The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

At Windsor, amazons take centre stage

After its successful inaugural exhibition six months ago in Lagos, Windsor Gallery opened its first group show for the year last weekend featuring eight female artists drawn from Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa and Ghana. Undeterred by the prevailing economic challenges, the gallery did not only hold its first art show, but also continued with its artist in residence programme featuring France-based artist Didier Viode.

Windsor Gallery on Goriola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos opened barely one year after Abidjan and Abuja branches. The exhibition titled: Modern Matriarchs: Charting new frontiers in art provided a platform for the exploration of the profound contributions made by female artists who have not only embraced but redefined the landscape of new artistic forms.

Expectedly, the exhibiting artists include Chuma Adam (South Africa), Samuella Graham (Ghana), Chinaza Nkemka (Nigeria), Osaru Obaseki (Nigeria), Gbonjubola Obatuyi (Nigeria), Chigozie Obi (Nigeria), Simhle Plaatjies (South Africa) and Kristine Tsala (Cameroon) whose artworks depict real and perceived notions about womanhood among others.

In line with its vision of illuminating the rich tapestry that defines the state of art across Africa through paintings, photography and sculpture by the artists, Windsor Gallery offers collectors and enthusiasts a rich and diverse collection of unique artworks. Curated by the duo of Richard Vedelago and Seun Alli, the inspiring exhibition pays homage to the indomitable spirit of women who have left an indelible mark on the canvas of visual art. It features a minimum of two and maximum of four artworks per artist.

Despite the differences in locations and backgrounds of the artists, as matriarchs, their artworks resonate images of strength, confidence, boldness and happiness in their respective communities. This is a common thread that runs through the entire collection, even though one still finds some of the artworks that are relatively non-conforming.

For instance, Osaru Obaseki’s works made from sand on acrylic on canvas (Once upon a time, Where I sit) reflect the social lifestyle of Nigerian women who cherish colourful dresses and head gears during owambes. But, Obaseki deliberately distorts the headgear making the images or models look semi-abstract. Yet, the portraits cannot be ignored. She creatively combines abstraction and figuration with a synergy of materials as a way of also binding ancient and modern civilisations. But, artworks by her counterpart, Chinaza Nkemka are departure from the regular. She demonstrated real guts and boldness while mirroring her personal experiences on canvas even when such experiences seem ‘disturbing.’ In Untitled, a painting showing a half nude figure with cigarette in her mouth, Nkemka may be speaking to the feelings and mood of the GenZs generation especially what young women go through these days of globalisation.

In like manner, Gbonjubola Obatuyi and Chigozie Obi mirror social issues using mixed media figurative paintings. While Obatuyi exhibits works that give thought to both real and constructed notions of what being a woman entails, Obi reflects her profound fascination with enduring dialogues about human life.

The duo of Chuma Adam and Samuel Graham spices up the collection with their abstraction and figurative compositions. For Adam, her abstract figures challenge themes of visibility as she highlights the intangible complexities of navigating one’s path. Whereas, Graham combines realism, abstraction and surrealism to explore women related experiences.

Of the artists based outside Nigeria, Simhle Plaatjies and Kristine Tsala’s artworks stand out. Plaatjie’s love for nature and animal is evidently demonstrated in her large scale paintings. For Tsala, she highlights themes of difference and self-acceptance.

According to the curators, in Charting New Frontiers in Art the sub-theme, ‘we aim to showcase the ways in which these artists have expanded the boundaries of creative expression.

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‘Through diverse mediums, techniques, and subjects, the artists have ventured into unexplored territories, leaving an enduring impact on the trajectory of contemporary art.’

Responding to what inspired the gallery to hold exhibition at a time the economy is at low ebb, Gallery Manager, Yoko Ngwube said: “This is the business we are in. During cash crunch bankers still went to work. So, we must show art and tell stories with them too despite the state of the economy. Some of the artworks resonate with the socio-political and economic issues confronting us as a people. In fact, there is a message for everyone.

“As the exhibition is running, we are also hosting our artist in residence programme featuring Didier. Right now, he is documenting his time in Lagos, meeting with art community (artists, gallery owners and collectors) and will later showcase his artworks at the close of the residency. We are well received here in Lagos and we have two galleries in Abidjan. But, Lagos is the flagship gallery.” The exhibition will remain open till March 9.

February 28, 2024
Zero FGM Day: Survivors call for end to practice

It was an emotionally charged atmosphere as survivor after survivor came up to speak at the one-day seminar in Lagos. They were women from different parts of the country—from the South-West, South-East to Northern parts of Nigeria. They all shared similar pains: they had all been victims of Female Genital Mutilation as children and all continue to feel the negative impacts of FGM or female circumcision in their adult lives.

It was at a recent seminar organized by the NGO Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE) in conjunction with another nonprofit, Hearts100. It was to mark the ‘International Day on Zero Tolerance for FGM’ and held in Lagos. Of interest was that of the six female speakers at the seminar, three had experienced FGM.

Ololade Ajayi, a gender rights activist and founder of DOHS Care Foundation for Vulnerable Women and Children, related her FGM experience back in Ekiti State and how it continues to impact her marriage. ‘My saving grace is that I have an understanding husband because like every other victim, FGM affects our sex life,’ she said. Mrs. Ajayi went on to narrate first hand experiences of victims back home in her childhood in Ekiti including those who died due to bleeding while others had infections including sepsis, infertility as well as various forms of psychological trauma and how many of the victims were stigamised or blamed for the ordeals.

Speaking in similar vein, eminent gender rights advocate and founder of the Tonia Bruised But Not Broken Foundation, revealed the difficulties of coping in her marriage in the aftermaths of FGM carried out on her in childhood as well as rape experiences with a family member (uncle) which are some of the spurs for her current work fighting for abused women and children.

Another speaker and also a survivor, Yinka Kenny, Executive Director of the Yinka Kenny Girls Foundation, said health workers especially nurses do cut babies at hospitals without the consent of their parents and said the practice must be stopped. She also encouraged school girls at the seminar to speak up against FGM. ‘Your voice is your power, don’t let anyone shut it up,’ she said.

Mrs. Bridget Simon, a trader from Ifelodun community narrated her FGM experience and how her younger sister died from female circumcision during her childhood days in her home state of Ebonyi. She revealed that she has fought moves so far to circumcise her four daughters.

Kingsley Obom-Egbulem, author, youth mentor and a public heath advocate who was also a speaker at the event, said the reproductive health, mental health and general wellbeing of women and girls are impacted by FGM. “No human part should be cut. FGM implies that humans are playing God, questioning why He created the clitoris.’’ He added that men should support the fight against FGM so that the national campaign could gain momentum.

Chief Agbo Enenche, a traditional Chief from Benue State who also attended the meeting stressed the need for campaigners to always align with traditional authorities as that would ensure the success of the campaigns considering the connection and power that such leaders weigh in their domains. ‘Though FGM is not practiced in my place (Orokam) or local government (Ogbadibo) to my knowledge, there are other aspects of the culture that can be improved upon and that is only possible if activists work closely with the local authorities,’ he said.

Founder of Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), leading women’s rights activists, Mrs. Bose Ironsi, quoted the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Nigeria’s statistics which estimates that in 2023, more than 4.3 million girls are at risk of FGM with the number being projected to reach 4.6 million by 2030.

Mrs. Ironsi, a retired nurse, said the reasons for female circumcision are mostly false. ‘There are no biological or medical reasons for FGM; it is all about the need to control women’s bodies. Women should not accept female circumcision as a norm,’ she said. According to her, while the male circumcision is to enhance maximum sexual pleasure for males (besides some health benefits), the opposite is the case for women, which she termed a gross violation of the human rights of women.

Earlier in her opening remarks, Betty Abah, CEE-HOPE’s Founder, emphasized the need for FGM-related issues to be put on public burners because it is a life and death matter considering the fact that many innocent women and girls have had their lives cut short because of the practice while some others continue to live with invisible yet painful scars. “We need to keep encouraging women and girls to speak up against FGM, and this can be achieved when government enforces the law and mete out punishment to those carrying out the practice or encouraging it at any level.”

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Ms. Anne Rüffer, founder of the partner organization, Hearts100s, stressed the need for the Nigerian government to address issues around Sexual And Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) by creating awareness about the issues and implementing existing laws. “There is need to pressurize lawmakers to activate the relevant laws to protect women and girls even as we work to scale up our efforts in providing protection for women threatened by SGBV via our shelter (Hearts of Hope) as well as provide economic empowerment for these and other vulnerable women across Nigeria via psychosocial support, skills training, business grants and others.”

The seminar also witnessed the screening of several multimedia productions by CEE-HOPE and Hearts100 on the FGM campaign namely interviews including that of Ms Debbie Ariyo, Founder of AFRUCA-UK and also those of survivors including Ms Fatima Dawud from Borno State.

According to Ref World, an international charity, in Nigeria, the estimated prevalence of FGM among women aged 15 to 49 is 24.8 per cent. Also, over 20 million women and girls in the country have undergone FGM. This represents 10 per cent of the global total of FGM cases.

February 28, 2024
Ekiti man redesigns Arin game for global market

Driven by the desire to preserve Nigeria’s tangible heritage, especially those facing extinction, Ekiti state-born Product Concept Creator and Developer, Mr Micheal Aderemi Agbetuyi has embarked on rebranding and standisation of Arin (Dioclea reflexa) game, a popular age-long game among the Yoruba people. His interest in developing the game started in 2017 while on a visit to his home place, Usi in Ekiti state.

Agbetuyi who is worried that most youths are unaware of this ancient game, recalled that growing up as a little child, Arin was a common game among youths in most communities in Yoruba land especially Ekitiland. Today, modernity and urbanization have displaced the game from the people’s sporting activities.

He stated that ‘Arin is a game played by old and young people. It has since gone into extinction and the youths do not know anything about it. It is only few people that still engage in it in some remote villages. It is a game dying for lack of promotion and sustenance. I doubt if any of our youths today can identify (Dioclea Reflexa) Arin as a seed being used for a game.’

According to Agbetuyi, the task of embarking on rebranding and standisation of the game began in 2017 during one of his visits to his home town, Usi Ekiti where he saw some kids playing the game. This experience, he said, brought back sweet memories of when he was a little child in the community.

“It brought back the experiences of those periods when we were younger, when anxiety, dexterity, calculation and all sort of expertise must be brought to bear in knocking your opponent seed.

“That was when the process of rebranding, standardization and efforts to globalise the game started. That was when I researched and discovered that the game can actually be played in individual homes, lounge, hotel, and stadium as tournament. If Billiard, Bowling, Beer-pong and other recreational games and sports can attain international recognition, definitely this new game will,” he said.

But two years later, Agbetuyi had the opportunity of presenting his design project of the game to Ekiti state government through Wale Ojo Lanre led-Ekiti state Arts Council platform for review and possible partnership. That review brought about the second design followed by the construction of another play table, new rules guiding the mode of play and also instructional book on the game. However, the game is yet to receive Ekit state government’s attention.

“In 2019, I heard of a town hall meeting being put together by the office of then Director-General Ekiti state Art Culture, Ambassador Wale Ojo Lanre on revamping of all forgotten events and games notable to Ekiti People. I made sure I attended with the motive of partnering Ekiti government. The town hall meeting was in encouraging and reassuring especially with the personal commitment of the DG to see through for whoever comes up with a worthy proposal or project. With this in mind I went back to the project and came up with the first design.

“I presented the first design to friends and was reviewed. The review brought about the second design followed by the construction of another play table, new rules guiding the mode of play and also instructional book on the game. The game is designed to be played by opposing player of two or more to form a team. The game will soon be unveiled as soon as we are done with the process of naming it,” he said.

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Beyond preservation of heritage, Agbetuyi is inspired by the potentials of the game to create a new line of employment of professional players, and new line of event through tournaments among the teeming youths. He observed that by the time it becomes a national and international game, crave for the seeds will be enormous, although artificial might emerge later, but artificial gold is differentiated from real.

“This will definitely open up a new line of agricultural production in the country. It will also give our teeming youths something to keep them busy. Being Nigeria origin we would have contributed to global game village. A new game tournament will equally be created locally, nationally and globally,” he added.

In order to give the game a global outlook in the event he is unable to get a local support, Agbetuyi initiated a process of naming the game via democratic process whereby people from across the world are free to nominate distinguish global personality with positive impact. The 1st 10 of these nominees will stand to be voted for via the web App: https://www.pcan.ng/. The winner will have his/her name attached to the game.

February 28, 2024
Omojola marks 60 with Deep in cultures

Attaining the age of 60 comes with celebrations. While many will roll out the drums, some may choose to reflect on their lives through publication of memoir, biography or autobiography. For Funso Omojola, one of Nigeria’s contemporary artists, who turned 60 on February 18, hosted a solo exhibition as part of activities marking his 60th birthday is the way to go.

The solo exhibition titled Deep in cultures opened on February 15 at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja and run till February 20. Special guests of honour were Mr Kunle Samuel of LSDPC, Lagos; art lecturer, Dr. Akinwande Onipede of University of Lagos and Mr Audu Segun of QZ Company. The chairman of the event is President Lagos Country Club, Mr Seyi Adewunmi.

The Ekitikete Art-Links man has held three solo exhibitions and many group exhibitions both home and abroad. After many years of dedication to art and paintings as his major medium to convey message of peace, love and dignity in labour, he has diversified into hand-made illustrated artistic wear that is so much in high demand.

Omojola can be regarded as a post-modernist who injected the use of viscosity into pointillism. His dazzling lines are used to express impressionistic and abstract art distinguished his style in comparison to brush strokes in a way to position art side by side with architecture.

Some of his collection for the solo exhibition includes Mother Oduduwa, Aanu (favour), Great expectation, Unity, Affections and Sewa.

Omojola said: “I use acrylic and oil paints to disrupt the purity of a blank canvas with African abstract shapes and lines. I feature very loosely interpreted landscape and abstraction figures too. I have lived my whole life steps away from the art generally and I find it the most meaningful inspiration. My pieces attempt to join the joy of abandon with colours to create bold, bright, daring pieces. Living in Lagos, the Center of Excellence, I am no stranger to vibrancy and I create works that transport others to this magical space.”

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Born in Ayedun Ekiti State, Omojola said his encounter with art was accidental. He said none of his family members were into art as they didn’t consider it as a career.

“For me, I never received any education in art, besides a few elective classes while in college. To me, art was only a concept and out of my reach. However, over the past years, I have slowly embraced a new identity as a fine artist. And it was never an easy journey. I remember my father used to tell me “funso don’t give up.” And little by little, it has changed my person and my view of life,” he noted.

His last shows were held at Yusuf Grillo Gallery, Yabatech Lagos on June 2014, and at Daystar Christian Centre, Ikosi Lagos on July 2014.

February 28, 2024
New gallery opens in Lagos

The number of galleries in Lagos State has increased with the recent opening of A107 Arts Galleries on Adeola Hopewell, Victoria Island, Lagos. It is a one-shop for art, fashion and beauty. The event, which coincided with the birthday of the initiator and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Joy Smart Francis, has as its theme: Style and sip.

She stated that A107 is a place for people who need high end artworks and prefer unique styles in painting, fashion and beauty as well as in the hair businesses.

On why she adopted A107 as her business name, she said: “It has unique and iconic numbers and a character that is personal to us. We loved it and decided to use it to set up the business. The iconic numbers are A1 and 07. When one goes through university or school and one is told that he has made A1, one is always excited because it is an excellent result. And the number seven is perfection.

“So, A107 is a marriage between excellence and perfection. It is a fusion that ensures that when you visit the galleries for any of its services, you have the best experience ever. You will experience excellent services and you will also leave knowing that whatever you came to do was perfectly done, under roof.

“The emporium is a creative expression that amplifies my lifestyle. I love to experience life to its fullest and in its beauty. When one looks at someone, one should be able to tell the kind of lifestyle the person has got, so we want collectors of our art pieces and patrons of our salon and fashion services to exude a wonderful lifestyle: sophistication and excellence, we want people who understand what having a good lifestyle means to come in and pitch their tent with us.”

Mrs. Francis added that the gallery is an exclusive shop.

“Because for one to collect one of our artworks, it means that the person is doing well. The least of art pieces in the gallery cannot be found elsewhere. And it has been well- priced to attract the right collectors. So, we look at having the right collectors, who are in the premium category, the VIPs e.t.c, and we have provided the enabling environment so they can luxuriate and be treated with royalty, as well as accoutrements like cocktail, coffee and tea as they make well to purchase what they want, enjoying the experience they truly deserved. So, a visit to A107 fashion, art and beauty galleries is a visit to experience the beauty of art, joy of African prints, contemporary fashion and full expression of one’s personality.”

She said the A107 Galleries is an arm of her group of businesses, including Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (AYE), an NGO, which empowers and builds entrepreneurs.

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Another is the Entrepreneurship Village (E-Village) under construction in Ondo State aimed at providing an enabling environment for entrepreneurs expected to represent the continent across the world.

A fashion designer, Peace Baberopoulous, praised Mrs. Francis for the project. “It’s a beautiful initiative to combine beauty, art and fashion in one stop shop. I am for it. The initiator too, who has been a good friend of mine has been a wonderful creative. There were art pieces that really thrilled me. I really liked them because I am in the fashion industry and things like that inspire my creations. So seeing those artworks was very appealing and it beats my imagination how the whole thing was packaged. “Founder, A.Y.E/husband of the celebrator, Dr. Summy Smart Francis, added: “I appreciate the persuasion and creativity of the initiator to embark on the project, especially in such a way that one couldn’t say no. The easiest way a woman can warm a man’s heart is through love, and the man will do what he is supposed to do. So, I’m excited to see A107 fashion, art and beauty being unveiled.”

The guest preacher, Pastor Tobi Odeneye of the Elevation Church said our business ideas are given to us by God and that it is good to thank Him for that. He added that it is equally good to give thanks during our birthdays.

February 28, 2024
Japa: dramatizing a syndrome

Reviewer: Denja Abdullahi

Author: M.S. Dogara

Title: A Midnight Migrant

Migration is as old as man. In fact, migration is man. Viewed from whatever prism, secular or religious, migration is the most defining and unchanging characteristic of man as he goes about making a meaning out of life. Settlements, communities, societies, nations and countries as we know them today would have been impossible and unrecognizable without migration, whether forced or voluntary. Why is this innate tendency of man to move in search of greener pastures gradually becoming a big issue in our world today? Has the world become unsafe, intolerant and unsettled that migration has become a front-burning issue? Are hopes not being dashed and resources thinning everywhere which has made the migrant a focus of nuanced attention all over? What are the emergent impetus for migration in the world today , particularly from the Global South towards the Global North? These and many other questions are what the playwright, M.S. Dogara, attempts to answer in his play A Midnight Migrant.

   The Play in (Twelve) 12 acts and 90 pages is a dramatization of the raging migration syndrome of persons from the country to any part of the world under whatever guise that has become the fad in the Nigerian society today and popularly referred to as Japa or Jakpa. The word as I understand it is derived from the Yoruba language which alludes implicitly to someone breaking free and running away from a delimiting stranglehold. Having somewhere to run to or knowing where to run to is not the issue here: it is a case of break free and run first, the destination can come later! Nigerians should understand that this present wave of insistent migration is the second in the recent history of the country. The first was in the 80s , when a significant number of our highly skilled persons, and mainly intellectuals, fled the debilitating neo-liberal economic policies introduced by the military that made life difficult and killed off our productive institutions. Then it was called “brain-drain” as the focus was on the skilled and largely legal migrants. Now it is called rightly Japa and not brain –drain as the illegal immigrants are more in focus as they die crossing the Sahara Desert, enslaved in Libya or get drowned in the Meditirrenean Sea, off the coast of Lampedusa.

A Midnight Migrant is a fictional dramatic enactment of this sad story of illegal and irregular migration of the main protagonist , Utaro, with the nickname ,”Cool Dollars”, who left school and relentlessly plot to emigrate to America or Europe at all cost. For him, it is a waste of time to explore opportunities around him and within his own country. His quaint and uninformed idea about illegal migration, showcased in sometimes comical manner by the playwright, pitched him against his more rational father ,younger brother and worldly –wise sister. Utaro only has support for his obsession about migration from his mother. He joins a club of intending illegal immigrants in his community who submit themselves to a popular migrants’ smuggler that falsely assure them of an El-Dorado in their destination country.

Some of the intending immigrants are on their second or third attempts at emigrating. Utaro convinces his parents to sell their house and other effects to finance his illegal migration. He and other illegal immigrants then set off at midnight with their minder on a precarious journey to the illegal migrants’ paradise, through the desert route, where they contend with kidnappers, rebels, wild animals, highway robbers and a very harsh terrain. Of course, Utaro’s dream of migration is soon aborted in the desert with many of the co-migrants perishing, leaving him and his friend Dorroh, as the only ones who survive and trace their steps back home to tell the sordid story. Utaro and friend return home like the biblical prodigal son, barely with their lives and with indelible scars, to meet those they left at home and who they mocked before as unambitious and unadventurous ,thriving. Utaro’s younger brother , Malasa, finishes school and legally migrates to the U.K. for further studies ,comes back to get a job and buys back the old house sold to finance Utaro’s journey and even builds the parents a new abode. Utaro’s sister, Laraba gets married to a geologist. His friend, Libro, the coffin maker and seller, finds fortune and contentment in his trade, to the consternation of the returnee Utaro. At the end, the playwright, with the use of a “deux ex machina” dramatic device, made Utaro to chance on a precious stone on the fringes of his re-entry into the country, which turns out to be a diamond, thereby making his fortune better. Pa Ayama , Utaro’s father sums up the underlying message of the play at the end thus:

         I told you that your country has everything you need.

         Look at what has happened.Your fortunes are right

         here but you’ve chosen to put your life in a deadly risk

         at the wilderness.(91).

Beyond the bare framework of the story as given, it is drama, largely realized in dialogues in which the playwright employs required dramatic devices. The characters are clearly marked out to the point of their becoming stock characters, but this is necessitated by the contrastive message against illegal migration the play needs to project. Expectedly, the elderly characters in the play like the father and uncles , see the futility and dangers of illegal migrations and their language contains the appropriate idioms and expressions. The opening act of the play, which features exchanges between Utaro and his worldly-wise younger sister, are contrastively pithy and sharp as the sister warns “lean liberty is better than fat slavery.” In other acts in the drama, such as the ones containing the dialogues between Utaro and his friend, Libro the coffin maker , and the exchanges between him and his culture-suffused fiancée, Sodalina, satirical humour in speech and actions are deployed. At some points in the text, particularly in those acts depicting the experiences of the illegal migrants in the precarious desert route, the play reads more like a prose work or film script, with long descriptive passages that will be impossible to realize on stage. At those points, the messages start to overwhelm the medium, which is drama. Here, some details that can be implied in dialogues of the characters are unnecessarily couched in stage directions (which in some cases are not in italics as required in a dramatic text).

Regardless of the unevenness and seemingly contrived plot structures in some parts of the play, A Midnight Migrant primarily succeeds as a text that can actually serve the utilitarian purpose of an “agit-prop” advocacy against illegal migration. A theater or film director that knows his or her onions can take on this play as a primary resource to produce a play for stage or script for the big screen. Certainly in the transition to the stage or screen, some parts or details will be pruned and others will be extended or heightened. This drama is certainly one that should be produced in secondary schools and higher institutions to advocate against illegal migrations. The play can also be performed in community halls of those communities infamous for having younger persons embarking on illegal migrations. The play can be further showcased to the returnee or deported illegal immigrants in their rehabilitation camps so that they can see themselves in the play; thereby assisting the playwright or director to flesh out the realism of the story and even re-enacting the acts and scenes themselves in the mould of theater for development.

I therefore recommend A Midnight Migrant as a fitting creative addition to the growing number of literature across all genres addressing the multi-dimensional problems of illegal migrations called the Japa Syndrome presently bedeviling our society.

February 25, 2024
Travelogue; A memory of Pakistan and my encounters with authors

WALE OKEDIRAN writes about his experience as an author in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Islamabad. Early morning. I am standing at the immigration desk of the Islamabad International Airport, trying to explain to the Pakistani immigration officer my reason for visiting the South Asian country. He also wanted to know why I had to go all the way from Lagos to London then Dubai before coming to his country. Satisfied with my explanations, the happy looking burly officer gingerly stamped my passport and waved me off with a cheery ‘Welcome to Pakistan’,

As I waited to collect my baggage, my mind went to my brief encounter with the Immigration Officer especially his concern about my itinerary. It was the same question I had been asked when I applied for a Pakistani visa in Abuja. It was also the same question when I wanted to board my Emirates flights in Lagos, London and Dubai. Even though I had decided on my itinerary in order to accommodate a private visit to the UK before going to Pakistan, I did not realize that I had inadvertently put myself under a suspicious radar by that decision.

“Pakistan is currently fighting a twin problem of drug trafficking and terrorism. That is why travelers with multiple stop-overs are usually put under extra scrutiny’’ one of my Pakistani hosts later explained to me.

Outside the airport, I had to button up my jacket as the chilly 10 -degree Celsius weather hit me like a cold brickbat. “November is still a good time to visit Pakistan. Our coldest month is January when the weather could go as low as 2.6-degrees Celsius’’ my guide who had come to pick me up at the airport said. As I was driven from the airport in the early hours of the morning, I admired the beautiful and sleepy city which was said to have been built as a planned city in the 1960s to replace Karachi as Pakistan’s capital city.

Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, came into being following the partition of British India into the countries of India and Pakistan on August 14 1947. After this partition, the north-eastern and north-western flanks of the country, made up of Muslim majorities, became Pakistan. The rest of the country, predominantly Hindu, but also with large religious minorities peppered throughout, became India. It is the world’s fifth-most populous country with a population exceeding 212.2 million. By area, it is the 33rd-largest country, spanning 881,913 square kilometers (340,509 square miles).

Even though it took place more than 70 years ago, the partitioning has left some deep- rooted resentments between India and Pakistan. Fortunately, there have been numerous attempts to improve the relationship. However, despite those efforts, relations between the countries have remained fraught, following repeated acts of cross-border terrorism. According to a 2017 BBC World Service poll, only 5% of Indians view Pakistan’s influence positively, with 85% expressing a negative view, while 11% of Pakistanis view India’s influence positively, with 62% expressing a negative view.

I had come to Pakistan to attend the annual International Writers Conference of the Writers Union of Africa, Asia and Latin America. In addition, I had also been invited by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts and Hunerkada to attend the 2019 Islamabad Arts and Book Festival also holding in the Pakistani capital about the same time. While I was to present a report in my capacity as the Deputy Secretary General of the Writers Union during the conference, I had also come to Islamabad with copies of my novels for presentation at the Book Fair.

About an hour after my arrival in Islamabad, I arrived my hotel, Embessidor Hotel located at Sector G- 5 of the city where I was heartily received by my hosts and other conference delegates who had arrived ahead of me. It was nice seeing my fellow writers again after our last conference which took place in Rabat, Morocco.

Some of the writers who had already arrived at the hotel included delegates from Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, Vietnam, as well as Jordan. I also saw some new faces such as Bui Viet Thang from Vietnam, Said Salgawi from Oman as well as Toy Ting from Thailand.

On hand to receive all of us was our chief host, the ebullient Pakistani poet and book seller, Imdad Aakash who is also the Secretary General of the Pakistani Writers Union. As usual, our indefatigable Secretary, Randa Barakat as well as our amiable and energetic President, Cherif El Shoubashy had been on ground, days before the meeting to put things in order.

The agenda for the tricontinental meeting which would be the first one in an Asian country in more than three years consisted of; Plenary sessions, Poetry readings, A Round table discussion on the conference theme, Launching of the new edition of Lotus magazine as well as the 2019 Islamabad Book fair. Also included in our itinerary was a visit to Gandhara Archaeology sites and Museum in the nearby town of Taxila, Dinners, a Cultural event and the Closing ceremony.

As listed on our agenda, the whole of the first day of the Conference which took place at Aiwan E Sir Syed district of Islamabad was devoted mainly to plenary sessions which centered on the conference theme; The Role of Culture and Literature in Confronting Terrorism. A major highlight of the 3-day conference was the presentation of the new edition of LOTUS, the official journal of the Union.

The LOTUS, a trilingual quarterly journal which was first issued in 1968 in English, Arabic and French, apart from being a forum for literary interchange between postcolonial Third World intellectuals, also has a prize attached to it. ‘The Lotus Prize’ as the prize is called, has been awarded in the past to such writers as Chinua Achebe, Mahmoud Darwish, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Alex La Guma, Ghassan Kanafani, Agostinho Neto, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and Kateb Yacine, many of whom had been involved in the Union’s activities or whose work had previously appeared in the journal.

Unfortunately, the journal went into oblivion for some years due to lack of funding. It was not until the winter of 2016 that it was revived while another issue was published in the winter of 2017. The Vol 3 and 2018 Winter edition was distributed to delegates at the Morocco conference.

Some delegates used the opportunity of the meeting to submit contributions for the next edition of the journal. I also had the honor of submitting a contribution from Prof. Wole Soyinka. The Nobel Laureate who had been requested to contribute to the journal had asked me to submit an excerpt from his latest publication INTERVENTIONS for inclusion in the next edition of the journal.

A dinner in honor of the delegates took place later in the evening in the house of one of the Pakistani writers, Wasif Arshad and his wife at E-11 sector of Islamabad. After the delicious dinner, a poetry reading session took place in the same venue before we all retired for the night.

On the second day of the conference, we all headed to the Gandhara Archaeology Site and Museum at Taxila for sightseeing. Taxila “City of Cut Stone” is a significant archaeological site about 32 km (20 mi) north-west of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It is situated at an altitude of 512m above sea level. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2006 it was ranked as the top tourist destination in Pakistan by The Guardian newspaper, London. On hand to welcome us to the Museum was the curator, Abdul Nasir.

The archaeological museum at Taxila is a real treasure-house. The ivy-covered, Gothic-style museum is in a picturesque garden. Exploring Taxila is a multi-dimensional experience. I was attracted by the richness and variety of the famed Gandhara sculpture which are endless images of Buddha, in stone and stucco, and numerous panels depicting all the important stages of the great sage’s life. In addition, exquisitely sculpted friezes and statues of all sizes evoke the life and times of one of the worlds’ most impressive men of peace: Gautama Buddha. Each carved bit of sculpture, from the colossal to the miniature —- and there are literally thousands of them – is a collector’s item.

At Taxila, I came face to face with the great Buddha where he loomed over me, larger than life. With his serene eyes gazing at me, I was gripped by a feeling of awe. I also met other famous names, such as Alexander of Macedonia, Asoka the famous Buddhist king as well as the Emperor Kanishka. Their imprints were all over the cavernous Taxila museum which was filled to the brim with tourists on that cold November morning.

From the museum, we moved to the grave of one of Pakistani’s most revered poets, Gosh Malihabadi. Born as Shabbir Hasan Khan (5 December 1898 – 22 February 1982) Malihabadi who is popularly known as Shayar-e-Inqalab (poet of revolution) is regarded as one of the finest Urdu poets of the era of British India. Gosh always challenged the established order and stood for liberal values. He was loud, brave and never compromised on principles. He wrote over 100,000 beautiful couplets and more than 1,000 rubaiyat in his lifetime. His autobiography “Yaadon ki Barat” is considered one of the best so far in Urdu as it is written in frank and candid manner. Malihabadi was an Indian citizen until 1956, when he emigrated to Pakistan and became a Pakistani citizen. Some of his works were translated to English like The Unity of Mankind elegies by Josh Malihabadi by Syed Akbar Pasha Tirmizi who was a Pakistani citizen and a high court advocate.

Also visited was the Pakistani Academy of Letters (PAL), an autonomous organization with its main focus on Pakistani literature and related fields. It is the largest and the most prestigious learned society of its kind in Pakistan, with activities throughout the nation focusing mainly on Pakistani Literature and related fields. It was established by a group of renowned Pakistani writers, poets, essayists, playwrights, and translators under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhuto on July 7, 1976.

The Academy gives annual awards for the best original books written in all the major languages of Pakistan. In addition, the Academy also nominates Fellows, and more restrictively some Life Fellows, who earn the privilege of using the post-nominal letters FPAL. The Fellowship of the Academy is highly selective, indicating high distinction in the respective field, and is only awarded to those who are recognized to have contributed extraordinary work to enrich the creation and understanding of Pakistani literature.

I had always been a fan of Indian and by extension, Pakistani cuisine because of its”highly seasoned” and “spicy” nature. I was therefore looking forward to a hearty and enjoyable meal as we headed for Lunch at the Taxila restaurant around mid- afternoon. I was glad that I settled for the Chicken-Masala and Rice dish. Apart from the fact that the rice was fluffy and sizzling hot, the chicken was very succulent and well- seasoned with the spicy masala soup that practically melted on my tongue. The gustatory activity was so enjoyable that minutes after the other delegates had finished their meals, I was still working on the very delicious meal. It was only when I realized that I could be holding up the others that I reluctantly pushed away the plate.

Slightly drowsy from the delightful gastronomic exercise, I trudged along with the other delegates to the Sir Syed Memorial Building which housed the Islamabad Museum for the first ever Islamabad Art and Book Festival (IAF-19). According to the organizers, the 13- day festival was organized by a consortium of public and private educational institutions, art galleries and artist associations from across the country in collaboration with foreign embassies, with generous support from the corporate sector. The thematic focus of IAF-19 was ‘Dialogue between Tradition and Modernity’. Around 30,000 teachers and 300,000 pupils from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were said to have been indirectly involved in the event.

My group missed the event’s opening ceremony and so could not watch the performance of renowned Pakistani first Opera Singer Saira Peter among other celebrity appearances. Saira Peter is reputed to sing in various languages including Urdu, English, Persian, Latin and some regional languages of Pakistan. Despite the miss, I was still able to interact with other writers during the Poetry reading session which expectedly was in Arabic, English, French among others. I was also able to exhibit some of my books most of which I exchanged for other books at the Book Fair.

The usual tradition with the conferences of the Writers Union of Africa, Asia and Latin America was to make the closing ceremony a combination of a business meeting and stock taking exercise. In addition, the venue of the next meeting had to be confirmed. After intimating my fellow delegates of my desire to host the 2020 Conference in Nigeria, I also did a lot of lobbying among them during the three- day conference. Fortunately, my bid for the hosting was confirmed at the closing ceremony.

In our communique on the theme of the conference; Fighting Terrorism Through Arts And Literature, the Union observed that ‘Literature and Art have the ability to soothe the minds and to sow the seeds of love, tolerance and understanding between individuals and peoples. Therefore, writers and artists when given a congenial atmosphere to practice their trade as well as a modicum of support can be the ideal antidote against the specter of violence, extremism and terrorism that is currently ravaging many parts of the world.”

Our last formal dinner in Pakistan was courtesy of the Senator representing Islamabad Capital Territory on the platform of the Pakistan Muslim League at the Pakistani Senate, Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed. The amiable and suave 57- year old politician in our brief interaction informed me that he is a journalist by training as well as a published author. The Senator is the current Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Defence Production.

And as we settled down to an exquisite 5 course dinner at the Islamabad Club where Senator Husain had hosted us, I could not but admire the posh and pleasant environment of the club which I was informed was exclusively patronized by the elite of Islamabad. The club which is comprised of the main club building, a golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts and an expansive parking lot is said to sit on over 346 acres in the vicinity of the Rawal Lake.

Even though I had enjoyed every bit of my stay in Islamabad, there was still something missing; I had not had a feel of the real Islamabad. Our crowded program had been so guided that our visits had been only to posh hotels and offices as well as high- brow residential areas. We did not have the opportunity to visit shops and markets, low income residential areas among other ‘natural’ Pakistani settings. Since it was already late in the day and in addition, I did not want to bother our hosts who had put in so much to make our trip a success, I decided to take my concern to Senator Husain. Fortunately, he agreed with me on the need to see part of the city. He quickly organized a vehicle to convey those of us who were interested in seeing the town to take us round.

Although Islamabad is said to give off the appearance of a ‘dull place, full of retired civil servants sipping tea in villas’ my small group of writers had a stunning late-night excursion of the picturesque, wide tree-linked streets and impressive city. Since it was already late, we could only see from afar the beautifully lit Faisal Mosque at the foothills of the Margalla hills. The mosque, which is said to be the fourth largest in the world, shone like a gem as the surrounding lights reflected magically on its vast marbled courtyard.

On our urging to go home with some souvenirs, our guide took us to the trendy Jinnah Super Market with its beautiful array of boutiques, book stores, jewelery shops, gift and handicraft stores. And so, for the next few minutes, we were lost in the midst of the cavernous interior of the semi- circular edifice as we bargained for leather handicrafts, saris and Pakistani shoes. Although Punjabi and Urdu are the main languages in Pakistan, many of the shop owners already used to international visitors spoke and understood English. We were still haggling in the Super Market when the rich and multilayered cadences of the Muezzins call for prayers rang out from the nearby minarets, bouncing off the surrounding Margalla hills to echo far into the sleepy streets of the enchanting and magical city.

February 25, 2024
Agonies of Artists’ Village

The sad event took place in 2016. That year, as artists were busy in their studios and offices, suddenly tractors, caterpillars and bulldozers swooned on them, surrounding the entire landscape called the Artists Village. The Artists Village, located within the precincts of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, is an exclusive preserve of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC). NCAC is one of the eleven prastatals and agencies that make up the Federal Ministry of Culture, Art and Creative Economy.

The bulldozers were sent by the then General Manager of the National Theatre named Mallam kabir Yusuf. His grouse, as it was discovered later, was that there were many squatters and illegal occupants at the village. He reasoned that there were also ghetto kiosks erected within the premises of the National Theatre. However, the method of the exercise and the notion behind it were seen to be wrong. Artists were not given time or any chance to secure their art works and other properties.

Secondly, the Artists Village belonged exclusively to the NCAC, even though located within the confines of the Theatre premises. It is a village built for creativity, in fact for the creative economy. It is a place where artists are meant to reside or settle down to have access to the easiness that encourages creativity. Unfortunately in the years past, the place was so utterly neglected making it look like an abandoned enclave. Given this ugly scenario therefore artists had to make do with whatever that was available to them to function with. Government’s obvious neglect was painful enough, yet artists remained there struggling and producing fantastic works of excellence.

So when the demolition came it was hard to blame anybody but the government itself for the rot in the settlement. When the former Information Minister, Lai Mohammed visited the village to see the ruins and the destruction of the artists properties, including thousands of art works and artefacts he promised to pay compensation. Until he left office and up till today, the promises have not been fulfilled. It is now eight years. It has been eight years of being in the desert, in the doldrums, hoping to be paid, hoping to be restored back to life.

Incidentally, many artists have died. Some have been frustrated out of the place. Some others that are still there live between hope and frustration; indeed with expectations that still look utopian. This is unexpected. It is unacceptable and artists are asking for attention. Hadji Bello, one of Nigeria’s best stage actors, directors and producers who makes use of the village said that Lai Mohammed made a hopeless and empty promise to them. “I don’t know how Lai Mohammed will end. But I swear that Lai Mohammed deceived us and it may not end well for him”.

When the damages were made, the ministry asked the artists to present the cost of the damages to their office in Abuja. A cost of N90 million was then presented. However, the office of NCAC asked them to cut it down to a reasonable amount. In the end, the Federal Ministry of Information agreed to pay them N20 million. The money has not been paid. The destroyed art works have not been recovered. Indeed the demolished structures have not been rebuilt. The place looks more disorganized and messy than when it was destroyed.

Today, however, the government has created the acronym, the creative economy. When will it behoove on government to produce conducive atmospheres and centres where artists can hibernate for proper creativity? Meanwhile, also, it is time to compensate the affected artists and give back life to the Village in order to usher in fresh moments of artistic creation.

February 25, 2024
Kidnapping, killing and traditional rulers

The kidnap and killing of Yoruba obas by bandits has become a source of worry for many Nigerians, just as the sad development calls into question the process of enthroning monarchs which is meant to transform ordinary men into gods’ deputies by fortification with mystical powers, writes Southwest Bureau Chief BISI OLADELE

Times have changed. The days seem to have gone when Yoruba traditional rulers who are called obas wielded mystical powers that placed them above mere mortals.

Soaked in great honour and operating in grandeur rare to find among ordinary men, Yoruba obas, often referred to as Kabiyesis (meaning no one questions their authority or positions), sit on thrones that are highly respected among their people.

To operate on this level, every prince that is to be enthroned goes through initiation, training and an empowerment process called ipebi, to craft them in the personality of the man that can operate as kabiyesi.

In the old days, obas planned and supervised wars. Aside from the mystical powers they possessed, they constantly consulted the Ifa to know what was ahead and prepare appropriately.

In the days of inter-tribal wars, and even in modern times, the capture of an oba means the capture of the entire town by the enemy. Hence, obas are usually princes who have shown signs of valiance and who are high achievers.

Their mystical powers and knowledge make Yoruba see them as gods’ deputies; hence anyone who receives the blessing of an oba is likened to those who receive a blessing from God or the gods.

The current kidnapping of Obas, and particularly the killing of two monarchs in Ekiti last week, practically flattened the rostrum of honour on which Obas stand. The incidents are fast demystifying obas.

On Monday, January 29, a group of bandits ambushed and killed two traditional rulers – the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin. Their third brother king, the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, was lucky to escape the gruesome killing.

They were said to be returning from a security meeting when they were ambushed by the gunmen who cheaply snuffed life out of them.

The same fate befell the Olukole of Koro in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole when gunmen invaded his palace on Thursday last week, killed him and whisked his wife and one other away. The wife has since been reportedly freed.

How Yoruba obas became cheap victims of criminals is still a surprise to many. The latest killings and attacks had been preceded by the same crimes in Southeast Nigeria. Many Yoruba had thought that it would be inconceivable for such to happen in Yoruba land.

But, with the stark reality, anger is gripping many people in the land. While some see it as another layer of the malaise in the land, some blame the obas for failing to uphold the tradition that guides occupancy of the throne. Others still believe that the government is not doing enough to support the welfare of the traditional rulers.

A counter-terrorism expert, Prof. Isaac Albert explained that the attacks on traditional rulers is a deliberate effort by bandits to instil fear in the people and the government and give the impression that no one is safe.

Albert, who teaches Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan, told The Nation that the recent wave of obas’ killing is part of the punishment Nigeria is receiving for ignoring experts’ warnings and advice on how to tackle insurgency as well as politicising security.

His words: “Nigeria is simply paying for politicising counter-terrorism. Professionals warned about it but were called “wailers.” Where are the “hailers”? As the Ooni of Ife asked, how many of these people can go to their communities without escorts? In other words, it is not just starting today but President Tinubu now has to carry the full weight of the problem. The situation could get worse under him as those responsible for these cases of violent extremism no longer exercise any restraints.

“Several traditional rulers were killed in the North and the Southeast in the past. What did we do? Terrorists attain their strategic objectives through fear-mongering.

“The British did the same thing for colonising Nigerians. They did not target the ordinary citizens but their traditional rulers, some of whom were captured and killed for daring to ask colonisers questions. Those killed included the Caliph of Sokoto in 1903. Some were exiled or forced to sign “protection” treaties.

“Terrorists use the same strategy globally. We gave Nigeria to those in our midst by being euphemistic in framing their activities. Our cups are full now; the situation could get worse. The belief in Yoruba land is that the ordinary mortal does not see the corpse of a king. You don’t announce the demise of a Yoruba king. Nigerians saw their blood dripping like that of ordinary animals as they were being taken away in an open truck. Some crawled to safety. How did we get here? How do we save whatever is left of the Nigerian state? We should stop hiding behind a leprous finger.”

A Professor of History at the same university Olutayo Adesina believes that the Obas are to be largely blamed for their misfortune. He believes that the current travail of royal fathers is a sign of collapsed civilisation, adding that the problem is, however, multifaceted.

Tracing the history of how traditional thrones were gradually stripped of their powers and aura by colonial masters and later politicians, Adesina said many obas also embarked on self-destruction with their ambition and behaviours.

His words: “The predicaments of our natural rulers and the traditional institution smack of deep and acute symptoms of civilisational collapse.

“The problem is multifaceted and multidimensional. We can locate it in the problems caused by modernity, the inadequacies of the royal personages, and the lack of regard for the institution by a new and uncaring generation.

“Modernity, through colonial rule, had foisted a less effective traditional institution on colonial and post-colonial Nigerian communities. They had been stripped of the pre-colonial aura, roles, power and influence. They arrived in post-independence Nigeria as impotent and less powerful people.

“With independence, the successor state adopted the strategy of dealing with the traditional rulers bequeathed by colonial administrators. The political class also began a systematic disrespect and control of the traditional institution. They began to weave the rulers around their fingers, enthroned their favorites and deposed their less favoured Obas at will. This happened with the Alaafin of Oyo and Olowo of Owo. The Odemo of Ishara was grossly disrespected. In the eyes of the civic society, obas lost respect and became extremely vulnerable

“The obas themselves became their own greatest problems. Many of those who ascended the thrones were less worthy or less qualified. The usual aura usually associated with the natural rulers gradually gave way and obas began to manifest ordinariness beneath their statuses. They began to lose respect. But that is not to say rulers of stature and credibility did not exist. Many still retained that respectability.

“The greatest challenge the rulers faced had to do with the inadequate attention to the traditional rites and lores of their communities. They began to repudiate or shorten the periods of seclusion designed to prepare them for their roles as the leaders of their people.

“Once we got to that sorry point and the kingmakers and traditional priests became corrupted, the battle was lost.

“A generation ignorant of the roles and relevance of the traditional institutions then came into prominence. The problem became compounded when this generation began to experience the chicanery and hanky panky of the traditional class with land deals, political exposures, party popping, wife-snatching and a whole lot of negative tendencies, the destruction of the traditional institution was complete.

“The institution engaged in a crisis of self-immolation that destroyed its value and essence.”

A member of the royal clan largely agreed with the don. In his perspective, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao said the practice of monarchy in a democracy presents a crisis which is yet to be solved. He posited that the system gives powers to political office holders above traditional rulers, adding that some obas do not have the financial strength to provide security for themselves in the present circumstances.

Oba Alao, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs said: “Let me condemn all forms of attacks, including kidnapping and killing of traditional rulers. It is a sacrilege, and the spirit of our ancestors will hunt perpetrators of these evil acts to absolute destruction.

“Traditional rulers in Yoruba land today face undeserved danger because of many factors.

One, as Nigerian society experiences increasing security challenges, Yoruba obas are not provided with security personnel for adequate protection despite their positions as heads and permanent rulers of their kingdoms. This opens them to needless attacks such as those experienced in recent times.

“Two, Yoruba monarchs are poorly remunerated. Occupying the throne as a permanent ruler translates to enormous financial obligations, among others. This challenge manifests in many ways, including the inability to fund adequate logistics for travels and provide security around oneself in and outside the palace. Monarchs are not expected to engage in open jobs like their subjects to earn a living and take care of their families. They, therefore, need good remuneration to operate following the honour of their thrones.

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“Three, lack of constitutional role leaves Obas at the mercy of those with political power, whom the constitution empowers as the overall leaders of the state or country. Since the days of colonialism, Nigeria ceased practising monarchy, a system of government in which affairs of the state are under the king or queen. Under the type of democracy being practised in Nigeria, obas are listed as institutions under the control of the local government. This is incongruous with the importance and the role Obas are meant to play in Yoruba society.

“To reverse this trend, the government should assign a constitutional role to traditional rulers as the most authentic leaders of the people of Nigeria. We are permanent rulers. We cannot leave office or run away like politicians who know that their tenure is limited by a number of years.

“The government should also offer emoluments that are commensurate to each throne to ensure adequate welfare of traditional rulers. Obas should not just be left to struggle for survival since they have been enthroned to look after the security, welfare and progress of their kingdoms. It is an enormous task that should be undertaken without any distractions.

“Going by the extent of insecurity in Nigeria today, it has become expedient for the Federal Government to allow the establishment of state police. The establishment of Amotekun in Southwest has brought a little improvement to the system. The Federal Government should allow Amotekun to carry the right arms to combat criminals.

“Not only the above, but the unpalatable experience across Nigeria today confirms that we need a new security architecture altogether.

We cannot continue with the current security structure and expect a different result. A new trend of challenges requires a new approach.

“For the immediate time, the government should strengthen security around all monarchs, particularly permanent rulers. By preserving our revered monarchs, we are preserving our societies, our heritage, honour and pride.”

February 21, 2024
Yoruba epic film, Asiri Ade hits screen

It was excitement, glamour as people from different walks of life gathered in Lekki, Lagos to watch the screening of the epic film ‘Asiri Ade’ by Nollywood’s director, Adeoluwa Owu.

‘Asiri Ade’ unfolds a compelling narrative of politics, love, and intrigue, as two kingdoms consider a royal union for different motives. With elements of hidden romance, a lurking killer, and a power struggle, the film encompasses a blend of epic, romance, and thriller genres. The production quality, authentic storytelling, impeccable character delivery, and masterful postproduction underscore Adeoluwa Owu’s genius extraordinary filmmaking skills.

Acknowledging the challenges and excitement that marked the filmmaking journey, Owu said “The outcome is a film that promises an unforgettable and immersive experience for audiences. “Asiri Ade” is not just a film; it’s an artistic endeavor that showcases the creativity, dedication, and passion of all involved”.

Speaking about consumers attitude to indigenous films, he said that he is excited that Nigerians are clamouring for and embracing indigenous stories in recent times as against the past where such stories were not appreciated.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent , he said ‘’I am excited that Nigerians are beginning to troop out and clamour for stories that are indigenous and personal to us; case study is “Jagun Jagun”; ‘’Anilulapo’’, and now, ‘’Asiri Ade’’.

‘’I am excited that these have opened up and it is no longer a thing in the past where people will be like, ‘Nigerian film, I am not interested’; it is now, ‘Nigerian film, oh, what do they have to offer’.

‘’That is what the narrative is right now and it is just beautiful to watch this change and the switch, ‘’ he said.

The director, who is also the supervising producer for Asiri Ade, said the movie was an epic story of love and mystery, saying ‘’It tells a story of love interest and a conflict within families and royalties.’’

He said, however, there were challenges encountered while producing the movie.

‘’I am super excited that the world can get to see it because it is an epic story; however, it required that we looked for a location that could depict the time and era.

‘’So, the film is set back in 1985 in a village setting, where kings and royal families were still ruling the helm of affairs of a community.

‘’We had to do a big construction, production design, built an entire village, just to be able to be able to match what we were trying tell.

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‘’So the biggest scale of it was getting the aesthetics to look right and getting the right actors to play the part; and being a Yoruba film, it was also essential that we got actors that could fluently deliver in expressions and Yoruba dialect properly.

‘’Those were the initial challenges apart from the basic film making challenges, but we were able to surmount every situation, ‘’ Owu said.

One of the cast in the movie, Mike Afolarin, described the movies as a wonderful story, serving as a reminder that every action had repercussions at some point.

‘’Therefore, we should just be mindful of our doings and dealings because like one thing you do today, can come back to bite you at any time.

‘’So, I think that is the core message from this movie and it was such a great opportunity for me to play a Yoruba character; I love challenges and took it up, hoping to see how it comes out, ‘’ Afolarin said.

Another cast in the movie, Bolanle Ninolowo, who commended the industry, said, however, the major challenge in the industry include poor remuneration for actors and crew members.

The epic film boasts a stellar cast, including renowned actors Gabriel Afolayan, Bolaji Ogunmola, Omowunmi Dada, Fathia Williams, and other exceptional talents.

February 21, 2024