Category: Arts & Life

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Pantami has hailed Hashim Suleiman, the author of “Big Opinion”, a new book on contemporary issues in Nigeria.

Pantami was represented at the unveiling in Abuja by Dr. Idris Yelwa, a Director at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The Minister pointed out that books play a key role in fostering leadership, development, creativity and innovation.

He said: “The process of writing books involves research, critical thinking and experimentation which help to build the capacity of the author’s creativity, among others.

“It is often said that experience is the best teacher. Through books we can gain insights into the experience of the authors and those that they have written about.”

Pantanmi described Suleiman as a gifted intellectual, with an undying passion for research and opinion writing.

The Reviewer and Publisher of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, Yushau Shuaib applauded the author’s ability to fairly analyse issues, while profferring solutions to the country’s woes.

“Suleiman is a fearless public commentator, whose analyses on trending national issues are top notch,” he noted.

“The 99 articles in the book cover politics at state, national and global levels. Some arguments are straightforward, others are controversial and contentious.

“The author also succeeded in defending some individuals and groups against attacks by critics as he captures intrigues and controversies surrounding the issues at stake.”

Shuaib recommended the book to students, political scientists and researchers, to broaden their horizons on topical socio-political and economic issues affecting Nigeria.

Suleiman, a believer in the freedom of expression, paid tribute to his parents for their guidance.

The launch, which coincided with his 40th birthday anniversary, was attended by his parents, friends, business leaders, and politicians.

O’DA Art Gallery yesterday opened its doors to the public for an exhibition by two celebrated Nigerian artists.

Tagged: “The Ascendancy of Machine”, the exhibition brings together the works of Olu Amoda and Kelani Abass; and runs from October 29th to November 19th, 2022.

In today’s digital era, the world has evolved in its modes of creation, its dissemination of information and social engagement.

Both artists take art lovers and collectors on a journey into the influence of modern technology that has paved the way for multi-functional practices that ultimately make life easier for the masses.

Through “The Ascendancy of Machine”both artists are calling for a shift in ideals, focusing primarily on encouraging a more progressive and forward-thinking environment.

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Working as a sculptor, muralist, furniture designer, and multimedia artist, Amoda, who currently lives and works in the United States, is best known for using repurposed materials found from the detritus of consumer culture. In this exhibition, his works often incorporate rusty nails, metal plates, bolts, pipes, and rods, that are welded together to create figures, animals, flora and ambiguous forms. His seminal body of work, Sunflower, explores the connection between mass industry and the organic, winning top prize at the DAK’ART Biennale in Dakar, Senegal in 2014.
In his usual tradition, his installations, in this exhibition, feature diverse sculptures his ram series and other works made from

Abass uses mixed media in this exhibition to highlight his thematic preoccupation, “Man and Machine”.

“I’m calling on our leaders and the society at large to brace up to global technological advancement but they should also invest in manpower or should I say labour force as well. They need to be prepared for the technological advancement that is taking place across all fields,” Abass said.

He has won several awards including the Caterina De Medici/3rd Black Heritage 1st Prize in painting in 2010. Abaa has taken part in numerous artist residencies and is attending a residency programme at the Headlands Center for the Arts in San-Francisco in October-November 2018.

“The exhibition is an art conversation of sorts between the two awardwinning artists. The artists and their works are phenomenal. O’DA is proud to be holding the art show and excited to be working with the two artists,” according to the exhibition’s curator, Sunshine Alaibe.

Established in 2020, O’DA Art Gallery has a dual focus on championing mid-career and established contemporary artists from Africa and its diaspora. For it’s founder/Director, Obida Obioha, the unifying thread interweaving the works of the two artists is the desire to spread beauty while calling attention to the “importance of Man and machine”.

Obida, who trained at Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, seem to have a sharp eye for art that works by fusing African Aesthetics with a Contemporary nod. He says: “Bridging the gap between local and international audiences, our gallery is committed to showcasing artists like Amoda and Abass, who explore a wide range of themes such as, identity, technology, political commentary, social consciousness and environmental change. , exhibitions, installations and performances.”

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In this encounter with Edozie Udeze, Dr. Usman Oladipo Mustapha, author, academic, a former chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Kwara State chapter talks on reason why he established a writers residency in Ilorin. Mustapha, son of the late Justice Mustapha Akanbi is a lecturer at the University of Ilorin and author of a few titles.

In a country where Writers residency is still at its sinister level, what gave you the courage and drive to start your own?

I was driven to start Imodoye Residency by my passion for the Arts. It is a vehicle for me to share my love for writing, develop other writers, and contribute my own bit to humanity. The residency is a passion project, and this passion is the driving force, which made it possible for me to surmount the obstacles and challenges I encountered while trying to establish it.

I was indeed lucky to have two gentlemen to assist with the takeoff of Imodoye Writers Enclave. The duo of Mr. Adamu Danjuma and El Nasir Al Amin, who headed the Writers Enclave in quick succession, really did a wonderful job in bringing the organization to the enviable status it currently occupies.

May I also acknowledge the President of ANA, Mr. Camillus Ukah who had afforded us tremendous support in this regard too; he even temporarily availed us of the services of the National Publicity Secretary of ANA, Mr. Umar Yogiza who served as the first Residency Manager. Yogiza made the task easier for us to accomplish, particularly, the way he helped in ensuring that the first set of residents were of a first-class quality; I was indeed highly delighted in the quality of these residents.

 What has literature and authorship done in your life that made you to invest into the project of helping others?

 Literature has greatly enriched my life. It has given me pleasure, education, inspiration, and insight, which has made my life more meaningful and purposeful. It is my wish to share with others my enjoyment of literature and the benefits I have derived from it.

As an academic and son of an astute and respected jurist how have both shaped your literary life?

Being the son of a jurist gave me early exposure to books and helped me develop a love of learning. I would say that my writings and academic odyssey have been a natural outcome of my passionate love of learning.

Prof. OlubunmiAbayomiOmotesho was instrumental to my entry into the academic world and this has no doubt positively impacted  in my creative writing career, one way or the other. The influences of my primary field of endeavour, agricultural science, is quite evident in some of my notable creative works.

Ilorin seems far removed from the hub for a writers residency. Any comments?

On the contrary, Ilorin is quite ideal for a residency due to its Serene and peaceful milieu It supports critical thinking exercises, and course of creative writing.

 In addition, Ilorin is culturally rich and also home to several higher institutions. As a consequence, it provides a stimulating environment for creative writing as well as great opportunities for intellectual exchange and engagement.

Kwara ANA seems strong and frontally courageous in most difficult situations to accommodate and host the national body, why so?

Our current Chairman, in Kwara ANA, Mr. Opeyemi Babayemi and his team, often work in concert with previous chairmen of the chapters, and of course, our own distinguished Prof. Olu Obafemi, to get the chapter going. It is this unique spirit of oneness that has over the years prevailed within the chapter that probably stands it out.

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During the crisis that rocked ANA, Kwara chapter had worked strenuously with the other chapters to bring about normality to the association at the national level, and this spirited effort had earned for the chapter the appellation: Restoration chapter. Incidentally, during the crisis occasioned with the execution of a former President of ANA, Mr. Ken SaroWiwa by the military junta headed by Gen. Sanni Abacha, it was same Kwara chapter that came to the rescue of ANA by offering to host the convention for that year.

Remarkably, the Annual Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness campaign, combined with the support received from the Mustapha Akanbi Foundation, also work to make Ilorin a favorite destination for the Nigerian Writers body.

 Insinuations are rife that you want to contest for presidency of ANA next year. What in your view qualifies you for such a leap?

I think my passion for writing (being one enthusiastic writer and an avid reader) clearly stands me out in this respect; this I think is primary, as no great task is ever achieved without enthusiasm.

Beyond that, the journey of my life has seemingly given me a rich variety of experiences that I can bring to bear positively on the role. These experiences have helped me develop strong skills in leadership, consensus building, conflict resolution, administration, and resource management.

I believe that my passion for writing and and the wealth of my experience give me the capacity to provide visionary leadership that will take ANA to even higher heights.

 How do you nurture younger writers, authors and so on in Kwara State?

I joined ANA through its Niger state chapter in 1998 and since then, I had passed through the Lagos chapter of ANA (2002) before joining the Kwara chapter of ANA in 2005 and by 2010, I had become the Chairman of the ANA Kwara chapter.

Since joining ANA, I have been quite privileged to have formally and informally helped nuture writers and authors.

With the establishment of Imodoye Writers Enclave, I successfully moved the frontiers of my commitment to creative enterprise much more forward.

At the Enclave we do organize a monthly Writers hangout, which serves as a forum for writers to meet, share ideas, and learn more about their craft. The residency is also another vehicle which was initiated to groom and encourage talent.

 Informally, in my day-to-day interactions with writers, I provide moral encouragement, intellectual stimulation, and I also share my knowledge of writing.

The creative industry has evolved in different ways and the practitioners believe that this is just the beginning of so many things to come.

For Bose Abisagboola, Event planning,  Appoemn PR director and Chairperson TEIC.50, the innovations in the Digital space has helped to improve the quality and efficiency in the sector.

According to Abisagboola who is the creative director of 2AA Events Limited known for decoration and planning, there are many opportunities and it is important to ensure standards and competencies.

“As a professional event manager what we do is to ensure that people across the globe can access event services from here. So, if you want to have a destination event, you can come to us and we would do that for you. Making it accessible for clients not only in Nigeria but worldwide as a brand. Also to learn and to equip our team to leverage on the opportunities”.

Happily, she takes you into her world and experience in the sector in the past two decades.

“I trained for this, studied business administration and I worked for a few years. I have always known that I am an entrepreneur.  I love creativity,  great ambience , beautiful places and all that. I like to put things in perspective and I have a good eye for details.  Hence, I went for training in this. I also had my Management course at the events school in London.  I have also done other Management courses thay has helped to enhance the  brand and give me the desired outlook.”

She goes on to talk about innovations and the many opportunities in the Digital space.  “Tech has become crucial in terms of what is happening in the business scene. Being the pioneer Association industry where professionals can have a hub for information,  horn their skills and know how to operate officially is important”.

Hence, the annual conference where they come together to equip themselves with knowledge, collaborate and discover new opportunities. 

“This year we engaged with Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR) because our sector is critical and we want to be responsible. That was our give away and it was open to Members and non members. We had over 50 beneficiaries physically,  320 on our platforms and so many others online. They all had access to the trainings and our hope is that they would use it for their business”.

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Abisagboola believes that this would  definitely open new frontiers of opportunities and change in mindset. “We all know that your Business can go global through online business portals using digital technology. Definitely,  we would make more money. People would have more products that are improved, their business would be more accessible to more clients across the world. “

This year the Organisations level of training has been higher than it has ever been. “Normally, event planners are very busy people but we have been able to run trainings every month. Before COVID many of us struggled with time but this is no longer a problem.

We have our trainings and everyone is able to partake”. This year Bose and the team has had 8 trainings already, which is a feat for them. “Part of the training we have had is how to utilize your social media space to ensure that all the social media handles are working for you. Gone are the days when you have to do so many things in your own. This makes you a jack of all trade, master of none”.

The process she stressed is quite dynamic now and a number of the Entrepreneurs in the sector have become more versatile and creative.

“Now, you can do so many things from the comfort of your office or home and your productivity is higher and better.

She goes down memory lane talking about  the things that have been done and the new opportunities that would be created:  “TIC is the events Industry Conference. In 2017, APPOEMN decided that we would hold a conference for all events practitioners who are our members, so that we all come together and talk about what is happening in the industry”.

So the big question here is how can we move the industry forward, make things better and train ourselves.

“The first day is usually a Master class, where we had facilitators come and talk to us about different things. The second day is the CSR and it is free with the theme globalization. So, we decided to bring

in Google to come and give us Apps that would work and help us work globally”.

Everything, she reiterated is now global since the advent of COVID. “We also have the safety commission. In every other country safety is a paramount thing in events. You need to know what to do and what not to do and be sure that everybody is safe. We also have a legal clinic. If you are going to work globally you must be aware of the laws and rules that guides us”.

Faith Abiodun Uwaifo writes on the exhibition of 15 outstanding Nigerian artists, who came under the umbrella of TOAH to sensitize the public on mental health issues. The exhibition took place at Alliance Francaise, Lagos.

Nearly a fortnight after the World Health Organisation celebrated World Mental Health Day, 15 Nigerian artists under a not-for-profit umbrella of The Art of Healing (TOAH) have decided to team up to support this cause.

According to the organisers, TOAH is derived from the Yoruba word ‘Ona Iwosan’. It is a charity project that aims to reach people with mental health disorders across Africa through art as a form of therapy.  The exhibition will be held October 22 – 25, 2022.

With regards to Africa, the World Health Organisation on the 10th of October 2022 announced that more than 116 million people were estimated to be living with mental health conditions across Africa even before the Covid -19 pandemic. The pandemic had however contributed to an estimated 25% global rise in depression and anxiety hence, the exhibition according to the TOAH founder Ms. NengiOmuku was to create awareness about unnecessary stigmatization of people living with mental health conditions.

She said: “Mental health patients need all the help they can from the government and all sectors of society, and we’re pleased to step in through the arts. “We help people in challenging circumstances by painting hospital rooms with art created by leading contemporary artists to provide wholesomeness and hope and generally improve their experience as patients.

One of the artists, KwadwoAsiedu, a Ghanaian who had lived in Nigeria for 29 years alluded to the fact that these individuals in question are no different from everyone. According to him, this opportunity will serve as a way to further probe the importance of the arts to mental health. He said: ‘I feel like this is a great opportunity to assess how we can further explore how art can be very good for patients. For me, these experiences are highly enlightening. I find it quite interesting that they (patients) are no different from us. They have hopes and dreams and aspirations. So this is a great opportunity to further delve into how we can see and document over an extended period how art can work as a form of therapy within these institutions.

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TAOH took on its first project at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where she is working to transform the interiors of the Psychiatric ward into one that would become the benchmark for other healthcare environments across the African continent. She has installed four murals in the ward and engaged service users and staff in a series of therapeutic art workshops.

Ms. Omuku said, “The art workshops at LUTH demonstrated the positive impact of artistic and creative expression on mental health. This programme of work will go on to inform the murals that are created and ensure the new environments have a relationship with the people who encounter them. We are targeting the minds of mental health patients through what they see by creating an environment that helps them heal. We thank our partners and artists for their support and invite art enthusiasts and members of the public to be part of a worthy cause.”

The exhibition, with the theme We See; We Dream; We Hope will serve as a fundraiser to enable the project completion at the LUTH and continue refurbishing the interiors of mental health institutions in Africa. It will feature the works of AkanimohUmoh, Deborah Segun, EdozieAnedu, Gerald Chukwuma, KelaniAbass, KwadwoAsiedu, NengiOmuku, Niyi Okeowo, NzubechukwuOzoemena, OlayemiFagbohungbe, OlumideOnadipe, Richardson Ovbiebo, RoannaTella, TegaAkpokona, and YadichinmaUkoha-Kalu, and will be curated by Tony Agbapuonwu.

The exhibition is in partnership with Alliance Française de Lagos, a not-for-profit it organization that has been active in Nigeria since 1959, promoting Francophone and national cultures.

Review by Yetunde Oladeinde

As soon as you get a copy of the book, you are attracted by the bold book Cover in  white and black.  The image with a big oppressive fist and a woman’s lying and cowering in  fear sets the tone and mood for what to expect.

In addition,  the aesthetics and layout of the book also makes it interesting and easy to read.

Like a storyteller, the author takes you on a journey,  paints a vivid picture of her experiences as a Survivor of Domestic Violence in simple ways using terminologies that the reader relates with comparing notes with similar stories or experiences.

 Apart from describing her journey,  she also talked about survival strategies in Relation to Laws on Protection in Nigeria.

It is no doubt,  a moving story that relates to the experiences of most women in different cities and communities. 

The language is very easy to read and the different issues around violence are captured looking at surface and deep  reasons why the trend is on the increase. 

The style also depict the different stages of pain as well as rising to conquer her world and motivating others, still battling to survive.

The reader is carried along and definitely wants to read the book from the beginning to the end with rapt attention.

Content

The book has ten chapters which cover the field of domestic violence, identifies some terminologies , definitions , the  experience, deciding to take action, as well as  all the possible effects of violence. It is not theoretical and is accompanied by case studies , empirical evidence, including stories of experiences suffered by the writer, Mrs Louisa Eikhomun- Agbonkhese.

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It can be linked to  the story of the average woman, in the nooks and crannies.  Women struggling to survive  abuse as well as being determined to forge ahead in spite of all the odds they are confronted with in the home, which sadly  has become a war zone instead of a comfort zone.

The author’s book exposes the elephant in the room in practically every society globally. Hidden in plain sight, domestic violence is a global scourge, suffered by so many people all over the world. It is also known as domestic abuse or intimate partner violence, and while the majority of victims are women and girls, it is suffered by all sexes and at all ages.

The crux of the matter is that VAW  is a major focus of the United Nations and underpins Sustainable Development Goal 5, which is on Gender Equality.

Often victims suffer in silence, usually feeling that they are to blame, and where people in their communities are made aware of the abuse suffered, it is often treated as a private family matter, because the abuser is usually a family member. Louisa’s abuser was her husband. She was an abused woman who was courageous enough to escape the tyranny of intimate partner violence. She has also come out boldly to share her experiences and to call out the elephant, and so help people realise that they do not have to live in fear and bondage, with the risk of dying prematurely at the hands of their abuser.

It is not a legal book in any way although it contains primary laws dealing with domestic violence in Nigeria and Edo state as its last two chapters. In reality, it is a practical treatise on domestic violence generally, and domestic violence within Nigeria from her personal experience as a survivor of domestic violence.

A critical look therefore shows that the publication can be regarded as a handbook for persons suffering from this awful scourge  and  useful to those who are contemplating what steps to take to cope with their present situations. It is frankly, explicitly, and experientially written. It tells of the authors experiences at the hands of an abuser that she was married to, and the effects on the children of that relationship. It also frankly delves into societal attitudes towards domestic violence, and how they support or inhibit survivors who have taken the brave step of separating from their abusers. 

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) will come alive today with an exhibition by a group of student-artists from Germany and the university. 

Tagged Planetary Thinking, the event will open by 11 am at the Lagoon Gallery, Department of Creative Arts, UNILAG.

The exhibition is part of a two-week workshop featuring six students from Germany and six others from UNILAG.

 The workshop anchored by the Goethe Institute and the HFBK University of Fine Arts, Hamburg in collaboration with the University of Lagos is aimed at deepening collaboration and promoting inter-cultural exchange through the arts.

The group, which arrived Lagos on Wednesday, has been in the workshop since.

They were received at the Department of Creative Arts, UNILAG the day after they arrived at a brief welcome ceremony.

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At the ceremony, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa praised the initiative as an exceptional project aimed at promoting international understanding especially as UNILAG and Goethe Institute were both celebrating 60 years of existence. While describing the partnership as an important platform for bringing students together to discuss, share ideas of common interest in the Arts, particularly in the area of inventiveness, problem-solving, and big-idea thinking.

The Director of Goethe Institute, Dr. Nadine Siegert, thanked the University of Lagos for its role in actualising the collaboration. 

She arguef that being a truly first-class university with a track record of seeing to the existence of both interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research, this latest feat affirmed UNILAG as an integral player in the development of a strong creative workforce.

The Head of the Creative Arts Department, Prof. Osita Ezenwanebe described the exchange programme as innovative. According to her, UNILAG is positioned to strategically influence academic, professional, and societal needs that are crucial in the ever-changing globalized world.

The Head of Academic Affairs, University of Fine Arts, Hamburg, Eike Pockrandt HFBK expressed the group’s excitement to be in Nigeria. He disclosed that the University of Fine Arts Hamburg is a competitive arts academy accepting only a small number of applicants every year. With just a few hundred students, he revealed that the HFBK promotes experimentation and encourages students to find innovative solutions to issues in the arts since its inception in 1767.

While appreciating the leadership of UNILAG, Prof. Adepeju Layiwola, through whom the collaboration was facilitated, hinted that the successful collaboration between the institutions will involve the students learning several key skills in the arts content.

The Art historian posited that the 6 (six) students and their Nigerian counterparts will be taken on a tour of some facilities across UNILAG as well as destinations around Lagos for a wholesome learning experience while developing skills for effective group learning.    

So far, the group has visited the UNILAG Lagoon front, Zoological and Botanical gardens as well as the Academic Publishing Center. On Friday, October 21, 2022, the group was at the MasterArtClasses Studio of Professor Adepeju Layiwola in Surulere, Lagos where she taught and demonstrated several Adire methods.

Before the end of the Workshop on Sunday, October 30, 2022, the group is expected to visit the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS), UNILAG; University Main Library; National Conservation Foundation, Lekki; Oko-Baba Logging Community and Lagos Fashion Week/ Poetry Festival.