society milieu. However, more inputs from diverse perspectives from other well-meaning individuals will be required to achieve a more holistic outcome for greater impact.”

Reiterating Marwa’s words, the book reviewer, Dr. Lola Akande, stated that Oyegbile’s play that reflects the woes and malaise of our present society and what can be done to curtail the adverse effects they might have on younger generation.

Although he chose to publish to celebrate his 60th birthday, the play isn’t necessarily new. According to the author, the play was first written and dramatised at Bayero University, Kano, when he was an undergraduate student.

Recounting his experience as a young man living in Lagos, Oyegbile said: “My journalist career didn’t start in Lagos. It started in Jos. But it blossomed in Lagos. And that time coinsided with the time General Marwa was the governor of Lagos. I’ve lived in the Abule Egba, Sango axis all my life in Lagos. Whenever I left my house, I knew I was going to spend over one hour at Ile Epo. That was long before the introduction of Okada in Lagos. I usually got to office late. But when General Marwa became the governor of Lagos State, that problem was solved in less than two months.

“General Marwa affected Lagos in a very positive way. When he was announced as the Chairman and Chief executive officer of NDLEA, I remembered this play which I have written. And it had some aspect of it dealing with drug-trafficking. I went back and looked at it, did some panel-beating here and there. And I said to myself, as a mark of honour to Marwa, since he is the Chairman of NDLEA, the man saddled with the task of making sure that our country is free from drug, I am going to publish this play to cosign with my 60th birthday and specially invite him to be the special guest.”

Chief Akinde decried that abuse of drugs has become the new normal. He, however, appealed to the law enforcement agency to double up their effort to militate against all sorts of drug abuse.

 

All is set for the maiden edition of Beeta Art Festival. The fiesta, organised by the Beeta Universal Art Foundation, has as theme ‘Re-Imagine’. It will hold at Transcorp Hilton hotel and Art Tech District in Abuja from November 12 to 14.

According to the founder, Beeta Universal Foundation, Bikiya Graham Douglas, the fiesta seeks to promote art and cultural unity by adopting various art forms such as stage play, art exhibitions, conversations and lifestyles.

Douglas, who is also an award winning actress and producer, said her vision for arts development also produced the Beeta playwright competition and the Beeta campus outreach.

“The Beeta art festival is out to inspire the young ones. It would be a meeting point for different expression of art from across Africa: it gives performers opportunities to develop their talent, learn and collaborate with each other,” she says.

As a pan-African festival, the films that will be featured in the events are from Kenya, Egypt, Uganda, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Nigeria. The festival will include immersive cultural experiences alongside the stage plays and film screening such as vibrant festival market, musical evenings, magicians, painting sessions and indigenous delicacies amongst others.

The festival is sponsored and supported by Chairborne Global Services, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Art-Tech District Abuja, Heritage Bank, Africa Magic, Ibis Hotel Lagos, Alluvial Agriculture, Union Bank of Nigeria, 2sure, Paperworth Books and ITK. 7UP Bottling Company has also been listed as the drinks partner with Guardian Life, Bella Naija, Silverbird, Classic FM, YNaija, Beat FM and DigitOneZero, being official media partners.

 

There is no gainsaying that the potential of the girl child is under untilised. If properly educated and mentored, it can yield a lot of benefits such as increased productivity, development of skills, increased output, economic change and improved quality of life leading to long-lasting national development, says the organiser of Miss Enterprise Africa  (MEA).

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PRMP Digital Limited and convener of SAFEMA, Mr Ola Ajibola, organiser of MEA, is out to create a platform for learning, development and inspiration to young girls.

The pageant will highlight education, intelligence, leadership, independence, commitment to hard work, and entrepreneurship.

“MEA is a contest for young, beautiful, culture-oriented and business smart girls between 18 and 29, who are ambitious, passionate and have a start-up or business ideas.

“The initiative has been able to reach out to over 3000 females from all ages across Nigeria in secondary schools, markets and religious centres and other female interest groups, and this is just the beginning. In a further brief, he buttressed that 1000 young female entrepreneurs will be shortlisted at the first stage.

Read Also: Miss Kasi Usani emerges Face of Niger-Delta Cultural Pageant 2021

After which 100 of them will advance to the second stage where they will attend a three-day drilling and coaching by industries’ best professionals in start-up and entrepreneurship, business development, branding, marketing and sales, etiquette, human management, finance and investment.

However, out of the 100, another top 20 would be selected based on an open test and moved into a camp house for five days where they would undergo further coaching, mentoring and other activities, after which a winner would emerge at a grand finale come December 12, 2022.

Applicants will be required to develop and present a business plan, among others, with the best emerging as the winner with a prize of $1000 to start up the presented business and sponsored trip to Kigali, Rwanda. Winners in other categories would get consolation prizes and funding opportunities.

The MEA website, www.missenterpriseafrica.com, is open for registration for applicants.

 

 

There were frames, bags, weaving, throw-pillows made from fabrics and ceramic flower-vases. Like a fabric-cum interior décor fair, a huge array of printed fabrics and home décor made from prints and ceramics greeted guests as they walked into the Yusuf Grillo Art Gallery, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).

Over 100 works on display greeted visitors as they were ushered into the exhibition hall by some students from the School of Art, Design and Printing.

The students were part of the exhibition organised by the Department of Industrial Design for its graduating students.

The exhibition, which is in its second edition, featured 26 students of the 2019/2020 session.

For the participating students, the exhibition was not an opportunity of a lifetime, but meant as a tool for art appreciation lessons. They were so elated and full of life. Indeed their works were outstanding, but the works of 23-year-old Favour Dominion Industrial Design (ceramist) and Millicent Ajulo Industrial Design (Textile) caught the eyes of guests. Dominion exhibited over 100 ceramic works produced by hands and machine using different techniques such as coiling, pinching, and throwing and slap techniques which are both executed using clay to form whatever shape you want to achieve. His works were grouped into greased, painted and sprayed ware. They included six end tables, kitchen utensils, decorative pieces and vases of all kinds.

“I did research and found out that people see clay works as unfinished work or a fetish object. I decided to convince people that clay works are not fetish works, they can be used as part of your interior use, people can see beauty and pure art in clay works.

“I decided to use an auto base spray of the clay works to bring out the beauty and finish work in these clay works (end table). End table is a table where you can rest your drinks while eating or resting on your chair. It’s not a dining table or your usual type of table; it’s just a table where you can rest,” he said.

Like him, Ajulo’s works were also unique. Besides her exhibits tie and dye and batik used as decorative pieces, her star work, Igarra Ikat fabric (Itowoji), which is etched in Igarra oral and cloth-making tradition, is truly outstanding. She is out to create contemporary versions of the fabrics and its uses, with a mind of rising demand and production.

Read Also: YABATECH preparing to grow vertically, says Rector

“I decided to explore the use of the Itowoji fabric, to impact knowledge where it relates to the subject area of study and challenge the upcoming textile designers/weavers to be innovative by developing modern functions and fashionable applications of traditional woven fabrics other than cultural clothing attire. I believe that if there are variations of newer designs, raw materials, as well as other tools for the development of Igarra Ikat fabric, it will cause a rise in demand and production and promote the cultural heritage. It further suggests a source of sustainable livelihood and income generation.”

Head of Department, Dr. Grace Soyinka, stated that the exhibition was a deliberate move to display their talents to the world, while calling support from government and corporate bodies for graduates with potentials of becoming employers, such as theirs. “We started last year and we have improved in numbers of students and in terms of works produced. We are proud of the fact that these students are prepared to be self-employed. As you can see the students have perfected their crafts. I mean if their talents are properly harnessed by the government and corporate bodies, they can also employ a lot more young ones like them – thereby reducing the unemployment in the country.

“Indeed, Nigeria has lots of talented youths. In fact its higher institutions, the YABATECH School of Art, and our department in particular, is graduating a lot of talented and self-employed young ones. More needs to be done to ensure that their skills and energy is put to good use for the good of all.  The 26 graduating students from Textile and Ceramics were told to exhibit a minimum of five and maximum of ten works each done over the course of their study, else they would have showcased much more,” she said.

The Dean of the School of Art, Pius Egiolamhe, the exhibits’ motifs were focused on “the African narratives” and “determination against the odds”. And although the school lost almost the whole session to COVID-19 pandemic, he stated that the lecturers gave it their all to ensure students didn’t miss much.

“It feels good to know that our students are ready and prepared to face the world. And we wish them the best as they follow their dreams.

“I appreciate the lecturers for their competency while enabling them to train and produce these quality students. I praise the Head of Department for her efforts as well as the lecturers for their accomplishment. I think what we have to our own advantage is the passion and the quality of lecturers we have within the school of Art, Most of them were trained here and they keep the quality and also impact it to the new generations.”

For Dr. Hakim Bolaji Adeyemi, a textile design lecturer, who curated the exhibition alongside Mrs. Ngozi Nwade from the same department, “It was deliberate on our part to take our students into the traditional Adire Eleko modernising the symbols, concept, stamps and the batiks with proper motives. Our goal is to make them employers of labour and internationally acclaimed artists. We’ve trained them in a way that their design cannot be easily identified by the public: they are trained to follow market trends and even create their own trends with a unique choice of colour to create a difference from what we have in the market. We trained them in African style using any of the West Africa, Nigerian symbols in the assigned textile designing motifs using any choosing repeat pattern. And we are proud of how they have turned out.”

 

 

Children from selected primary and secondary schools in Abuja gave an insight into the reality of COVID 19 pandemic during at the third National Gallery of Art programme, at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Abuja.

Themed: ‘Rainbow art: unlocking creativity with the theme: “A cultural perspective on COVID-19’, the event was an art competition that featured art exhibition, dance and drama.

It was a sobering experience as they re-enacted scenarios from the pandemic which the entire world is still reeling from. The children showcased their talents in competitive categories of drawing, painting, sculpture, still live drawing and textiles; with 18 winners emerging – three from each category.

Victoria Murray Daniel from Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, clinched the first position in painting with her work entitled: “Protector.” In drawing, Angel Maduka also from Federal Government Girls College, Bwari came first with her pencil work entitled, “Epidemiology.” In all, 60 works of art were exhibited in drawing, painting, sculpture and textiles. Each work captures the devastating effect of the pandemic and the efforts to combat it.

It was a mix bag for dance and drama and as they were infused with humour without losing the mood of the moment-the pandemic. Pupils and students of Total Child Schools, Abuja kicked off this segment with a dance followed by GSS Tundun Wada, Abuja, dramatising the impact of COVID-19 on the society. There was also a melo-dramatic performance by Redeemers Nursery/Primary School, Abuja, and dramatic performance by GSS Tundun Wada.A martial art performance, teaching the audience the art of self-defense was skillfully displayed by Nigeria-Ghana International School, Jabi, to the delight of all.

Read Also: How industry/universities partnership can boost productivity

The icing on the cake was the cutting of the third anniversary of the competition cake, and the presentation of awards to pupils and students from various schools within Abuja, who had winning entries.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, represented by Mrs. Ugochi Akudo Nwosu, a Deputy Director, commended the NGA for choosing such an apt theme as the pandemic for this year’s edition as it can be rightly said that COVID-19 is considered as one of the global health calamities of the century. He noted that the federal government, in collaboration with the private sector, had introduced measures to contain the spread of the virus and praised NGA for its efforts towards contributing its quota to combating COVID-19 through critical creativity and public awareness.

The Director-General, NGA, Chief Ebeten William Ivara, the programme was specifically designed and dedicated to children to harness their inner potentials in expressing their innate capabilities in visual and creative arts. He averred that this year’s theme was carefully chosen to educate and showcase the global pandemic through the eyes of the children, and also, to advice the citizens to reflect on how the pandemic has impacted and affected different cultures.

Explaining the rationale for the programme, the Director of Educational Services, NGA, Dr. Evelyn Otaigbe, said it was specifically targeted at children, noting that this was out of the notion that there is innate creativity in every child. She enumerated seven stations upon which the children could express themselves in the Rainbow Art: Unlocking Creativity series.

The author of “The Fading Generation”, Dr. Ike Ugochukwu, has called for a societal reorientation.

Ugochukwu said formal education is not enough to prepare the young for the life ahead.

“Sending one’s children to the most expensive school is not all there is to life. You have to impact quality and good virtue in the children so that when they grow up they will not be messed up,” he said.

He stated this at the presentation of the book at TerraKulture, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The chairman on the occasion, Mr. Lanre Rufai, pointed out that the novel is also “a guide to good parenting”. He also said: “This book is unique. It mirrors important community issues like prejudice and cultural diversity. The book scrutinised the mindset of the major character Omololu, who is a replica of the modern-day youths. The novel notes that young kids have their differences and they should be treated individually with respect. It is an amazing book,”

According to Dr. Henry Ogunjewo, the book reviewer, the novel is “antagonistic to Prof Wole Soyinka’s ‘Wasted Generation”.  He said: “Unlike in Soyinka’s novel which depicted doom, Ugochukwu’s “The Fading Generation” suggests hope. This book is not just a story but a message that needs to be shared to a lot of people. Some of the basic ideas that are emphasised in the novel are parenting and mentoring.

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“It shows how parents spend so much on competence but less on courage; and illustrates why it is necessary to inculcate the habit of training our children to say ‘No’, because that one word stands for courage. It’s a courageous statement that every child needs to have and know. This novel appeals to every audience, religion or tribe. Looking at the characters in the novel we can see how bad association corrupts good manners. I would recommend this book for every family as for every young person out there.”

Although he has written many unpublished works, such as essays and short stories on different issues, the love for storytelling influenced the writing of his book.

“The major incident that inspired the writing of the novel was something that happened more than 30 years ago. The novel helps to reveal some societal issues that young girls face after teenage pregnancy, such as rejection from their parents and their loved ones, depression, lack of self-esteem and less engagement in societal activities.

“Growing up at Fadeyi on Lagos Mainland as a child, I found out firsthand how peer pressure can affect and ultimately maim the life of a child, especially girls. Children from a good background can even end up messed up due to wrong influences. Does it mean we don’t have a generation who can’t say “No” to peer pressure and illicit behaviors? I think there still are those in the younger generation that are standing up against pressures and influence. But unfortunately, they are of a small population; and may soon fade out if more is not done to instill the right value and virtues in them from the homes.”

Other guests at the event were Dr. Christian Iroemaha Ike, Nduchekwa Ike JP, Dr. Emmanuel Okworiogho, and Rev. John and Pastor Magdalene Okrikri, Augustine and Deaconess Meg Udoh.

 

Tokini Peterside is an entrepreneur and strategic advisor dedicated to defining a new narrative about Africa through its culture and creative industry. She is the Founder and CEO of ART X Collective, organiser of the Art  X Lagos Fair holding from November 4 to 7. After working extensively with brands in culture, fashion and luxury, she created and launched ART X Lagos in 2016 with a three-fold purpose to widen Nigeria’s connection to the contemporary art scene in Africa and internationally. In this interview with Evelyn Osagie, Tokini speaks on how Art X Lagos is contributing to the increased visibility of contemporary artists from Africa and positioning Lagos as a cultural capital on the continent.

My passion for the arts

Although I’m not an artist, I truly believe that this is an industry that showcases to the world that so much good can come from Nigeria. Excellence and brilliance can come from Africa. The arts have the power to change people’s mindset and that is why Art X Lagos is committed to use the works to tell a positive story about Africa and Nigeria to the world and also to us ourselves-because I believe we as Nigerians need to hear that story repeated daily given the many troubles we have across the country. That is my mission. I was exposed to the arts at a very young age. My interest in the art was encouraged by my parents. I spent a lot of my childhood drawing, painting. I remember when I was a child, a lot of my drawing, my parents hung them on the walls of the house. I drew my sister, when she was five and I, 12, and my parents were so proud. But I knew I was not going to be the next Yinka Shonibare. But I knew how creativity made me feel: how music uplifted my spirit, and how films transported me to all sorts of places around the world. I love the arts for its story-telling power and potential. I studied Law and have a MBA. And I’m a business woman but since 2008, I have been a collector of arts. I am not just passionate about the arts: I am insanely ambitious and very passionate about my city Lagos, my country Nigeria and my continent Africa. I believe fundamentally in the power that our nation has to be one of the greatest in the world. I believe in the potential of our creative industries to shaping how the world sees us.

 

Why Art X Lagos?

Why Art X? There was a very rare need. Nigeria has a vast art heritage, you go back thousands of years look at the works from Benin, the works from Ife were so superior that when white European visitors first arrived in Africa they refused to believe that we made those works ourselves that is obviously because they had prejudice on their side but our works were so superior, our societies were superior. Nigeria has produced some of the greatest artists who have been deprived of a lot of opportunity that their counterparts, even in other parts of Africa, have. And as such, over the years, even though we have produced Ben Enwonwu and Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya. The arts for several decades went into decline as a professional field or as a career path in Nigeria.

I created Art X after years of conversations with exceptionally talented artists who told me of how difficult the road toward becoming an artist had been. They felt like they were caught off from the global art world. When I did more research, I found out that there were other African artists across the continent who also felt the same way. I found also that there were galleries across the continents who were looking to Nigeria as a place that could become a capital for art world in Africa. So what I decided to do was to create this Art Fair that would bring the best of Africa to Nigeria and Lagos as a capital destination. That would also bring the international art world to Lagos to come and see; and for Nigerians to become more aware of the brilliance that resides among them.

My experience so far: how we’ve been able to pull it through

My experience has been one of fortune and grace. When I started this journey in 2016, it became very clear that this was purposeful work that Nigeria and Africa needed and since then the doors have been open.

We’ve been able to come this far through a lot of hard work. People think when you’re working in the creative industry that you are not working hard. That’s not true. You actually work harder. Firstly, the support from the Nigeria corporate community has been invaluable. Without them, we would have been unable to do it. First, I worked very hard to get tremendous support from Nigerian corporate community. In the first year, we started with four sponsors. In our sixth edition, we have 12 sponsors in addition to media sponsors and partners.

Secondly, I have been privileged to lead a team of exceptional men and women who are passionate, dedicated and committed. And with this team, we have put together each year this art fair and other platforms through which we show that excellence can come from Nigeria. And we’ve got support from galleries and artists’ community. This year, we are delighted to present a programme encompassing 30 leading galleries across Nigeria and Africa, who share our commitment to showcasing the best in African art, along with a powerful and provocative series of solo exhibitions, talks and vibrant group projects that speak on the state of affairs on the African Continent and our projected hopes for its future. Half of them will be with us physically; while the other half will be online. My heartfelt gratitude goes to the galleries and sponsors for their resilience and their unwavering support of our vision.

It’s our biggest fair till date. This is even despite the pandemic season. There would be many challenges that come with being an entrepreneur on this scale but the truth is Nigeria has only scratched the surface of arts. And so it’s with great excitement that we look forward to returning to The Federal Palace this November for the first in-person edition of ART X Lagos since the pandemic struck. We are equally excited, among other things, about the Access Bank ART X Prize – Nigeria’s leading award for emerging visual artists – that is returning after a hiatus due to Covid-19. The 2019 winner, documentary photographer Etinosa Yvonne will present a solo exhibition at the fair, to be curated by Wura-Natasha Ogunji, The 2021 winner would be announced shortly.  Another interesting offering of this edition is this year’s interactive project, We Are Here to be curated by A Whitespace Creative Agency, We Are Here brings together two artist collectives in film and music – the Kaduna-based film collective The Critics and the Lagos-based sound collective The Village Sound System – and teams them up with ART X Lagos’s daily visitors to produce a dynamic short film.

 

Nigeria’s art in the global market

On the viability of Nigerian art market, many markets around the world that started the way Nigeria’s did have been evolving. It does take a number of years for this sort of very organic, very decentralised organisation to happen. But then, the more the momentum builds, the more people come into the space.

The truth is that we are still just scratching the surface. It’s true that Nigeria is the second largest art market on the continent after South Africa, but if you look at global art and industry sale which is about 60 billion dollars, Africa has less than one per cent of the 60 billion dollars market. That’s not because Africa does not have market, but it tells you something about the balance of power in terms of institutions. It also tells you something about which country and which continent backs their artists with institutional power and structural support so that the industry can become one that contributes in a massive way to the nation’s economy. But I know that it’s changing.

The rest of the world has formalised and structured the art industry. This has been done by a mix of big business and also government interventions. The fact that the art structure in Nigeria today is quite small is not because it doesn’t have the potential to be big, but it’s because thus far we have not had the kind of strategic planning, investment and organisation that are required to harness the potential of Nigerian artists. That’s why I said that we’ve only the scratched the surface. We’ve only just begun. Now, I will also say that with the art market, to be able to tell the value of the art market, you must be able to do research. A lot of the art deals done in Nigeria are private art deals. So, we don’t get to hear about a lot of the sales. Some of them are very large sales that happen between a collector and an artist or a gallery and a collector. And so there is a lot of data that we are lacking to show us the true size of the Nigerian art market. As I said the art market in Nigeria has really only scratched the surface. I know even for us at Art X Lagos, that has been around for six years, people think this is the furthest we are ever going to go, I can assure you that there is a lot more to come.