The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • Fresh push for Nigerian art, artists

    Fresh push for Nigerian art, artists

    Art scholars and stakeholders converged on Lagos to address the many fundamental issues plaguing artists and the practice of their profession, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports. 

    How do studio masters who live solely on art practice conduct their business? What is the implication of this for curatorial capacity building? How can such ways be integrated into our training programmes for artists in training? Are these masters actually in-charge of the business in Nigeria? Does it not appear as if the field is controlled by some money bags, who dictate to supposed professionals?”

    These and many more posers were among issues addressed by different speakers at this year’s international conference on the theme: State of visual arts scholarship in the country in Nigeria in the era of globalism held in Lagos.

    For four days, arts scholars drawn from many arts schools across the nation converged simultaneously on two venues in Lagos (Yaba College of Technology and University of Lagos) to discuss salient issues such as quality assurance via quality human capital, curricular review and continuous updating of infrastructures. The conference provided opportunity for participants to interrogate and critically review the recent policy shifts in the education sector, especially as it affects quality of training of artists.

    The opening ceremony was held at the Nigerian Institute for International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos. It was organised by The Society of Non-Fiction Authors of Nigeria (SONFAN) in collaboration with stakeholders in the arts. It opened with a keynote lecture titled: Research and the academic visibility of artists in the ivory tower in Nigeria by Prof Osa Egonwa of Delta State University, Abraka.

    Paper presenters spoke on issues ranging from why artists have lost grip of the art market to dictatorial collectors, to dearth of authoritative art publications, how to ensure quality in the graduate programmes in the art schools and state of research in visual art practice.

    In his keynote, Prof Egonwa said quality assurance checkmates impurities, which pollute and eventually mortify. He urged participants to embrace practices that promote quality, saying that quality assurance, impactful presence and professional engagement of the visual arts for dominion as leaders in the field are key factors.

    He also called for the need for establishing a standing leadership forum for leaders in the visual arts, (art and design) in tertiary institutions. “Quality engagement in visual arts studies is the key to the academic and administrative visibility of colleagues in the Ivory Tower. There is the globally referenced College Art Association of America (CAA). Perhaps a Nigerian version may be helpful. Funds for it should be sought and a proper administrative structure put in place before it takes off. There is need for periodic research/practice sharing forum for leaders and followers. There is need to speak up and fight for our rights at relevant levels of governance so we can be empowered to perform better,” he added.

    Prof Egonwa observed that over the years, visual art as an academic discipline has witnessed desirable and undesirable developments.

    According to him, the limitations range from improper definition of purpose, to mission and vision, nebulous methods of instruction, mixed system of staff hire and  fire, wrong research methods,  infrastructural and curricular inadequacies and poor text book development. All these, he said, are leading to poor professional engagement of trained artists amongst others. He added that these issues in turn contribute largely to the hesitant acceptance and poor visibility of the Nigerian artist in the academia.

    Prof Frank Ugiomoh of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State said historiography of art history demonstrates that the production of knowledge is always historically determined and knows no closure. This realisation, he said, permits artists to understand more fully the interpretations proposed by the scholars of the past, that is, ‘it sensitises us to how the values of their own time coloured their accounts of the past, as it makes us cognisant of the social and political function of our own activity as purveyors of culture.’

    “The understanding of history, which previous historical interpretations expose, analysed critically, will always reveal how they are coloured or tainted by differing biases. In the same token, the practice of history in our time may not be different after all from such guilt. But has the compromises that shape the historian’s narrative in any way made history unrealistic? No; for history will remain, from the perspective of post-structuralism, narratives of time, but not the same as the event or object of is not a narrative reproduction of an object of art or event,” he said.

    In his lead paper title: A revisionist overview of the historiography of African art history, disciplinary authenticity and western mindset, Prof Ugiomoh explained that where a discipline is wanting in its methodological outline the authenticity of such a discipline is said to be in misery and suffering from self-abnegation. According to him, evaluating the historiography of the history of art opens for the art historian insights into the critique of method, and the how and when a discipline has retooled with regard to its usefulness to humanity.

    President Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), Mr. Oliver Enwonwu, who commended organisers of the conference said that SNA is in the forefront of supporting programmes in the development of visual art. He noted that the theme of the conference is relevant is relevant today particularly as the world is getting smaller because of internet and as it is geared towards making us to be part of the global village.’

    In a 14-point communiqué, the organisers of the conference resolved that research in visual arts should be designed according to the nature of the discipline and that the practice-led or practice-based methods are suitable for the character of knowledge production in the visual arts. Arts curriculum, it said, should be more functional to prepare recipients for the world of work. The communiqué also resolved among others:

    • that art exhibitions properly documented are a measure of scholarly productivity, should be used for staff appraisal in tertiary institutions, colleges of education, polytechnic subject to the professional specifications of the Society of Nigerian Artists;
    • the National Universities Commission (NUC) should note that there is distinction  between the literary Ph. D ( in Art History,  Religious Studies , Art Criticism, or Art Education ) and the Studio Art Ph.D – drawing  and painting,  sculpture, ceramics, textiles, photography and new media ) and this should  be reflected  in studio art degree curriculum. The MFA and (Ph.D) studio should have an updated benchmark for the sake of Quality Assurance,
    • All institutions offering visual arts should enforce Classroom –to- Industry Transition in their curricular specifications: ensure that faculty members teach what they are certified to teach,
    • credit in Fine Arts should no longer compulsorily be a prerequisite for enrolment into B.A, HND, NCE programs in art. Five (5) credit passes in Arts, Social science or Science combinations is adequate. Similarly, mathematics should not be made compulsory for Post Graduate admission requirements.
    • Federal and State Ministries of Tourism, Culture, and National Orientation and cognate parastatals should show genuine and as much interests in the advancement of visual arts scholarship as in art and culture festivals. The National Endowment for the Arts already set in motion years ago should be actualised.
  • Message to class of 81

    Message to class of 81

    A warm welcome from your unavoidably absent host to the historic city of Abeokuta, and most especially to this sanctuary of a modest Ijegba Green Belt. My most sincere apologies for my absence – it was one of those obligations that could not be deflected.

    To the Moslems among you – Ramadan Mubarak! as you approach the end of the season of fasting, whose virtue as an annual rite for both youth and adults instills a personal discipline and spiritual solidarity that cannot be underestimated.  I hope the non-Moslems among you will not take it amiss if I base the core of this brief message on the lesson of this season which symbolises the spirit of sacrifice. I do not have to tell you that never was a nation more in need of reflection and selfless re-dedication than at this moment. You, the youth of our northern communities have borne much, sacrificed much, over and beyond what should be expected at your age. Alas, it is not yet over! Your presence here testifies to your courage and resilience, and the tenacity of your parents.

    Whether we choose to admit it or not, we are assailed by one of the most ruthless enemies of humanity that the nation has ever known. It must be an extremely lucky individual among you from several parts of the North who has not lost a family member, a friend, a mentor, or even acquaintance to the forces of death and destruction known as Boko Haram. You all know that in recent weeks, they have even intensified their campaign of terror and intimidation further south — to Kaduna, and the Plateau. Their message to the rest of us, seemingly insulated, is loud and clear. We are all – involved.

    Boko Haram claim to derive their inspiration and commitment to the religion of Islam, but you and I know that they are nothing more than blood-thirsty liars and blasphemers. Their actions brand them as obsessive enemies of learning, enlightenment and indeed, of humanity. My message to you all is therefore straightforward: We must not despair, and we must never submit. We must never forget their victims who must now be counted in thousands. We must dedicate ourselves to the recovery of the missing, the rehabilitation of the displaced, and the healing of the wounded and traumatised. No matter to what part of the nation we primarily belong, irrespective of whatever religion we espouse, and no matter where we find ourselves in these troubled times, we must link arms and stand against the forces of irredeemable evil, and be guided by pronouncements that promote our common humanity in defiance of a murderous minority.

    Islam is a religion that is famous for its love of the Book, indeed, the early followers of that faith were known as ‘the people of the Book’. Famous Islamic scholars have stood guardian at the portals of institutions of learning such as the Library of Alexandria. From time immemorial, they pushed forward the frontiers of learning, authored timeless works that today fill the vaults of the famous libraries of Timbuktu which barbarians like Ansar Dine have sought to destroy. Islamic scholars are leading lights in that mission of expanding the mind, a mission that has resulted in your coming together from all corners of the nation, fostering the togetherness of youth across gender, faith, and accident of birth. These pioneers confronted and denounced diverse apostles of ignorance and divisiveness, upholding the exhortations of great Islamic teachers such as Abbas Mahmoud El Akkad who declared that “applying the mind is an Islamic duty”, and that using one’s mental faculty is an obligation for all Moslems.

    And what goes for Moslems also speaks to followers of other religions or followers of none whatsoever. What binds us all together is that common faculty – the mind – a faculty that identifies us as a living species apart from the common herd, such as those rams and goats that will be slaughtered for feasting when this season of fasting and sacrifice is over. We must not surrender. We must not even accommodate those who believe that our youth exist only for enslavement and arbitrary slaughter. These creatures are not part of us. They belong to no known community of humans.  We must join hands in expelling them from our midst and remain dedicated to that eternal human undertaking – the pursuit of truth and illumination through the exercise of the mind.   Once again, Welcome to a warm embrace in the heartland of the Egba people, known for their love of learning, and – Culture.

  • Vision of the Child winners get fresh bounties

    Four months after emerging winners in the yearly Vision of the child competition, the 12 winners in the literary and painting categories will be hosted to a series of activities beginning from July 27 till early next month. They will be hosted by the VoTC organising team led by Foluke George to activities that include: training at Microsoft Nigeria, special exhibition of the winning work in the painting category, special visit to the sponsors of the project – Diamond Bank, Microsoft Nigeria, Honeywell Noodles and Airtel Nigeria, training and mentorship sessions (reading, writing and IT), and special interview with selected TV and Radio stations.

    Earlier in April at a post-event gala award night that was swathe with glamour and pageantry, Master Ashaka Victory Ihona from Ajara Grammar School Badagry emerged the best student-painter in the prestigious competition that held as part of the 2015 Lagos Black Heritage Festival, LBHF2015. Tamaramiebi Akika from Corona School picked the winning prize in the literary category with her essay on the competition theme: The Road To Sambisa.

    The formal award ceremony held at the Civic Centre on Friday April 24 with parents, teachers and eminent citizens of Lagos led by Erelu Abiola Dosumu and distinguished painter and textile designer, Chief Mrs Nike Okundaiye in attendance. There were also chief executives of the sponsoring corporate organisations at the event. From Diamond Bank was (Regional Manager, Mr. Benson Oraelosi, and Divisional Head Corporate Communications,Mrs. Ayona Trimnell,). Airtel was represented by  head of High Value Experiences, Mrs Sarwi Rahaman; Honeywell Noodles had its Managing Director, Mr Lanre Jaiyeola, Divisional Managing Director, Dr. Nino Ozara and Microsoft Company had its Public Sector Director, Mr. Hakeem Adeniji-Adele and Citizenship Manager, Mr. Olusola Amusan in attendance.

    Ashaka came out tops from 30 finalists from 35 schools that participated in the statewide competition. Shittu Ololade from Reagan Memorial School, Yaba, came second, while the 3rd place prize went to Anthony Blessing from Masterhand Academy, Badagry. In the 4th position was Anjola Olanrewaju from Masterhand Academy, Badagry; Amosu Abraham Akinlomo from Betterfuture College, Badagry was fifth, while Okwuchukwu Ivy From Lagos State model College, Badagry was sixth.

    In the Literary category, which had the participants writing either essay, poem or short story on the theme, Titiloye Tobi from Topo Grammar School, Badagry came 2nd; Utibe Ekpeyong from Sacred Heart College, Apapa was 3rd; while Etina Samuel Onche from Danvic Leaders Academy, Apapa came 4th; and Princess Marinay from Park College Apapa, Angela Obinwa from Pampers Private School, took the 5th and 6th prizes respectively.

    The painting and literary competition, which was obviously dominated by schools from Badagry followed by Apapa areas of Lagos, attracted 320 entries from 63 schools for the first phase. Sixty (60) finalists from 35 schools eventually featured in the last leg out of which the final 12 winners (six for painting, six for Literary) were decided by a panel of eminent judges including (for painting) renowned artists Chief Nike Okundaiye, Former Commissioner for Culture, Ondo State, Tola Wewe and the painter, art activist Ndidi Dike. The literary segment had among others, Mr Folu Agoi, a writer and educationist, Mr Segun Almaroof, a teacher and education activist and Mrs Adenike Arigbabu, a publisher and child worker.

    The competition theme:”The Road To Sambisa” designed by the Festival Consultant and Nobel laureate in literature, Professor Wole Soyinka, was deliberately chosen to reflect on the tragedy of the infamous ‘Chibok Girls’ episode in which over 276 girls were kidnapped overnight from their school in Chibok town in the Northeastern part of the country. Over a year after, 217 of the girls remain missing in what has become a global embarrassment to the Nigerian nation and her people. The episode has led to nationwide campaign titled: “Bring Back Our Girls”.

    At the award night, the winners took home prizes from the various sponsors. Diamond Bank presented winners in the painting category with cash prizes (1st Prize, N250,000; 2nd, N200,000; 3rd, N180,000; 4th, N150,000; 5th, N120,000; and 6th,N100,000 respectively) and gift bags for all the finalists. The cash prize was presented by the bank’s Regional Manager, Mr. Benson Oraelosi

    Honeywell presented cash prizes of N100,000 each to the six winners from the Literary category with cartons of all its products to all the winners and 63 participants. The Prizes were presented by the Managing Director, Mr Lanre Jaiyeola, assisted by Divisional Managing Director, Mr Nino Ozara; Executive Director, Marketing, Mr Benson Evbwuoman and Human Resource Manager, Mr. Tunde Adebayo.

    Microsoft gave the 12 winners from both literary and painting categories with Tablets. The presentation was made by the Public Sector Director, Mr. Hakeem Adeniji-Adele and Citizenship Manager for the company, Mr Olusola Amusan

    Airtel Nigeria presented gifts contained in backpacks to the 63 finalists including the winners.

    Head of LBHF Secretariat and coordinator of the VoTC Project, Mrs Foluke George, said “for making it into the final of the prestigious competition, you are all winners. So if you are not among the final list of winners, do not feel bad. You should learn even at this stage that we all cannot be winners in a competition, and that you must develop the mind to accept defeat in any contest you find yourself”. She urged them to remain good pupils  and continue to study hard in order to excel in their studies. She thanked parents and teachers for encouraging their children, students and wards to feature in the competition every year. She also appreciated the various sponsors, especially Lagos State Government, for deploying state resources and goodwill in support of the project.

    LBHF coordinator, Jahman Anikulapo, representing Prof Soyinka, thanked administration of former Governor Babatude Raji Fashola for its continuous belief in the prospective of the project to produce a new generation of young leaders, and urged the sponsors to remain committed to supporting the development of the Nigerian Child through the Vision of the Child. “The LBHF through the VoTC is committed to bringing our children into the national conversation, especially where it concerns their welfare and interest. These are not just leaders of tomorrow, they are leaders of today and our future as a nation, so we must do all that is necessary to involve them in decision making even at this young age,” he said.

  • Oyo sanitises hospitality

    Oyo sanitises hospitality

    Oyo State government officials are inspecting  hotels, event centres, night clubs, restaurants and other public facilities.

    The move, the government said, is to boost revenue and ensure compliance with the laws guiding the operations of hotels and allied organisations in the hospitality industry.

    The visit to hotels, part of the yearly routine monitoring and inspection of establishments in the hospitality sector, was carried out by officials of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Bunmi Babalola, in Ibadan, the state capital.

    Over 20 hotels, event centres, night clubs and other hospitality enterprises were visited.

    Babalola said the operation, which is continuous, was expected to boost revenue from the hospitality sector, adding that it would ensure compliance with the law and regulations guiding the hospitality sector.

    “As the chief regulators of the industry in the state, we have to move round to ensure that standards are maintained; to re-emphasise the need for operators of this sector to report  questionable characters  to law enforcement agencies and also expedite action on the payments of all outstanding levies to the government.

    “On the issue of security, we enlightened them on the need to complement the efforts of the state government on safety of lives and properties of people in the state by their provision of a micro security arrangement that will cater for their immediate environment and the response was good as we observed that most of them are security conscious,” he added.

    The Permanent Secretary harped on the need for prompt payments of yearly renewal dues and other levies, warning that  recalcitrant operators and other defaulting establishments would be appropriately sanctioned, urging operators to do adequate checking of their customers.

    He said: “We appreciate the hoteliers and other allied enterprises in this sector for partnering with the state in the area of job creation. However, I want to say categorically that the government will not tolerate any hotel that fails to comply with the standard of operations and prompt payment of all dues. Compliance will empower the government to expedite action on the ongoing urban renewal  projects across the state, which will in turn be a boost to tourism development in the state and expectedly, a concomitant boom in hotel patronages.”

    He, however, assured that the inspection would be extended to Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, and other zones in the state.

  • Akingbade’s recycling, art at Temple Muse

    Akingbade’s recycling, art at Temple Muse

    I want to be an artist whose space is limitless.  I have always loved to experiment with different objects people normally overlook. The vibrant digital prints on paper and their unusual hues inspire me to start creating works. I see paper as a unique representation of my graphic design and printing profession, which I try to reflect in my work,” said Adeyinka Akingbade whose solo art exhibition opened last Monday at premier concept store, Temple Muse, in Lagos.

    Akingbade, an award winning artist and alumni of the prestigious Yaba College of Technology, used paper waste to create 36 rich, multi-textured works, which focus predominantly on portraiture and abstract landscapes.

    It reflects the dexterity of an artist who expresses the tenacity of life and relationships by using perforated rubber sheets and tiny paper punched holes to show that Africans need the same tenacity and toughness to survive, as the materials he manipulates.

    “I have always loved to experiment with different objects to highlight unique materials one would normally overlook,” explains Akingbade who runs a small graphic design consultancy and printing press. “Working in graphics actually gave birth to the idea of recycling the excess paper waste that is produced during printing for my art.”

    Akingbade’s stark simple silhouettes off-set against highly textured white and dark backgrounds portray a fresh and unusual take on “recycling & art”. His world of design overlaps seamlessly with his classical training in painting as his skillful and fascinating use of paper, glue, acrylic, is combined with found objects such as the colorful straps of cheap roadside rubber slippers, which lend a playful attitude, emotion, and personality to his portraits.

    Besides these eclectic mixed media works, Akingbade also revealed expertise in print techniques by presenting abstract monoprints with dashes of colour that look almost like Asian symbols. After graduating in painting, he learned how to do silk and screen printing from well known Nigerian artist Dr. Kunle Adeyemi,  one of Akingbade’s mentors.

    “We are delighted to present emerging artists like Akingbade during our summer art salon explained exhibition curator Sandra Mbanefo Obiago, who has ensured that many young artists showcase their work along side industry veterans in Temple Muse’s quarterly exhibitions.

    After graduating with a Higher National Diploma in painting from the Yaba Institute of Technology in 2008, Akingbade’s eclectic and versatile style drew the attention of the African Artists’ Foundation’s Unbreakable Nigerian Spirit art competition in which he emerged as one of the finalists. In 2010, he was selected to take part in the month long CCA Lagos artist residency programme, Independence and the Ambivalence of Promise, and the following year he won first prize at the Lagos Black Heritage Festival’s Walls of Prison into Fields of Freedom art competition.  His first presentation abroad was in 2014 when he exhibited at the 25th Annual Festival of the Arts in Chicago, USA.

    “Its important that we make space for fresh creative minds to exhibit along side Nigerian masters like Prof Bruce Onobrakpeya, and ensure that our discerning audience enjoys the best and brightest that Nigeria has to offer,” concluded Temple Muse Director, Kabir Wadhwani. The exhibition is runs from July 20 to September 4.

  • Female artists explore design as personality

    Female artists explore design as personality

    The concept of design as personality of an idea and that of the designer took centre stage at a group art exhibition by eight female artists at the Ford Foundation, Banana Island, Ikoyi Lagos. All the female participants at the show used diverse media to interrogate design as personality of idea, using individual beliefs, histories, experiences, interactions, societies and dreams to design our own reality.

    The group show tagged: Design is the personality of an Idea; opened penultimate Sunday featuring Joana Choumali (Côte d’Ivoire); Nkechi Ebubedike (Nigeria-America); Akwaeke Emezi (Nigeria); Modupeola Fadugba (Nigeria); Selly Raby Kane (Senegal); Nkiruka Oparah (Nigeria); Moonchild Sanelly (South Africa) and The Venus Bushfires (Nigeria).

    The exhibition, which will run till August 3, is organised by African Artists Foundation (AAF) under the Female Artists Platform and supported by the Ford Foundation, Lagos. It highlights among others, the most beautiful ways and the most banal and benign ways ‘we all exist in a world of our own design, our own creation, our own filter. Built with our beliefs, our histories, our traumas, our consumption, our interactions, our societies, our habits, our opportunities and dreams, we design our own reality.’

    A statement by the organisers described art as an expression of ‘our reality and design is the personality of our ideas. The artists brought together use diverse media – film, fashion, paint, photography, digital collage, and sound – to create full worlds with the precision and intentionality inherent in the concept of design.’

    It added that ‘yet all of us, with our unique delusions, perceptions and experiences, exist in the same physical world. The exhibition is an exploration of this kaleidoscopic amalgamation of our individualities. Through their works, the artists show the diversity and complexity of each of our worldviews: complete, distinct, nuanced and fantastical. They design and manifest their own distinct realities.

    The Female Artists project was launched in 2010 as an annual initiative to promote a more gender equal creative industry. Each year, artists are chosen to work on a project relating to a theme and provided with production stipends to complete their work. Along with the final exhibition, mentorship programmes for young girls and public discussions expand the dialogue to a larger community.

    The Female Artists’ Platform aims to draw attention to female artists and designers living and working in Africa, unearth and develop new talent, introduce new art forms, and highlight the diversity of women, who are exploring ways to express themselves through visual art. It also hopes to challenge these artists to take bold steps in their creative concepts and processes, so they may have the freedom to create and exhibit works that are communicative, provocative and relevant. It seeks to shed light on the role of the artist in African society, to create awareness around female creative expression, and address her underrepresentation in the Nigerian contemporary art community.

     

  • Festschrift for Darah at 70

    Scholars within and outside the country are set to celebrate the eloquent intellectual Gabriel Gordini Darah at 70 in grandstyle.

    To celebrate this significant milestone and contributions of Darah, a professor of English at Delta State University and former Chairman of the Editorial Board of The Guardian, to intellectual and socio-cultural advancement, his colleagues at DELSU and abroad are planning a festschrift in his honour.

    Although the scholar will turn 70 two years from now, the organisers of the festschrift are calling for well-researched essays ahead of his 70th birthday come November 22, 2017. The essays would be published to celebrate Darah’s birthday in 2017, according the organisers.

    Being a pioneer scholar of Udje performance poetry of the Niger Delta, founding president of the Nigeria Oral Literature Association (NOLA) and former Chief of Staff at Delta State Government House, Prof Darah’s eclectic career over the past four decades, according to them, deserves closer critical attention at this point.

    The essays may focus on topics related to the wide-range of Darah’s scholarly interests or on his publications (including his public commentaries in the press).  Essays of not more than 15 pages, following MLA format, should be submitted to darah70festschrisft@gmail.com not later than November 30, 2015, according to the organisers.

    Darah is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan, where he also began his teaching career. He later taught at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. He now teaches at Delta State University, Abraka, where he has played a key role in the internationalisation efforts of the Department of English and Literary Studies, his home Department.

    Darah’s most beguiling attribute is his versatile and profound insights into a wide range of academic endeavours. This is complemented by his utter commitment to the development of scholarship and culture. His scholarly and journalistic interventions are as penetrating as they can be controversial. Apart from the field of Folklore and Literature, Darah’s abiding multidisciplinary engagements straddle the domains of Culture, Politics, History, Law, Sociology, Media and Communication, Philosophy, and more. But it is in Oral Literature that his specialisation has become most notable with, amongst others, the publication of his ground-breaking study of Urhobo poetry, Battles of Songs: Udje Tradition of the Urhobo (2005).

  • Memories of college days

    Memories of college days

    If memories are what life is made of, then for alumni of Ilesa Grammar School, a part of their life has be immortally recognised in a book. The book titled, The Story and Memoirs of Ilesa Grammar School, is written by Olaleye Falore, who ironically, did not even attend the school.

    Based on heavy research, the book traces how the founding fathers of the Ilesa Grammar School – Egbe Atuluse Ile Ijesa (Ijesa Improvement Society) – made sure the school was established in 1934 with 21 boys who passed an examination conducted on January 18, 1934. Though, Ilesha had its first primary school, St. John’s Primary School, Iloro, in 1888, for 45 years, schools in Ilesha did not go beyond primary level. The Egbe saw the need to establish a secondary school, to among other things, cater to Ijesa indigenes furthering their education without the additional expense of going too far from home.

    Titbits such as choice of location of the school, the appellation of whether it should be ‘High School,’ ‘Grammar School,’ or ‘College’ and how Rev. M.S. Cole, who was supposed to have been the first principal, was ‘hijacked’ and convinced to be principal of Oduduwa College, Ife, on his return of a reconnaissance trip to Ilesha. With facilitates that would be considered crude by modern day standards, Falore tells the story of the humble beginnings of the school. Some pictures of early school buildings also promise to evoke memories in those familiar with the school.

    While, it set out to cater for Ijesa indigenes, the school later metamorphosed into a boarding in its early years, attracting students from diverse ethnic backgrounds and regions. Falore notes that at that period, tribalism and ethnicity were not  decimal on the Nigerian fabric. Most likely, the regimented lifestyle provided discipline and ensured camaraderie – the sort, usually noticeable amongst people who spend a lot of quality time together.

    In telling the story, Falore deploys copious interviews he had with 68 alumni, former teachers and administrators of the school, many of whom are in their twilight years.  And these interviews provide lucid recollections of college days both from the students’ perspectives as well as from those of the administrators. The mood is felt from these interviews such as that with Phillip Umeadi, SAN, (Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria), who attended the school between 1945 and 1950.

    ‘It was very exciting,’ said Umeadi, an easterner, crossed the River Niger for the first time to attend Ilesa Grammar School.

    ‘It was more of fun to me; meeting people from different background. The boarding house was full of some miscreants from Lagos who were handed over to Rev Lahanmi by their parents or guardians for inculcation of discipline into their psyche.’

    The author also captures pranks of students in a chapter titled, Students Were No Angels.

    A particular incident tells of a student of the 1965/69 set, O.A, sighted in town by the vice-principal during school hours. The principal made a note of checking on the boy immediately he got to school, only to meet the boy already in the school by the time he got back. The trick was that he had entered the boot of the vice-principal’s Peugeot 404 car and hitched a ride back to school.

    Alighting unnoticed, O.A. quickly removed the red cardigan he was wearing and keeping a straight countenance, walked in sight of a visibly perplexed vice-principal.

    The vice-principal asked: ‘Were you not the boy I saw in town just now?’

    ‘I, Sir. No Sir,’ replied O.A.

    ‘But, I saw you just now?’

    ‘Not I, Sir. It couldn’t have been me,’ asserted O.A as he walked away from the vice-principal and headed for his classroom to join his mates.’

    The chapter contains various hilarious recollections of jokes, anecdotes and pranks which are the stuff school reunions for old students are made of.

    The book also gets the views of staff – both academic and non-academic. And the modifications each of the 17 principals to have steered affairs made to shape Ilesha Grammar School to its current shape is detailed in chronological order in a chapter titled The Principals of Old. One gets to know, for instance that the pioneer Principal Rev Canon E. C. Doherty (1934 – 1936), who was famed for wearing academic gowns to assemblies on Wednesday mornings, took the school from a rented apartment to its permanent site by its second year of existence and that the second principal Rev N. O. A. Lahanmi (1939 – 1953) exhibited kindness to indigent students, allowing them to continue at school without paying the fees.

    That Falore has documented moments of Ilesa Grammar School will no doubt be appreciated by a large number of old students, many like Alhaji Lateef Jakande (former Lagos State governor), Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe (former University of Lagos vice-chancellor and present vice-chancellor of Federal University Ndufu Alike, Ikwo), Chief Sonny Odogwu (Ide Ahaba of Asaba and an insurance magnate), Dr. Dimeji Alo (Director General Chief Executive of Financial Institutions Training Centre, Lagos) who later became prominent members of the society.

    This is captured in the glowing testimonies of some of the interviewed old students.

    ‘What I’m today is due to the Spartan discipline which I got from my parents and which was continued at Ilesa Grammar School,’ said Hon. Justice Kayode Eso (1940 – 1944), a retired Justice of the Supreme Court.

    Former Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Hon Justice S. M. Alfa Belgore (1951 – 1956), an old student who wrote the foreword of the book, said, ‘If I were to come to this world again, I would certainly want to be a student of Ilesa Grammar School. It is the best school in the world, you know. No regret.’

    While many non-alumni may not agree with such assertions, the author, with presentation of fluid prose based studious research and interviews, has managed to evoke a sense of nostalgia of how Ilesa Grammar School became a cherished memory for those who walked through it.

  • Me and my Books Writing has made me a recluse, more committed

    Me and my Books Writing has made me a recluse, more committed

    Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is the author of the short-story collection, The Whispering Trees. He is a Gabriel Garcia Marquez Fellow and has won the BBC African Performance Prize in 2007. He studied Mass Communication at the University of Jos and he is currently the Art Editor of Sunday Trust Newspapers, Abuja. In 2013 he made the shortlist for The Caine Prize For African Writing. In this encounter with Edozie Udeze he talks about his writing career, how writing has shaped his life and lots more 

    What sort of books do you like most?

    I read mostly literary fiction now. I find that they give the most satisfaction, especially when they have an engaging plot and use language well. I have never had the patience to read self-help books.

    When you read a book, what are the salient things you look out for most?

    I look for a strong plotlines, good command of language. I like stories told with a flourish, with some panache, if possible. I look out for convincing and believable characters, engaging dialogue and challenging storylines. I don’t like stories that I can predict how they end. I love reading Nigerian and African fiction but I want books with good aesthetic appeal and sound production quality and most importantly, well told stories.

    Who are your favourite authors in the world and why?

    I have many favourite authors for very different reasons. I love Author Golden for his ability to combine research and good story telling in Memoirs of a Geisha, the same quality I admire in Cyprian Ekwensi and many of his works like The Burning Grass. I love Gabriel Garcia Marquez for the richness of his prose and the depth of his imagination. Isabel Allende too is a favourite. The richness of these prose is captured in Veroniqu Tadjo’s As the Crow Flies. I like Murakami for his daring narrative. Every day I discover new authors and fall in love with their works.

    When and where do you like to read and what time and why?

    I read whenever I have time. Sometimes before going to bed.Sometimes after waking up. Sometimes while travelling, other times while using the convenience. It is hard to find time to read now so I use every opportunity I get.

    What is your preferred literary genre?

    My preference is literary fiction. It echoes the reality of life more closely than any other genre for me.

    What book or books have had the greatest impact on you and why?

    There are many. Too many. Recently I gave a talk in London at the African Writers Festival on African Books to Inspire and I chose to talk about the books that spoke to me at various times in my life. Camara Laye’s The African Child, Cyprian Ekwensi’sThe Burning Grass, and Elechi Amadi’s The Concubine were the three I talked about. I could also count Ben Okri’s Famished Road and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera. These were some of the books that I think gave me permission to write the way I write now. But different books influence me differently.

    As a child what books tickled you most?

    Before reading Laye’sThe African Child I remember reading RL Stevenson’s Treasure Island and wanting to be like Jim Hawkins, hoping to defy pirates and find an island full of riches. But Laye’s book showed me that there is enough adventure in an ordinary African life. I loved Ekwensi’s An African Night Entertainment and The Passport of Malam Ilia.

    At what point in your life did you begin to nurse the idea of becoming a writer?

    For me I suppose writing has always been a life-long interest. I became conscious of wanting to tell stories before I could write and when I began to learn how to write, it was just the next step in an evolution. But I think my first conscious thoughts about becoming a writer was in my early teens when I read a book called The Prisoner of Zenda and wished I had written it. I was impressed by the way the author, Anthony Hope, used language and for me that was when I think I started consciously cultivating myself as a writer.

    How has writing shaped or reordered your life?

    Writing has freed me. It has made me a happier and fulfilled person. It has given me the opportunity to travel, to see the worlds in my head and the world out there, to meet different people and explore new cities and cultures.

    It has shaped my life in the sense that it has made me a recluse, it is always demanding my attention, always demanding time. It is a hard and lonely job being a writer. But there is an effervescence to that kind of loneliness. It is dangerously beautiful.

    If you meet your favourite author face to face what would you like to ask him/her?

    Well, I don’t know how that will happen now since my favourite author Gabriel Garcia Marquez died last year before I got the chance to meet him. I would have loved to ask him about the first girl who broke his heart. I know there might be a story there.

    Of the plays you’ve read which character struck you most?

    Soyinka’s Brother Jero is a favourite. He stuck because he is at once funny and confused and embodies everything that is wrong with us today.

    What book do you plan to read next?

    I have many, many books on my shelves and a huge pile by my bedside. I am reading Raymond Carver and EC Osondu’s latest novel at the moment. I hope to read Haruki Murakami and the works of Junot Diaz. They are all in the pile by my bedside.

    How do you arrange your private library?

    My favourite books are on the top shelves. The ones I have read and enjoyed and just love looking at them to remind me of the pleasure of reading them. Then the least favorites take the lower shelves. I have mentioned the pile by my bedside; these are the ones I plan to read immediately next. Interestingly, that pile keeps growing. It seems I am acquiring more books than I am able to read.

    Are you a re-reader and how often?

    I don’t reread much. I have a pile of books I have set aside to reread but I haven’t got the time because there is so much going on, so many new books to read. So, if a book doesn’t grip me the first time I don’t see myself going back to it any time soon.

  • Ankara fabric; artists’ emerging medium

    Ankara fabric; artists’ emerging medium

    The ankara fabric has gone way beyond a material for making clothes. The fabric which is primarily associated with Africa has become an important tool not just for fashion designers but also a tool of communication and medium for artists to express themselves.

    Today, ankara fabric is being used to make necklace, shoes, bags, hats, even cover for books and toys for children. Artists are laying their hands on the material, experimenting and creating magnificent artworks with it. “I look at the importance of fabric in our daily life, no matter how beautifully one dresses; you can still find fabric around us. I like that part of the fabric,” said Marcellina Oseghale, a young female artist who is currently working with ankara and acrylic. “Fabric is a nice medium to explore since we all use fabric to cover ourselves.”

    You would agree that the fabric is gaining more popularity across the globe and probably artists don’t want to be left out in this trend. Kolade Oshinowo, George Edozie, Yinka Shonibare and Peju Alatise are some of the renowned Nigerian artists who have worked and are still working with ankara as a medium. “Working with fabric to me is like painting with colour in fabric form,” said Oseghale.

    Oseghale who has been working with the medium since 2012 prefers to recycle the material instead of seeing it being thrown away by tailors as waste. “The fabrics I work with are ankara fabric I source from tailors. These are fabrics the tailors want to throw away, most times they don’t have anything to do with it, so I collect it from them and use it to create artworks.”

    The uniqueness of Oseghale’s work is her ability to create texture with the fabric on canvas. “The way I glue the fabric to the canvas gives me the texture. I don’t lay it flat, I use bond, then I put it on the canvas, I make sure is not flat, I raise it up, then when it dries it stays the way I placed it on the canvas,” she explained.

    Other aspect of her work that cannot be ignored is the way she manages to create shades, space and colours with the fabric. “When cutting the part I want to use, I consider the shades; I don’t want the darkest colour to be where the eyelash should be. I also consider the hue of the fabric if it will be dark enough to the dark area.”

    Recalling what inspired her to work with ankara fabric, she said:  “I was making ankara jewelries while in school, I wanted to try something else and something new that is how I started working with fabrics.”

    Preserving the material was a major challenge for Oseghale when she started working with the medium. “I had problem when I started working with ankara fabric, I thought of how to solve this problem and I did a research and discovered that I can preserve the fabric with acrylic glaze. The glaze protects the fabric from durst and other harmful things that could damage the fabric. After I am done with the work, I apply the glaze on it to protect it, making difficult to pull off the fabric from the canvas.”

    Osage is currently working on her series, which she calls the Pearls Series. “I am fascinated with the way the pearl is made. The pearl only happens when sand or an irritant gets into an oyster, the oyster bears the irritant and it starts to make some flu and eventually the pearl is made. It takes about twenty years to get a pearl.  And you don’t get pearl from all oysters, so I like that part. This part inspired this series. I like this style as it looks like you can see through it. The work can breath, I like giving the work breathing space.”

    As a science student in secondary school Oseghale was not fulfilled with her five credits and left science for art. “I didn’t feel fulfilled as a science student even though I had five credits. I knew it wasn’t where I ought to be. It was after I graduated I felt I didn’t go where I should have gone …I was not where I was supposed to be. That was how I started looking for where I could go and study art.”

    With the beautiful works she produces, patronage is very low, only family members and her friends patronise this graduate of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Lagos. “I don’t feel like giving up even though the patronage is not encouraging because I love art. I love to express myself with art. It’s either I am writing or I am doing art. Art to me is a self expression; art is a tool I use to express myself. I raise questions on what you are pondering about with my work,” she asserted.