The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • MUSON gala concert marks grand finale of festival

    MUSON gala concert marks grand finale of festival

    The Shell Zenith Bank Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, was filled with an air of elegance and musical brilliance on Sunday as the TotalEnergies EP Gala Concert drew the curtain on the 2025 MUSON Festival. The event, which featured performances of Pop Choral Mix and Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, showcased the exceptional talent of the MUSON Choir and the MUSON Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Sir Emeka Nwokedi and Walter Michael Vollhardt.

    Speaking on the significance of the evening, Music Director and Choir Director of MUSON, Sir Emeka Nwokedi described the concert as the grand finale of the two-week-long MUSON Festival, which began on October 12 and brought together various art forms including drama, jazz, and children’s performances.

    “Tonight’s event is the gala concert signalling the end of the MUSON Festival. It’s an annual event that brings all forms of art together for people to find what they love in the arts. By October next year, we’ll do it again, and we’re already planning to bring a big jazz artist to Nigeria,” he said.

    He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between Western classical traditions and African cultural heritage.

    “We work between cultures. While the orchestra focuses on classical music, we try not to neglect our own. With the choir, we incorporate Highlife and folk songs so that our performances remain relevant to our cultural identity,” he said.

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    According to Nwokedi, MUSON has played a major role in advancing Nigeria’s musical landscape through education and cultural exchange.

    “MUSON has a school where many students are trained. In our curriculum, we include African music not just Nigerian music but from across the continent. I believe we should even do 60 percent African music and 40 percent Western music to preserve our roots,” he added.

    He also called on government and educational authorities to integrate music more deeply into the national curriculum.

    “Music represents the culture of a people. If you grow up with musical training, it instills discipline and cultural pride. The government should take the study of music seriously and make it a key part of education from primary to tertiary level,” he urged.

    German conductor Walter Michael Vollhardt, who led the MUSON Symphony Orchestra’s rendition of Carmina Burana, expressed admiration for the quality of Nigerian musicians and the audience’s appreciation of classical music.

    “I’ve been working with Nigerian musicians for about 11 years, and I’m always inspired by their talent and passion. I chose Carmina Burana because it is powerful, joyful, and bombastic something Nigerians truly enjoy,” he said.

    He, however, noted that limited financial and institutional support continues to hinder the growth of classical music in Nigeria.

    “Musicians here struggle with transportation costs and limited rehearsal time. If the government could support more orchestral concerts throughout the year, it would help sustain their careers. Many cities like Lagos deserve year-round symphonic performances,” he said.

    Vollhardt also highlighted the need for better music education infrastructure, noting that MUSON currently has only a few instrumental teachers.

    “Many young Nigerian musicians go abroad for advanced studies. With more support, Nigeria could become a major cultural hub in Africa,” he said.

    The night ended on a high note as the audience gave a rousing ovation to both the choir and orchestra, affirming the MUSON Centre’s enduring commitment to nurturing musical excellence and cultural expression in Nigeria.

  • Akande: Emerging voice for cultural storytellers

    Akande: Emerging voice for cultural storytellers

    Nigerian-born multidisciplinary artist Mayowa Akande is redefining visual storytelling through a practice that bridges architecture, photography, and design. His work transforms everyday encounters into quiet reflections on identity, belonging, and the spaces we inhabit — physically, emotionally, and culturally.

     “Architecture taught me how to see; photography taught me how to feel what I see,” Akande says.

    That insight encapsulates his creative philosophy — a harmony between structure and sensitivity.

    Akande’s journey into photography began during his Master’s degree in Architecture at the School of Architecture, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso , where a curiosity about the camera evolved into a lifelong pursuit. As he travelled, observed, and documented the rhythms of everyday life, he discovered how art, architecture, and human stories intertwine to shape how we perceive our world.

     “I realised that architecture and photography are both about light — one builds with it, the other captures it,” he recalls. “Both ask how space makes us feel, how we remember, and how we belong.”

    Among Akande’s celebrated projects is “Somewhere in Between — A Portrait Series of Ladé” which explores migration, identity, and the edges of belonging . The work presents Ladé not as a single subject, but as a vessel of shared experience — representing African immigrants navigating life between cultures and versions of self. One of the portraits, awash in deep blue tones, reflects both vulnerability and strength — a meditation on resilience amid displacement. The project earned a Merit Award in AAP Magazine #51: COLORS (France, 2025) , where Akande was selected as one of only 25 photographers worldwide.

    Echoes of Becoming

    In his latest work, “Echoes of Becoming,” Akande deepens this dialogue. The black-and-white series follows a young Black man dressed in agbada and traditional cap, moving through terrains of grass, rock, and water — a metaphor for migration and renewal. Exhibited at the FaB Festival and 44AD Artspace in Bath , the project received a Highly Commended Award at the Bath Open Art Prize 2025 .

     “Presenting this work publicly for the first time was both humbling and affirming,” he said. “It reaffirmed my belief in the quiet power of photography to bridge cultures and tell shared stories.”

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    For Akande, ‘Echoes of Becoming’ is a meditation on culture, displacement, and identity — “portraits not just of a body or face, but of a journey grounded in culture, alive with possibility, and unafraid of what lies beyond.”

    Spaces and Crossroads

    As an artist with a documentary eye, Akande also captures the transformation of cities and spaces. His photographic work “Between Heritage and Horizons” examines the evolving identity of Sunderland , juxtaposing historic landmarks such as the Wearmouth and Queen Alexandra bridges with new city developments. Rendered in black and white, the work strips away distraction, revealing the tension and harmony between heritage and modernity.

    Likewise, “Resonance,” exhibited at The Fronteer Open 2025 in Sheffield, merges Lagos (Nigeria) and the North East of England through digital collage. The work reflects how identity adapts across geography — rooted in tradition yet open to transformation.

    This year, Akande’s work has also featured at the Sunderland Art Festival (October 2025) and the BlackBox Gallery, Portland, USA , further establishing his growing international profile.

    Architecture as Language

    Grounded in his architectural training, Akande’s practice investigates how people inhabit space — physical, emotional, and cultural — using photography as a language to question how place shapes identity. Beyond his studio, he contributes to the UK’s cultural ecosystem as a volunteer at the Northern Museum.

    Akande represents a new generation of African creatives redefining how migration, belonging, and identity are portrayed in global visual culture. His images invite reflection rather than spectacle, drawing viewers into the emotional architecture of lived experience.

    Looking Ahead

    Building on this foundation, Akande is now exploring the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) into his visual practice. His goal is to create immersive cultural archives that allow audiences to experience layered stories of migration, heritage, and belonging in new, interactive ways. Alongside this, he plans to mentor emerging artists and document the evolving artistic expressions of the UK’s diverse communities — fostering collaboration, inclusion, and innovation.

    Through this blend of artistry, empathy, and technological curiosity, Akande continues to build a visual language that transcends borders — one that speaks to the shared human search for connection and home.

  • Omole’s twin bubbles for Tinubu, APC

    Omole’s twin bubbles for Tinubu, APC

    By Ladi Ayodeji

    Deacon Banjo Omole’s twin publications, Destined Destiny and Extolling Leadership, land with the weight of a man rounding off a successful political chapter and stepping confidently into a creative renaissance. As he concludes his two-term tenure as APC Chairman in Ifako-Ijaiye, these books function not merely as commemorative works but as statements of identity, political, cultural, and artistry. 

    They reveal a man who has lived inside the engine room of Lagos politics, watched its rhythms up close, and chosen to document its leading figures in a language that blends admiration, spirituality, symbolism, and history.

    Destined Destiny is the more forceful of the two, a focused tribute to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Omole writes with the certainty of someone who believes Tinubu’s journey has been less accidental and more divinely crafted. He leans heavily into numerology, destiny, and metaphor, weaving a portrait where Tinubu becomes more than a political actor

    He becomes a symbol of endurance, transformation, and national possibility. The imagery is deliberate: “eagles that soar above storms”, “leaders who carry the weight of nations”, and the recurring spiritual undertones that speak to Nigeria’s deeply religious political psyche. Omole’s devotion is unmistakable, and the poems are steeped in that conviction.

    Where Destined Destiny delivers a single beam of focused praise, Extolling Leadership scatters the light across a wider field. Omole turns his poetic gaze toward Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Hamzat, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, and an impressive list of APC stalwarts.

    Each individual is celebrated through carefully constructed metaphors such as timber, iron, gold, lions, and other natural imagery drawn from Yoruba cosmology and classical leadership narratives. Omole positions these leaders as custodians of Lagos’ progress and the APC’s vision, capturing their roles in the state’s political evolution.

    The language throughout is unapologetically ornate, echoing traditional praise poetry while embracing modern political commentary. Omole writes with a performer’s voice. He is dramatic, rhythmic, and confident. His poems read like ceremonial speeches, the kind delivered before large audiences, meant to stir pride and reaffirm loyalty. Readers seeking subtle literary critique will find little here; these books are not exercises in neutrality. They are declarations of admiration, written by a man who has shaped, and been shaped by, the political landscape he describes.

    Yet beyond the praise lies something more intimate: Omole’s transition into a new creative path. Through these works, he signals his intention to become not just a political actor but a cultural storyteller, poet, chronicler, and advocate for what he considers exemplary leadership. This shift is evident in his willingness to use poetry as a vehicle to record political memory, bind identity, and celebrate legacy.

    Together, Destined Destiny and Extolling Leadership operate as both personal testimonials and political documentation. They capture a moment in Lagos and Nigerian politics through the eyes of an insider who chooses to honour his leaders with poetic devotion. Supporters of Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, and the APC tradition will find these collections deeply resonant, while literary observers will see in them a distinctive blend of political praise poetry and cultural narration.

    Ultimately, the two books stand as fitting signatures to Omole’s tenure. It is bold, expressive, and anchored in loyalty, faith, and the enduring belief in leadership that shapes destinies.

  • Traditional ruler supports Brainpower

    Traditional ruler supports Brainpower

    The traditional ruler of Ezinifite in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Samuel Anayo Obika has thrown his weight behind the Brainpower foundation. The foundation was founded by Amaechi Odimeze, an author and member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). In a statement, Odimeze declared that the igwe’s support has made it possible for the foundation to continue to thrive.

    Odimeze, an author of high repute has founded a foundation which he has been using to unveil bundles of talents in his hometown, Ezinifite in Nnewi-South Local government of Anambra State.

    In the previous years, he has been using proxies but this year he was on ground, together with his erudite assessors like Chukwuebuka Onyemelukwe, Chikwado, CY Jeremiah, Chukwudi Onyemelukwe, Azuka Ibe and Ugochukwu Asiakponu.

    In the interschool competition held on 24th October 2025. Public primary schools in Ezinifite were invited for the brainstorming exercise. Awor Primary School Ezinifite, clinched the overall winner, Ezinifite Community Primary School came second, Central primary school Ezinifite took third, Umudiala Primary School took fourth etc.

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    The competition featured quiz sessions, Drama, Pick and Read sessions, highlighting students critical thinking abilities. The headmistress of the hosting school, Ezinifite Community Primary School, Mrs Egwuonwu Frances Ifeoma, Mrs Igbokwere Victoria the  headmistress of Awor Primary School, as well as Mbanese North zonal Head and other teachers made the event a memorable and prepossessing one.

    Mr. Amaechi Odimeze thanked dignitaries like HRH Igwe Samuel Anayo Obika, Ezeoha II, the traditional ruler of Ezinifite Nnewi-South Local government Area Anambra State, the President General Ezinifite Town Union, Mr. Nze Sylvanus Udezuka, Chief Emmanuel Ezeobi, Mr. Afam Onyemelukwe, P.G. Godwin Okezie and all participating teachers for their unflinching support. He stated that the event will be done annually, and plans to expand it, offering more incentives and rewards for outstanding performances. Speaking further, he said; “we envision a future where someone from Ezinifite stands eyeball to eyeball with the best in the world, delivering superior arguments”.

    The annual intellectual competition will take place in Awor Primary School Ezinifite next Year.

  • Kulture Kode presents panoramic view of Lagos

    Kulture Kode presents panoramic view of Lagos

    Kulture Kode is thrilled to announce the upcoming solo exhibition of paintings, mixed media, and wood etchings themed Layers of Existence – A Panoramic View, featuring the innovative works of celebrated London-based Nigerian artist, Chinze Ojobo. This captivating exhibition will run from Sunday, November 30, to Thursday, December 4, 2025, at Didi Museum, 175 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Ojobo is a renowned artist whose work explores the profound narratives of existence through a unique fusion of mediums. She has made a mark in the contemporary art scene, celebrated for her ability to weave intricate stories within her paintings, mixed media, and wood etchings. Her art often reflects deep social themes, drawing on personal experiences and cultural contexts.

    “As an artist, I am driven by a desire to capture moments of joy, celebration, resilience, and hope. I believe that art has the power to transcend boundaries and foster understanding, and my work seeks to initiate conversations about identity, memory, and the shared human condition. The layers in my artwork represent not only personal histories but also the collective experiences of my community and culture,” Ojobo said.

    In Layers of Existence, she invites viewers to engage with the complexity of human experience. Each piece represents various facets of life: joy, resilience, and hope—encouraging a dialogue about the nuances that shape our identities. Utilizing bold colours, textured layers, and thoughtful compositions, Ojobo creates artworks that not only reflect her cultural heritage but also evoke a sense of nostalgia and wonder, drawing viewers into her unique world.

    A graduate of Fine and Applied Arts from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Ojobo trained under the internationally acclaimed artists El Anatsui and Obiora Udechukwu, whose mentorship shaped her early artistic journey. Through this rigorous training, she developed a distinctive style characterized by intricate layering, dynamic textures, and a keen understanding of the interplay between light and shadow.

    Ojobo’s artistic journey has taken her beyond Nigeria’s borders, allowing her to exhibit her work in various prestigious galleries and art fairs globally. Her pieces have been collected by art enthusiasts and institutions alike, further establishing her as a prominent voice in the contemporary art scene. She later studied Interior Design in Los Angeles, California, broadening her creative outlook and practice.

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    In her work, she skilfully weaves together narratives that celebrate the beauty of African culture while addressing contemporary themes. Her work explores acrylic on canvas, wooden sculpture, and jute, often incorporating traditional Uli symbols and African visual languages. She is the pioneer of “Ute-Osisi,” an innovative medium that pushes her exploration of texture, materiality, and cultural narratives further. Rich in symbolism and energy, her works reflect both tradition and contemporary identity.

    Since her first international invitation in 2001 to exhibit in California, Ojobo has participated in over 70 exhibitions worldwide, including the New York Art Expo, Bonhams Art Auction (London), Chalkwell Auctions (UK), Paris, Bulgaria, South Africa, Hollywood, Lagos, Abuja, and Enugu. Among her many highlights is the exhibition “Glass Ceiling Shattered” at the European School of Economics, London, which tackled the barriers confronting the African girl-child. Her artistic achievements have earned her global recognition, most notably the African Achievers Award in Art in 2018, presented at the House of Commons, London.

    Udemma Chukwuma, the curator of the exhibition, expresses her admiration for Ojobo’s artistry: “I am genuinely fascinated by her works. Her energy is incredible. Her unique ability to convey emotions through art is amazing.

  • Boldscholar takes bold steps on authors

    Boldscholar takes bold steps on authors

    Chukwuemeka Godswill has come to create a unique platform to promote authors and their works in Nigeria. This experiment began in 2017. Today he has succeeded in using his business platform called Boldscholar to promote scholars, authors, journals and so on, across the globe. He spoke to Edozie Udeze in Abuja during the ANA convention on the workings of this noble concept.

    Surely, it takes a bold hearted scholar and entrepreneur like Chukwuemeka Godswill to do what he is doing to enhance and project literary awareness in the society.  Godswill has a business idea and concept that is entirely dedicated to promoting literature and other literary properties in Nigeria and beyond.  It is called Boldscholar.  Boldscholar is bold in all the steps it has taken so far to be a part of the activities and programmes of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).  Over the years, Godswilll has made it clear that working with writers, authors, scholars and publishers is his primary call and responsibility.

    At every available opportunity he tries to explain to the gathering of authors the workings of Boldscholar and why it has become necessary to be a part of the trend.  He tells his story in a way that it makes it clearer for all the people concerned to key into his dream to make their works visible, available, profitable and above all, accessible.

    At the just concluded 44th ANA convention in Abuja, Godswill was available.  He took over the podium to display and explain some of his exploits and strides so far.  As he spoke, the hall came alive, people were eager to listen to him.  His perceptions about the boldness of scholarly assistance to promote authors’ works was clear. And he truly won more adherents and patrons, authors who were ready to key into his programme.

    He says “Yes, Boldscholar is an education technology publishing company.  So what we do is that we provide visibility to scholarly journals by publishing African writers starting with Nigeria.  Now the platform is hybrid.  It is about journals, books and literary publications for Africans all over the world.  Authors upload their works on the platform to gain visibility so that readers can go to the platform and pay them for their intellectual property.  So both the author and scholar can start earning each time someone buys his book.  You download on the platform.  You also read it on the platform.  It is just like Amazon.  However, we protect the work.  So the author is safe, the work is safe.  You only read the work when you log in.

    “But also, the author can sell hard copies of his works.  Authors can make buyers also pay for the hard copies if it becomes necessary.  It is the author who can ship the hard copies to the reader/buyer.  The system is so perfectly structured that you may not need to get to us.   You can stay in your house and get all that you need to know or read or buy.  In other words, you stay in your house and sell your books through Boldscholar.  It is so easy; so beautifully done.  It has helped.  It still helps scholars, authors and those who have keyed into it.  And that is why I am here, to let people know how important this is to the book marketing chain not only in Nigeria, but in Africa and beyond.

    “It is interesting that people easily remit the money.  There is no story about it.  And for the journals, academic institutions can upload all their journals on the platform for proper visibility.  This will help their journals to be properly indexed.  This helps to create the necessary impact on the academia.  They are not only for published books.  If you are writing for the first time, you have your manuscripts, you can reach out to us.  At that point when the work has been properly edited and ready to go, we can be of help as well.

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    “You first format it the way you want it for readers to understand and see.  Then go to Boldscholar and onboard it.  But if the work has been published already, still bring it to Boldscholar for us to do our bit.  It is very simple.  If you have your book and you want it uploaded, simply go to boldscholar.com.  When you visit the site, click on sign up to register.  When you register, an email is sent to you for you to confirm it.  Then return to the website.  You have to return to that email you inserted.  So then, you go to reconfirm to be sure.  Return and log in.  You see it now clear.  The national library identification is also clearly stated there.

    “All these will confirm that you are an author from Nigeria.  The library need it to have all the records of all the authors in Nigeria.  The moment this is approved, you then move on.  The pay is done by the reader who makes use of your property.  Boldscholar does not charge for the upload of works.  It is free of charge.  The moment someone pays for your book, the next thing is that the money appears on your dashboard.    It is transparent.  You can make a request and cash out on your request.

    “When you make a request for your money, Boldscholar will see it and credit your account immediately.  So far, we have authors, institutions and so on, on Boldscholar.  Some authors from outside Nigeria also have been part of it.  The first experiment of Boldscholar was in 2017/2018.  Since then we have moved on from stage to stage until we got where we are today”.

  • At 44th ANA convention: Soyinka shows solidarity with fellow authors

    At 44th ANA convention: Soyinka shows solidarity with fellow authors

    Mamman Vatsa’s writers’ village Mpape, Abuja, came alive one more time penultimate weekend when the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) had its 44th international convention. For the first time, Africa’s first Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka was in the house. He regaled the whole premises with his avowed presence that indeed made all attention shifted to him. Yet it was a glorious convention, full of all manner of literary razzmatazz as reported by Edozie Udeze.

    I intend to discharge this heavy burden ANA placed on my shoulders from four fairly straightforward perspectives that take as axiomatic the necessity of writers’ historically compelling land culturally grounded interventions on the burning issues of the day in the country.  These burning issues are, of course, the urgencies of the nation-state as captured in the topic, an idea with an expansive terrain and breadth of contours however it is mapped, either as spatial totalities and much more florid itineraries…”

    With this opening salvo, Professor Udenta Udenta, stirred the souls of writers inside the auditorium of the Mamman Vatsa writers’ village at Mpape, Abuja.  It was the 44th edition of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) international convention.  The hall was packed to the full.  Writers, authors, scholars, academics, students, all came in from all over Nigeria and beyond.  The hall came to a spontaneous solitude, people paid attention with guided solemnity of purpose as Udenta’s voice boomed, resounding with power and elocution.

    In the hall was Professor Wole Soyinka, the first African Nobel laureate in literature.  His eyes glued straight unto the stage.  In the hall were also almost all members of the ANA fellows, fully decked in their academic gowns.  The presence of both the new and old fellows gave an unprecedented glamour to the grandeur of the moment.

    The topic handled by Udenta, author, human rights activist, academic, hit everybody deeper than expected.  It was: The Nigerian writer and the urgencies of the nation-state.  His words dwelt on the journey so far.  But he did not fail to remind writers that more works need to be done to reach that enviable point of Eldorado.  Authors have to put into consideration what they write to help build a sincere and concrete society.

    Short of referring to Soyinka as infallible, he described him as someone who has got to a stage as a writer where his words, views, ideas and utterances need to be taken as infallible.  As the voice of a god, a sage, a humanist.  His view on Soyinka was well appreciated for that was the first time the  Nobel laureate was setting his feet on the soil of the Mamman Vasta’s writers village.  The glow on Soyinka’s face, nay, the faces of most guests in the hall was indescribable.  Soyinka glowed, the hall joined in the accolades poured on him by the guest lecturer in the person of Udenta.

    Indeed, Udenta who divided the lecture into four parts decided to abridge it to save time.  Nonetheless, he stated that Nigeria can only be better when writers write and leaders take into consideration those aspects of literary matters that would help to mould a society where freedom and rule of law prevail.  “He said “Nigerian writers are an integral part of its intellectual community, its thought leadership whose contributions to society are expressed in two critical directions.  These are artistic consciousness and the creative process that is realized either as an aesthetic text or dramatic or poetic performance and various layers of extra literary engagements that establish the purposes of social agency…”

    Writers have therefore the urgent need to understand what history has entrusted them with to be able to look at the society in order to write to keep it continually afloat.  The sanity of a society in terms of literary awareness that creates progress largely depends on the depth of writings offered by authors.  In that case, intellectuals have to work in synergy with the rest of the elite to reach a point where education becomes the beacon.

    Away from Udenta’s profound recourse into the theme of the convention, those who discussed the topic viz: Tunde Olusunle, Ifeoma Chinwuba and Owei Lakemfa agreed that writers owe the people a huge responsibility by writing with depth and profundity.  Even when they write without fear, hitting the nail on the head, there is the urgent need also to discover those salient elements that have to assist in ensuring that the people are carried along.  However, Chinwuba, an award winning author and a diplomat digressed a bit from the theme and the issues discussed in it.

    She reasoned that the whole bulk of the problem can be found in the fact that most leaders do not read or care to understudy works of writers.  Works that make for progress.  As a diplomat, her views permeated souls because she spoke as an insider.  But Olusunle, a journalist, academic, poet and politician insisted that writers in Nigeria are well equipped to discharge their roles.  Intellectually, Nigerian writers are well guided.  It is only what can help to checkmate both systems – academics, leadership and so on that can help to stabilize the society.  Each person or group of persons, leaders, writers have to come together to make the society ideal for all.

    As for Lakemfa, seasoned labour leader, columnist and journalist, writing is meant to underscore equilibrium.  Both the privileged and the less privileged have to be taken along when a writing is done.  But above all, leaders have a duty to the people to read.  And when they read, and want to act, the issue of the welfare of the people must be paramount.  It is the whole gamut of the people that constitute a society.  That is why leaders have to always come to that realization so that more progress have to be made along with the wellbeing of all, writers inclusive.

    With the urgencies of a nation-state attached to the theme, it becomes a matter of national call for writers to devise more plausible approach to topics that redefine the very nerves of the Nigerian state.  Write to correct; to inform.  Write to point out ills, without recourse to parochialism or undue sentiments.

    As part of the highlights of the convention, an art exhibition was mounted to showcase the rich artistic prowess of Nigerian visual artists.  The works were elaborate, dwelling on some contemporary and not too contemporary issues.  The images and figures and landscapes quickly defined the Nigerian society where artistic expressions in different styles, colours, abound.  The deep and bright colours gave impressionistic outlook to the works.  And so while touring the exhibition, Soyinka nodded his head to welcome the tapestry of Nigerian fine artists.  The artists came from different backgrounds and so the works looked more of a collective representation of a society peopled by all sorts.

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    Also the leadership of ANA keeps expanding the frontiers of the premises.  More new buildings spring up with endless abandon.  As Soyinka went round to declare some new ones open, his impression about ANA is that the body has not let the founding fathers down.  There is every need to commend the Dipo Akanbi – led leadership that has consistently leveraged on every available resources to maintain the tempo of development in the premises.  As Soyinka smiled and displayed his appreciation, the crowd cheered and surged on.

    The 44th edition of the convention was loaded with meaningful programmes.  The stage play on Mamman Vatsa was full of emotions.  Written by Denja Abdullahi, a former president of the association, it drew tears to the eyes of the audience as actors went through stages of the life of this patriot that gave his life for his people.  The playwright went deep to unearth those inner issues about Vatsa that the public was not aware of.  In the end, the play became both witty, sorrowful, tragic and informative.  Some laughed; some cried, yet some cheered and commended the heroic and courageous  mien of a poet soldier who gave this land to ANA in 1986.

    History can never therefore forget his gesture and the nature of his large heart that has today become a huge testimony for writers, for humanity and for the posterity that is endless and irrevocable.

    As for Dipo Akanbi, ANA president who won election for second tenure, ANA has come to stay.  It is an association built on people’s mandate where writers hold the ace.  It is where writers have come to determine their own fate.  “The level of progress in this premises shows how determined we are to keep moving on”, he said.  While welcoming writers, he beseeched them to feel at home and enjoy the beautiful and natural ambiance of the village and to see one another as one in love and tranquility.

    Chairman of the occasion, Senator Shehu Sani was excited to be around for the convention. He said Nigerian writers have a lot to offer humanity. He believes that as time goes on, new developments would occur to help the writers clan to grow.  Sani who is always at home with Nigerian authors is also a seasoned writer.  He has authored so many books across all genres of literature, including politics and other areas of academic writing.

  • Gbolahan’s visual narratives across cultures

    Gbolahan’s visual narratives across cultures

    Like most Nigerian visual artists, Olanipekun Gbolahan has the power to tell his images through storytelling, an emphasis on African heritage and reflection. No wonder so many of his works explore light, texture, the intricate nature of life, emotions, desire, atmosphere, bright colors and movement, all tied together by story to encourage understanding and reflection.

    Gbolahan continues to redefine his artistic vision, offering fine art prints, custom commissions, and creative collaborations that highlight culture, vulnerability, and self-expression. The UK-based visual artist pushes boundaries, showing work that excites and inspires people of all colors and races who enjoy art.

    With over five years of experience, Gbolahan skilfully weaves organic materials, human emotion and natural elements into rich visual narratives. His current pieces evoke emotion and reflection, using storytelling as a bridge between identity, vulnerability, and cultural memory. Artworks like these: Echoes of the Drum, Heritage Unveiled, Midnight Muse, The Optimist and Fierce Woman form the core of Gbolahan Olanipekun’s recent solo exhibition titled Beyond the Canvas. 

    Following the footsteps of Nigeria’s great master artist, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Gbolahan is very passionate about crafting captivating visual narratives that resonate across cultures, and eager to contribute creativity, technical expertise and strategic content management to dynamic teams, studios and brands.

    While Onobrakpeya appropriates Urhobo language elements into his chains of motifs, Gbolahan combines cross-cultural motifs in presenting visual stories backed by colour theory and digital imaging. 

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    In Echoes of the Drum, the artist celebrates the socio-cultural significance of the drum in African society, highlighting the drum as more than an instrument, but a voice, a heartbeat, and a messenger of history and tradition. And in African culture, the drum beats evoking the wisdom of ancestors link the past to the present. It speaks in languages other than English, of joy, of anger, of struggle, of unity, of celebration. He colors the drummer’s movement, energy and action. Every hit of the drumhead sends ripples across time, bringing communities together, guiding the dancers through sacred rituals, identifying transitional moments, and sparking the soul of an event.

    He captures the movement, energy and action of the drummer in a subtle colour. Every strike on the drumhead sends ripples through time, calling communities together, guiding dancers in sacred rituals, marking moments of transition, and igniting the soul of a gathering. To hear the drum is to feel its pulse, to be drawn into its rhythm, and to become part of something greater than oneself.

    In like manner, Gbolahan offers Heritage Unveiled, a visual art piece that captures the essence of cultural identity and pride through the portrayal of a woman adorned with traditional tribal marks on her face, which are deeply rooted in her tribal lineage. Heritage Unveiled, in addition to a celebration of heritage, summarises the beauty and meaning of ancestral customs and traditions, not simply cosmetic, but spiritual, that tell stories about her ancestry, community, and life.

    In The Optimist, the artist reflects on the power of faith as presented in the Holy Bible when Jesus urges Peter to cast his net after a miserable night of fishing, with nothing to show for it. “Take your net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some,” Jesus said in John 21:6. This is the image that the painting, The Optimist, represents to me. This image, an isolated paddle fisherman standing in the distance, honors life and the natural world. There are layers of meaning embedded within this work, and they invoke solitude, reflection, and hope. The interplay of isolation and optimism indicates the artist’s belief in the strength of the human spirit. It is an important reminder that creation is beautiful and that there is a potential for growth in the face of challenging circumstances.

  • At Irie Vibes, reggae meets cervical cancer screening

    At Irie Vibes, reggae meets cervical cancer screening

    The rhythm of reggae meets the heartbeat of purpose as Irie Vibes 2025 returns for its 8th edition to Freedom Park, Lagos Island, on Thursday, November 20th at 7pm, as part of the Lagos Fringe Festival.

    With the theme “Saving Lives, One Woman at a Time,” this edition of ‘Irie Vibes’ expands its mission of merging art and advocacy by offering free cervical cancer screenings to women during the event.

    An initiative of Shimmers Services and 09.16 Enterprise, Irie Vibes is a preventive health and cultural movement that uses reggae, art, and community spirit to raise awareness on women’s health, empowerment, and early cancer prevention.

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    Audiences will experience an unforgettable night of live reggae and Afro-fusion performances, live art, dance, and inspiring moments that celebrate resilience and healing through creativity.

    “Irie Vibes is more than a concert — it’s a rhythm with a mission. We’re creating a joyful space where music heals, educates, and saves lives, the festival coordinator Lucia Ikediashi said.

    The event is supported by Lagos Fringe, Freedom Park Lagos, Kiki Nuggets, Iffizi, Nebula, Lasena, Agbenoir Resorts, Sportdotcom, Kiss of Death, The Smileys Place, Penrated Arts, Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Root Entertainment Africa, Motherland TV, Grand Express Tours, and The Fika Experience.

  • Museum that raises dust in kingdom

    Museum that raises dust in kingdom

    What was meant to be a landmark cultural renaissance in Benin City has instead ignited one of Edo State’s fiercest debates. The Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA), built on the former Edo General Hospital site, promised to showcase heritage and scholarship. Yet disputes over its ownership, naming, and purpose—particularly between the state government and the Benin Palace—have turned a celebrated legacy project into a contest of history, power and identity, reports OSAGIE OTABOR

    The Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA), sited on the grounds of the former Edo General Hospital in the heart of Benin City, is one of the most contentious legacy projects of former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki. Conceived as a cultural and research hub, the project was designed to house the MOWAA Institute, Museum building, Rainforest Gallery, Art Guesthouse and Artisans’ Hall. While the entire complex is slated for completion in 2028, the MOWAA Institute and Museum building have already been completed and are set for public viewing. The initiative is projected to cost about $100 million, though reports indicate that only $20 million has so far been released.

    However, the project has been dogged by disputes, particularly over ownership and origin. The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Oba Ewuare II, contends that the idea was originally conceived as the Benin Royal Museum, an effort rooted in the longstanding struggle for the return of looted Benin artefacts taken during the 1897 British invasion. According to the monarch, he personally sought Obaseki’s support in 2017 to advance the dream of restoring the prized objects to the palace.

    He recalled that although the governor initially agreed to collaborate, events soon took a different turn. Oba Ewuare II said Obaseki later informed him that international donors and the Benin Dialogue Group were instead aligning with his administration to establish a different museum framework. The Oba alleged that, during the COVID-19 period, he discovered plans to divert funds and control over the artefacts away from the palace. He also criticised the establishment of the Legacy Restoration Trust and the involvement of foreign partners, particularly from Germany, whom he said acted without proper regard for Benin traditions or royal authority.

    It was gathered that the Benin Monarch eventually withdrew his support for the museum initiative after reportedly sensing a lack of transparency in the activities of the Legacy Restoration Trust. Despite this, former Governor Obaseki pressed ahead with the plan, demolishing the Edo General Hospital to pave the way for what was initially named the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA). The subsequent removal of the letter “E,” thus renaming it MOWAA, deepened public suspicion that the project was gradually shifting from a state-backed cultural institution to a potentially private-oriented enterprise.

    Funding for MOWAA, checks revealed, has come from a broad network of both domestic and international partners. These include the Edo State Government, the Nigerian and German governments, the Gerda Henkel Foundation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Open Society Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Mellon Foundation, which specifically provided a $3 million grant targeted at training and professional development.

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    In October, Governor Monday Okpebholo directed the Edo State House of Assembly to investigate both the MOWAA project and the Radisson Hotel involvement. The Assembly was mandated to determine the state’s equity in MOWAA, especially given the government’s financial commitment of N3.3 billion. Alongside the probe, Governor Okpebholo has reclaimed portions of the land earlier allocated to the museum.

    Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, explained that the government had to prioritise healthcare delivery over cultural infrastructure. He added that, were it not for the state’s investment exceeding N3 billion, the entire MOWAA structure would have been removed to restore the hospital. He stated that the change from EMOWAA to MOWAA first triggered doubts, especially as the reason provided—that “Edo” was not marketable—was deemed disrespectful to the history and cultural authority of the Benin Kingdom. The government, he said, ultimately adopted a “middle-ground solution,” curtailing the museum’s expansion and reclaiming part of the land, while planning to rebuild the demolished hospital.

    The crisis has also sparked public unrest. Various Benin socio-cultural organisations—women, youths, chiefs and guilds—protested at the Edo Government House and the palace, insisting that funds meant for the Benin Royal Museum were being misapplied. Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Osazee Amas Edobor and Osaro Culture Iyamu demanded that the museum’s inauguration be halted pending the Assembly’s probe, arguing that the dignity of the Oba and the heritage of the Benin people must be safeguarded.

    Yet, not everyone views MOWAA through the lens of controversy. Independent artist and cultural heritage advocate, Enotie Ogbebor, argued that the museum should be celebrated rather than vilified. He said Governor Okpebholo’s committee would do better to shift from questioning ownership to promoting what he described as an “extraordinary asset” for Edo and West Africa. Similarly, the spokesman for the Edo PDP, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, criticized what he called the state’s sudden slide into “regression.” He argued that those calling for the demolition of MOWAA so that the old general hospital could be rebuilt were “misguided,” noting that the Obaseki administration had already relocated and expanded the health hub to the Stella Obasanjo axis, where the new central hospital complex is planned. To insist on bringing back the hospital to its former site, he said, was to place “vengeance above vision.”

    “If Governor Okpebholo and his party feel uneasy about MOWAA’s governance, there is a civilised remedy,” he said. “They can constitute an independent panel of experts—heritage scholars, accountants, lawyers, architects, representatives of the palace, civil society and the media—to conduct a transparent audit of the project. Let facts, not falsehood, speak. What is indefensible is the bitter clamour to tear down a structure that elevates Edo’s prestige and Nigeria’s cultural standing.”

    A source within MOWAA, who requested anonymity, also rejected claims that any individual or group was positioned to profit financially from the project. He said all contributors—government and private foundations alike—made donations, and that MOWAA was registered as a not-for-profit entity without shareholding structure. “MOWAA has a board with seats representing different interests. The Edo State Government has a seat. The Benin Traditional Council had a seat, previously occupied by the Crown Prince, until issues arose and it was agreed amicably that he stepped down,” he explained. “There are no dividends. MOWAA exists for public benefit.” He described the allocation of land and seed funding as standard practice for cultural and developmental investments. Preparations for the public opening on November 11, he noted, were already underway, with heads of global museums, ambassadors, and cultural leaders expected.

    Responding to criticisms over the omission of “Edo” from the name, he said the change was intentional to reflect the institution’s wider regional scope. “We are a West African institution domiciled in Edo—not a museum solely for Edo art,” he said. “The location remains Benin City, but the vision is continental.”

    However, Oba Ewuare II has maintained that MOWAA must be recognised in its original conception as the Benin Royal Museum, a vision he said was clearly articulated to—and supported by—foreign partners in anticipation of the eventual return of Benin artefacts looted during the 1897 British invasion. The monarch has therefore called on Governor Okpebholo and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to investigate the circumstances that led to the rebranding of the project and to restore its original purpose and identity.

    The Oba’s request has since received the backing of Governor Okpebholo, who publicly affirmed his willingness to align with the palace. Declaring the controversy settled, the governor described the project as a symbolic offering to the throne. “The issue of the Museum of West African Art is over,” he said. “It was a birthday gift to Your Majesty and it will be restored as such. I am glad that the Attorney-General, our political leaders and other stakeholders are here to witness this. I will take this video to President Tinubu, who has immense respect for culture and is a personal friend of the Palace. I am confident that Mr President will not support any act that undermines the dignity of the Benin Kingdom.”

    The governor’s statement, viewed by many as a decisive turn, signals a likely restructuring of the museum’s governance and identity in alignment with the historical custodianship of the Benin Palace. It also raises expectations that the federal government may soon play a more direct role in resolving the dispute, especially as Nigeria continues to negotiate the restitution of its stolen cultural treasures. With the palace, state government and local cultural stakeholders now seemingly moving toward alignment, the future of MOWAA—whether as a continental arts hub or a restored Benin Royal Museum—may ultimately hinge on how both symbolism and governance are balanced in the coming months.