The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • Odunfa charges young writers to promote mutual respect

    An international freelance journalist Mr. Sola Odunfa has tasked young writers to promote mutual trust, respect and understanding among Nigerians in their reportage of news and current affairs.

    Odunfa spoke at the sixth edition of the Student Acquiring Media Skills (SAMS) organised by African Foundation for Peace and Love Initiative, RayPower/AIT and the Private Education Services of Lagos State Ministry of Education.

    The theme of the programme was Bridging the Divide in the Nigeria’s Socio-Cultural Heritage through effective communication and brought together over 100 students drawn from the six education districts in Lagos. It featured training in basic tools in print media, broadcast presentation and production.

     

    According to Odunfa the need for young journalists and writers to build the bridges of religion, ethnic, tribal and cultural cohesion that often times divides is very germane for national development.

     

    He said that throwing stones at each other do not make for peace. Nobody has the monopoly of violence. We must continue to make frantic effort in mending the broken walls around us.

    Odunfa who took the students through the basic skill in newspaper and radio production said that young writers must be avid readers and be open to new knowledge, ideas and perspectives from other people.

    President of the foundation, Rev Titus Oyeyemi said the programme is for youths, peace and nation building, adding that the vision behind SAMS is in three fold which are encouraging students to have fore knowledge of their future career, encouraging young people to have a lifestyle of peaceful co-existence and the need to reach Nigerian socio cultural divide most especially at the period the country is witnessing transition into new government.

    He said the reason for this year’s theme arose from the need to build and not to expand the Nigerian socio-cultural heritage, particularly as the country is moving into a new administration.

     

    “I call it a heritage because we as Nigerians are the heirs to and have inherited multiple cultures which are often competing against one another for superiority. A cultural divide being an artificial boundary in society that separates communities whose social economic structures, opportunities for success, conventions, styles and norms are so different that they have substantially different psychologies”, he said.

    Oyeyemi also described cultural divide as the virtual barrier caused by cultural differences that hinder interactions and harmonious exchange between people of different cultures.

    He listed factors that can cause socio-cultural divide as internal attitudes, external influences, ideological differences, stereotypes, conflicts of identities and some social barriers as well as social pressure and media bias in news and reports.

    “Though not premeditated, but a mere coincidence, we are aware of the ongoing debacle where party chieftains of the incoming government are being said to be banning some media houses from event coverage. Yet there are counter reports to the contrary. The question is how we can nip this ugly phenomenon in the bud before it becomes intractable,” he said.

    Oyeyemi said that in a multilingual, ethno religious and ethno political dichotomous environment with emerging democracies like Nigeria, ‘we need to understand cultural boundaries increase cultural interactions and build a wealth of cultural intelligence.’

     

  • NANTAP to honour practitioners

    NANTAP to honour practitioners

    The celebration of World Theatre Day is an opportunity to draw attention to the arts and culture sector, chairperson of the National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Lagos chapter Ms Eki Eboigbe, has said.

    She spoke with arts writers at a briefing in Lagos. She explained that the celebration which would have held on March 27 was shifted to June 26due to the exigency of election in the country.

    She said the celebration would be in tandem with the globally theme, Celebrating people behind the scene of theatre. This, she said, madeNANTAP Lagos chapter to adapt Theatre and Conflict Resolution in the 21st Century as its theme.

    Among those to be honoured are founder of Terra Culture Centre Mrs Bolanle Austen Peters, Teju Babyface, Femi Odugbemi, Yemi Shodimu, Mrs Laja Adedoyin, Debon Lexandra and Dr Osita Ezewanebe for their contributions to the sector.

    Chairman Planning Committee of World Theatre Day, Shaibu Hussein stressed that since 1991, the celebration has been used by NANTAP to call attention to the theatre and advocate a more sustainable policy for theatre in the country.

    “We felt that we could use theatre to resolve political, economic and religious conflict so also can it be used to proffer solution to the problems in Nigeria,” he said.

    He noted that Bolanle Austen Peters has been chosen to be recognised and celebrated as the ITD personality of the year due to her inestimable contribution and commitment towards theatre in the country as well as other genres of art. “So also has she provided space through her terra culture and has funded a production that featured about one hundred and twenty members of NANTAP,” he said.

    Shaibu said two sets of people would be recognised during the celebration. They are the ambassador and certified practitioners for the Nollywood industry, adding that their contributions of people like Don Pedro Obaseki, Ejike Azogwu, Rita Dominic helped in the smooth take-off of Nollywood.

    He disclosed that on the celebration day, the association would work on the start-up of an Endowment Fund for the theatre profession, noting that  as it would help fund projects and render aids to theatre practitioners with challenges on the field.

    He said community theatre project would only come to reality only if the endowment fund is in place and once it is started, it would be encouraged at the national level because the country doesn’t have an Endowment fund for the art which has made it look as if when money is given to the art it looks like a token.

    “We know that theatre has a lot of roles to play in the area of uniting this country, creation of job which interestingly is one thing the incumbent president is interested in. We are rest assured that if we set up theatre in the 774 local governments, it would create job opportunities like carpentry, set designing, light designing, make-up artiste, props managing, etc for the youths as well as people in the community. When government invest in theatre art, it would assist in curtailing unemployment in the society; we have a new government of change so what we hope for is that most of those things we are hoping to do would be changed for the better as theatre practitioners and performing artistes,” he said.

     

     

  • What Buhari must do for visual arts

    What Buhari must do for visual arts

    Abiodun Olakun was the first of his generation of Nigerian fine artists to be recognised as a master in the visual art sector in the society.  By this, he is known as one of the most notable and reputable contemporary artists of his time.  He was one of the members of Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria whose works were showcased in a recent art exhibition in London.  He shares his views on the role of the current political dispensation to impact on the arts and what artists themselves can do to bring the trade to the front burner and more with Edozie Udeze

    Having been schooled in one of Nigeria’s oldest and most reputable art schools, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Abiodun Olakun has over the years gone through thick and thin to create a niche for himself.  A member of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) and many other professional visual arts bodies both at home and abroad, Olakun is known to belong to that class of contemporary artists who are not limited by space or style.  His is known as a serious painter who hardly conforms to tradition to produce his works.

    “Yes, we were in the United Kingdom to exhibit some of our works.  It was really in collaboration with Apple Art, London, to let members of Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA) to exhibit as a body and to see how far our art can go in the world.  The exhibition had to do with a concept that began since three years ago.  And this was the third in the series.  This year’s theme was transcending boundaries.  It was indeed organized strictly for members of the Guild just to showcase their works and bring out the highest level of visual art from this part of the world,” he said.

    To them, the theme was chosen deliberately to project the Nigerian art to the global stage.  It was to do with a concept that would help the artists to project into the future and to give Nigerian contemporary art an edge over the rest.  Olakun said, “Before the last edition of the outing, we seemed to be un-coordinated.  But this last effort was made a huge success because we wanted it to be outstanding in all respects.  Most of the ones we did in the past were personal and somewhat whimsical.  It was difficult to get and even classify artists with different styles and methodologies, with their profiles in place.  But this time the Guild became fully in-charge in order to really use the art to explain the Nigerian technique.”

    All the exhibiting artists are members of the Society of Nigerian Artists.  However, the Guild takes it a notch higher.  It was formed basically to include committed studio artists whose influence and contributions to the profession have been immensely recognized.  This is why it is often more reasonable for them to come together to project Nigerian arts beyond the shores of Nigeria.  Olakun explains: “For us members, our sole responsibility is to promote visual arts and also encourage the practice to the hilt.  This is why we do not look up to anyone for employment or the sort.  So we have been able to groom the Guild right from the moment it was formed in 2008 to this moment.”

    So far, the Guild has offered these artists the platform through which the Nigerian arts have been projected in a more comprehensive manner, not only in Nigeria but world-over.  “This was why we find it more appealing to use the London platform once every year to showcase what we have,” Olakun offered.  “When we took off in 2008, I was the Vice-President of the Guild and our primary aim and object was to take it to the height it is today.  We still need to do more, for to us Nigerian art has to be given its proper place in the world.”

    Today, these efforts have not been in vain.  Not only that the artists are now better known in the world, their works have come to show that contemporary art is very much alive in Nigeria.  “People have begun to notice the potentials of Nigerian contemporary arts outside the shores of this country, not only through the individual members of the Guild but by extension other artists, other art businesses in Nigeria.  And the Apple connection in London has indeed been very wonderful.”

    He, however, commended the Bank of Industries (BOI) which was able to come in to sponsor some of their outings in the past.  “This was made possible then because the person at the helm of affairs (Helen Oputu) was a lover of art.  It was due to her personal disposition, and not really or necessarily due to the official policy of the BOI, that we were able to enjoy some level of support.  So, we found her tenure very useful and instrumental to the development of the sector.  The period indeed brought the art to the centre stage.  However, we feel that we need more co-operation from government agencies to push the frontiers of the art to an enviable level.  We hope to go pass this level someday to be able to get a total support from the government.  Art is not a personal thing, it is part of the many constituents of the society.”

    The BOI has indeed been one of the many that have been privileged to play this role.  It has been a tip of the iceberg.  Artists themselves have to be more committed and business-like to be able to project their art in the world.  “This is where we have been lacking and we need to sit up.  But government has to have the vision, the willingness and zeal to support the art, especially the visual art.”

    In relation to what the government of Muhammadu Buhari can do to encourage the sector to prosper, he said, “personally, I am a realist.  The headship of government agencies and departments created to take charge of the art should sit up to do their duties.  We have our own special positions on the matter.  It will be up to us now to probably apply the needed pressure on these agencies to look seriously in our way.  The institutions that are statutorily positioned to do this job must make sure policies are done to suit art and artists.  Through that we need to have platform through which we exchange ideas on how those policies can be implemented to promote the art.  For me, this is the first pot of call.”

    If the government agencies truly live up to their official responsibilities in which art is given its due preference, there is every likelihood that there will be room to expand the frontiers thereby empowering and emboldening the visual art the more.  Olakun offered a leeway in this regard: “Within the Ministry of culture, you can count the number of agencies in-charge of the art.  What have they been doing?  They are those that are specially instituted to carter for the art and we expect them to do more.  Where you have the National Gallery of Art (NGA) which currently enjoys autonomy, then you have the National Museum, all with the sole role to keep the art together.  While the NGA is holding fort for modern art, the Museum is in-charge of antiquities and ancient arts.  But it is the modern art today that becomes ancient art tomorrow.”

    So, to him, there has to be a meeting point in this regard.  It is supposed to be an endless relationship, but there are things happening now that need to readdressed, that need some re-engineering.  One simple example is National Museum issuing permit for contemporary works to be taken out of Nigeria.  That sounds absurd to me.  I mean, it is a bit of aberration.  The National Gallery that is positioned with the requisite knowledge and foresight to do this job, should be allowed to do it.”

    As it is now, Olakun and most of his colleagues do not necessarily want to be stuck in this complication or the like.  All they need is a sector that functions very well, a sector that is good to promote the ideals of the visual arts in its totality.  “We as a body also need to work with them to get it right.  That line of communication needs to open once more.  Whenever that act that established the NGA goes back to the National Assembly for reappraisal, we artists need to be involved.  We are the stakeholders and so we have to be at the public hearing.  Before it even gets to the National Assembly, we have to rub minds with the NGA to get it right.  This will help us to find the operational policies that are good for the industry.”

    In an attempt to get it right, the need for the private and public sectors to work together also becomes instructive.  “This way we can also reach out to patrons and be able to bring all the people into one fold.  This is one of the best ways to ensure that the government is made to show serious interest in what we do.”  He however, berated his colleagues for their inability to form a common front over the years to show commitment towards the business aspects of the visual art.  “Now, see what the musicians are doing to steal the show and make all the money.  We have to also hustle to make more money.  Even those we call our grandchildren in the industry are doing better.  It means that there is something fundamentally missing in the industry and we need to address it now and urgently too.”

    In other word, he still feels that the issue of representations in proper quarters is the problem.  “This is why we need to strategise.  We need to bring in the serious principles of business into what we do.  So when we do this, we can be focused and have time to work and make money.   We produce art, we market it ourselves and we do administration and the rest.  This is not good for us.  It diminishes the strength you have to do studio works.  So, for us to get it right we have to distinguish between these and get the right people to do the rest for us.  This is how it is done in other genres of the art and we need to create that niche for business sense.”

  • Making terrorism visual

    Making terrorism visual

    The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGA) is the parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism with the mandate to collect and preserve works of arts and paintings that are of modern quality to the nation.  Ever since the edict that established it, NGA has been in the forefront of ensuring that Nigerian contemporary arts are kept in good order.  This is why also, every year the management of NGA, Lagos office, makes it a point of duty to organize art paintings and sculpting for children.  The idea is to encourage the children to fall in line with their talents on time and to also express their artistic ideas as they deem it fit.

    This was why this year’s children’s day celebration was no different.  To make it worthwhile for the children, NGA organized painting and sculpting competition for many school children in Lagos State and beyond.  Part of what the organizers did was to fulfill the mandate of NGA which says that the parastatal is meant to serve as the repository of Nigeria’s creative spirit and to equally promote the appreciation of Nigerian modern and contemporary art.

    To make this realizable, both the primary and secondary school children in the state were invited to showcase their talents.  In this regard Mrs. Ekene Okoroma, the head of the Lagos office of NGA said “this art talent cum art hunt exhibition is usually done on May 27 every year in commemoration of the children’s day celebration.  For us, amidst every uncertainty our entire nation may have gone through this year, yet we have been able to come this far to ensure that our children participated in this competition.”

    Amid series of plays and dramas enacted by the NGA management, the children were very enthusiastic to be part of the shows.  In her speech, Okoroma insisted that the goal of the NGA even amid hardships and the stark economic problem was still able to give the children the opportunity to excel.  She said, “In the quest to continue to make our country greater, our theme for this year’s celebration hinges extensively on one very dangerous and globally accepted evil, terrorism.

    And because terrorism has dealt devastating blows on many societies and have consequently destroyed most homes, this year’s painting theme for the kids was anchored on, ‘Say no to terrorism; it destroys our nation.’  It was meant to continue to create awareness among the youths of the nation.  It is also to help them understand wholesomely the dangers inherent in the act and how it will affect their future.  Therefore, the children should be taught on time on how to reject in its entirety the lure to be drawn into this heinous behaviour.

    With a lot of passion the children did very classical paintings that zeroed down on the theme.  They were able to produce big works that beat the imagination of many people.  Most of the guests could not indeed believe that children in primary and secondary schools could do those works.

    Besides that, Okoroma noted, however, that the children took their time to do justice to the paintings in order to bring out the beauty of creativity and then show that terrorism is not good for anybody.  “This is why you can see this array of beautiful works today.”  The day was crowned with the award of trophies and certificates to those who won positions.

    Apart from giving the awards in different categories, the winning schools were specially recognized and commended for their love for the visual art.  Teachers who have taken their time to instruct the kids and put them on the right track were told to keep it up.  Art, in all intents and purposes should be exposed to the children at their early age so as to enable them do better when they grow up.

    In graphics, in the primary school category, Adetola Ogungbemi of Confidence Nursery School, Lagos, took the first position, while Moshood Fathia of Ewe-Nla School, Lagos, came first in painting.  The first position in sculpture was clinched by Christianah Samuel.  In the Junior Secondary School category, Altta Samuel emerged first in painting, while Chigbo Ralchukwu came first in graphics.  The overall winner was Mayinoluwa Okulate of Lagoon Secondary School, Lekki, Lagos.

    Some of the schools present were Queensland Academy, Yabatech Secondary School, Effortswill Academy, Iman College and many more.  All the winning works will however be preserved by the NGA for posterity.  This tradition has been maintained over the years just in line with the spirit of the promotion of visual art for which the agency is noted.

  • Preferred bidder ready for National Theatre

    Preferred bidder ready for National Theatre

    After many years of deliberations and business discussions on the need to use the Public Private Partnership (PPP), to develop the National Theatre premises, a final bidder for the concession of the fallow land around the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, has been chosen.  At a press briefing during the week, the General Manager of the National Theatre, Mallam Kabir Yusuf, stated that after series of brainstorming sessions, the option of PPP was agreed upon as the best way to develop the complimentary facilities and infrastructure within the surroundings of the Theatre in line with the master plan of the National Theatre.

    The preferred bidder is Topwide Apeas/Chris Michael Ltd while the reserved bidder is Calzada Nigeria Ltd.  In other words, this result has been certified by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Committee (ICRC) which is set in place by the Federal government for purposes of this nature.

    The General Manager reiterated the need for the public to understand that the main body of the Theatre is not in any way affected by this arrangement.  “All we need do is to refurbish the mainbowl of the Theatre to serve for bigger purposes for the culture sector.  It is the fallow portions of the land within the premises which form part of the masterplan that will be developed to meet the required standard befitting a theatre environment,” he said.

    He stressed that over the years many people have misconstrued this to mean that the National Theatre edifice is up for sale.  “No we are not selling the National Theatre.  Let me say that crystal clear here.  There was a masterplan put in place in the early 1970s when the idea of the place was first mooted.  Now, the Federal government feels that the completion of that place is long over due.  This is why we have been given the mandate to go ahead to complete it so as to give the environment its proper place as the entertainment city of the country,” Yusuf said.

    On completion, the Theatre would boost of five star hotel, shopping mall, offices of international standard, land and water parks, leisure and entertainment centre and multi-level car park.  When this is done, many of the shanties and makeshift buildings which have been considered illegal would be dismantled.  “To this effect,” Yusuf reiterated, “a stakeholders committee made up of the federal government ministry of land, housing and urban development, federal ministry of works, office of the surveyor-general of the federation, federal ministry of physical planning, infrastructure concession regulatory committee and the National Theatre was constituted and was indeed inaugurated on 20th September last year by the federal government.  The occasion was used to ask the public to get people who would be interested in the bid since government could not go it alone.”

    Thereafter, stakeholders began to be associated with the exercise and today it is obvious that PPP initiative is the best option to finally complete the masterplan.  With the final arrangement having been given the nod by the Federal executive council, a roadshow to sensitise the public on the need to be fully involved in the plan took place.  Yusuf said, “with these approvals, the parent ministry and the National Theatre went for shopping of credible local and international investors by organizing investors roadshow.  This took us to Lagos, London, Dubai and Johannesburg in 2014.  It was from this exercise that eleven consortiums indicated their interest and consequently submitted tender bids upon which advertisements for same purpose were placed in both local and international media.”

    When the concession is completed, it will last for 33 years after which the property will again return to the federal government.  However, it is believed that the PPP arrangement is to totally ensure that even the green areas of the premises, including the lawns and the flowers would be left intact.  As it is now, the arrangement is in its final stage.  This is why Yusuf asserted that the next stage of this transaction is negotiation and the preparation of the final outline business case for the approval of the federal executive council.

    After this, the project will commence stage by stage, phase by phase until it is finally completed to give the whole Theatre environment its deserving status as the best entertainment city in West Africa.

  • Teaching old hands new tricks

    Teaching old hands new tricks

    Shelter Watch Initiative, an NGO with a passion for improving the lots of artisans in the country, recently retrained over 100 artisans in their respective trades and skills in modern techniques and tools. Taiwo Abiodun who was at their graduation in Ilaro, reports.

    THE environment was filled with excitement, and food and drinks were freely served. Music also blared from two giant hi-fi speakers placed strategically at the four corners of the hall, while the celebrators who were graduating danced their hearts out. You could tell that they were really in a joyful mood.

    Somehow, these graduates are however different in that they are not your run-of-the-mill youths. These are men in their 40s; some in their 50s; and some in their 70s. They were proudly regaled in their ceremonial graduation gowns, beaming with smiles and full of joy, as they took photographs and posed with their family members and friends. This was on the occasion of the graduation ceremony of some Nigerian Artisans, who recently underwent training under the Shelter-Watch Initiative (NGO) in conjunction with the Department of Building Technology,  Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State penultimate Thursday.

    The school graduated about 108 artisans, who were retrained in their various skills, to enable them garner more practical skills, improve and be able to perform up to international standard. Following the training, they were also expected to compete favourably with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

    This was the first graduation ceremony taking place at the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP building of the institution. It was witnessed by hundreds of parents, relations and well-wishers, who came from far and wide to see and cheer their own in their academic gowns  something they never dreamt of, as they received their certificates.

    In his speech, Builder Tayo Fajuyitan, Dean School of Environmental Studies, Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, said among other things that “as you are all aware, Nigeria is currently undergoing serious social economic challenges in the areas of massive unemployment and disequilibrium and lack of technical know-how. That is why it has become imperative for you to embrace the vocational training that can make majority of youths self-sustaining and self-enriching.”

    The Chief Executive Officer of Mortgage Bankers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Kayode Omotoso, described the graduating students as “lucky to have the opportunity of this feat,” while Builder Segun Bolarinwa, who is Director of Building, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Abuja, said he placed so much value on the programme that he had to stop his journey to Abuja to honour the graduands and give them words of encouragement.

    Omotoso advised them to behave well and show good attitude to their customers. He also said that they should not be temperamental and that it takes time to succeed.

    In his words, “Everybody in Nigeria wants to be a big man and become a millionaire in a day, but life is not like that.”

    He said there is no menial job but menial attitude, and implored the artisans to take their job with seriousness and dignity: “We should not look down on our job because it is what we use to feed our family and maintain ourselves. Your work is important and crucial.”

    Speaking on the occasion, the Executive Director of Shelter Watch, Mr. Segun Olutade, stressed the need for the artisans to be trained and retrained in a world where technology has taken over the manual and archaic skills. According to him, ‘Learning is a never- ending process.’

    He said this was not the first time such training and retraining of artisans would be taking place, adding that over 2,000 artisans has been successfully trained in various polytechnics across the country.

    Olutade bemoaned the old style of moving materials to work site, saying “Use of sacks to carry tools to sites has been identified as one of the major setbacks for the sub-sector of the building /construction industry. Coupled with this are the energy-sapping tools most artisans still use, but which have been long forgotten in the developed and developing countries of the world. While it would take 50 seconds to shoot a nail into the wall by a carpenter in the developed and developing world, it might take his counterpart in Nigeria five minutes, with energy-sapping effort to poorly hammer a nail into the same wall.”

    He said “It is sad to note that neither Nigerian unemployed youths nor their parents want to be identified with artisan trade in the building sector, which is begging for attention of over a million unemployed youths. As you can see today, we have succeeded in dealing with the attitude of our artisans and their dressing code.”

    In order to show the technical know-how of how to utilize the latest instruments, Adedamola Ajibulu, a London-trained builder and an expert in building technology and instruments, declared that the era of working with outdated tools and old system was over. He added that the developed and developing world have jettisoned old styles and types their Nigerian counterparts are still using. To the excitement of the graduands, he demonstrated how some of the instruments are used. He brought out different tools used in carpentry, building, fabrication, welding, electrical, and practicalised their usage, while the artisans watched in awe and appreciation.

    Ajibulu said ‘No one uses hammer for hours to put a nail on a door anymore in the modern world, as it consumes more time and saps energy; but with the new technology of these tools, things would work faster and man hour would be saved.”

    Among the graduands were young and elderly people, who said the yearning for more knowledge prompted them to go back to school to be retrained.

    Speaking, Lamidi Fatai Alaba, who graduated in Electricals, said “I am glad to have participated in this course. I am a graduate of Electrical under this crash programme. This will improve my knowledge and help to equip me more than the others out there.”

    Adelu Oluwatosin, who obtained a certificate in Welding, said “We were trained in many things we did not know, thus bringing us up to date with modern trend, and we can now compete with others in our area of specialty anywhere in the world. I am glad to have taken part in this course.”

    Musibau Lateef had a retraining in Carpentry and he thanked God for the opportunity. “I thank God that I participated in this course, as it made me realise that many things have changed in the profession. We were exposed to the latest instruments that would make our job faster and neater. I thought I was using latest equipment before, but I now know better. I only need to look for money now to equip myself with some of the equipment. ‘

    Alhaji Mujaidi Kareem, 72, who also underwent retraining in carpentry, said he was excited to be among the graduands. He said it was one of his clients in Ibadan where he went to repair a mosque roofing that invited Olutade to come and meet him. Despite his age, Kareem said “I wanted to know more, that was why I decided to go for this training. In his excitement, he made jokes about his lecturers who called him Baba, apparently because he was young enough to be his son.

    Alhaji Toyin Lawal also a carpenter said it is good to know more in order to be able to compete with those in the civilised world. He said “When we were asked to go and learn more, we did not know this is what they meant. Now we know better. It is a big challenge for us to buckle up, and sort of improve ourselves to meet up with current world standards.”

    Chief Michael Olumuyiwa Ogunbanjo (69) said he is a welder and has decided to add to his knowledge because he who fails to learn more is not fit to be alive. He said ‘As chairman of Ijebu Local Government’s Welders Association, I should learn and know more and also go out to teach others. Although I am successful in this job, but without additional, nobody can be successful. Even the Oba of Ijebu-ode who is over 80 is still learning, so learning is good.”

  • Shyllon to build multi-billion naira museum

    Shyllon to build multi-billion naira museum

    History will be made today as Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF) founder, Yemisi Shyllon, an engineer, and the Pan Atlantic University (PAU) Governing Council, sign an agreement establishing Nigeria’s first multi-billion naira privately funded public museum, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.

    •Engineer donates 15-foot bronze statue to Unilag Law Faculty

    It could not have come at a better time than now when Nigeria does not have any functioning national art exhibition edifice. From today, Omooba Yemisi Shyllon will begin the funding of a multi-billion-naira museum of art that will house all genres of Nigerian art and photographs.

    Shyllon, who began collecting art as an undergraduate, using savings from his scholarship, has over 6,000 pieces of African antiquities, traditional and neo-traditional pieces and contemporary Nigerian art in his collection. It is the largest private collection in Nigeria comprising music, traditional dance, drama, opera, tribes, paintings, sculptures, photography, folklore, oral tradition, poetry, literature, architecture, performing arts, general arts, embroidery, documentaries and weaving.

    The facility, Yemisi Shyllon Museum – Pan Atlantic University, that will be on Pan Atlantic University campus in Lekki, is one of the steps taken by Shyllon to fill the lacuna in the nation’s art space.

    Shyllon said the project was a selfless effort by his family to establish a one-stop reference point of all the genres of art, including photography, traditional, modern and conceptual art. He said the museum set up for promoting Nigerian art. “It will be Nigeria’s first functioning privately funded, but public exhibition space that will contain all genres of visual art and antiques from part of my collection for the benefit of our country and the world,” he said. He disclosed that other major collectors of Nigerian art will be allowed to exhibit their collections in sections within and forming part of the museum.

    According to him, the agreement includes, among others, granting the museum his art collections, funding of the seed money, providing 15 years of yearly funding of the running cost of the museum and electing some of the members of the museum management. He disclosed that the University Council and himself would agree on the design of the museum architecture, which will be undertaken by an international architect.

    Shyllon has been worried by what will become of his treasured collections. Even after trips to renowned museums and galleries across the globe, seeking knowledge on how to run a museum, he discovered that it required more than erecting a building to run a viable museum. “It is an expensive venture as it involves insurance of collections, preservation of works, management of operating staff and logistics among others. Given all this, I was in a quagmire on how to preserve all my collections and what will happen to my works. I did not want my sweat to go the way of other collectors,” he said.

    Shyllon recalled that for many years he had been thinking of what to do with his art collections, which he started as an undergraduate. “In my working career, I kept satisfying my passion by collecting art. But, when I started to work for myself, I decided to take art collection serious. This led to the incorporation of OYASAF in 2007. The foundation held its first two art exhibitions: History of Nigerian art and Drums and Totems in partnership with Omoba Oladele Odimayo at the National Museum, Lagos. These shows caught the attention of the United StateS Embassy in Lagos and facilitated my selection for US-sponsored International Visitors Leadership Programme to 22 institutions in the US in 2009.

    “My question all through the trip was how viable is running a museum? When I returned I was better informed and learnt that gate taking was only 5 per cent of museum income,” he added, noting that his search on who to partner with led him to Pan Atlantic University, which has foreign partners in Spain.

    On why he chooses to initiate all this project, he said: “One thing that drives me is legacy. You can make all the money in this world, but if there is no legacy you left behind, when you die, people will forget everything about you. Whatever I want to do must be legacy inspired. These projects have no profit motive behind them but to contribute to the society in my chosen passion.”

     

    Donation of a 15-foot

    bronze statue to Unilag

    Similarly, on Friday  a 15-foot bronze statue donated by Shyllon to Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, will be unveiled. Considering the concept of the new statue of justice, it is to revolutionise the design concept of the universal symbol of justice. It is expected to project the different ethnic nationalities of Nigeria and redirect the representation of the symbol of justice as a people towards ‘promoting our culture and traditions.’ It took the artist Adeola Balogun, who was supported by a bronze-caster Paul Omorodion three months to complete the sculpture.

    The sculpture is a maiden holding the Eben of the Oba of Benin and the horse whip of Yoruba Kings. She is also adorned with the Jigida of the Efik culture around her waist and wears the famous Fura do Nunu attire of the Hausa/Fulani culture. The Ileke of the Yoruba culture adorns her waist. The beads on her neck and the Udu on her two feet represent the Igbo culture. Her hairdo (Shuku) and the bracelets on her hands are of the Yoruba culture. She is of the Negro (Nigeria) identity and blindfolded in tandem with the universal representation of the symbol of justice.

     

    Online journal of art:The OYASAF Journal of Art (TOJA)

    The third part of Shyllon’s intervention on art this month is the establishment of an online international journal of art, The OYASAF Journal of Art, under his endowed professorial chair at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), which he has committed funds. The journal is expected to make its debut by the end of July.  He said: “I decided to set up this quality of journal because of the dearth of such journals in our academic space in Nigeria. What we usually have in Nigeria are stop gap journals published merely to get promotions after which the journals are often jettisoned. This is one of the projects initiated to enhance the appreciation and development of Nigerian arts and culture and to position us in the global art space. It will also give Nigerian art stakeholders something to be proud of.

    It will be edited by the Chair of the Prince Yemisi Shyllon Professorial Chair of Art and Design of UNIPORT, Prof Frank Ugiomoh. There will be three professors from the US, two from South Africa, one each from Germany and the UK and four from Nigeria. The chair of the board of trustees is a Vice Chair of the UNESCO 1970 Convention, assisted by seven professors of international repute. The journal is expected to be published thrice year ly with a maximum of six and minimum of four papers per publication.

    TOJA is an online journal for critical debate on African art  and will publish  articles, reviews, critical discourse based on studio experiences of artists and products such as product/industrial design, architecture, sculpture, painting and printmaking, photography and installations, exhibitions, curatorial practice.    The journal will provide an on-line platform for documenting the arts of Africa, and similar cultural practices around the world.  It will be published annually, every four months (March, July & November) as an on line publication with a maximum of six (6) and a minimum of four (4) annual outings. It will include global features on book reviews, review of art exhibitions, scholars’ forum, review of art fairs and others.

    TOJA is set to occupy the position of a vanguard online forum that provides commensurate knowledge in art practice, discourse and related engagements in Africa. It vision includes to contribute to an appreciation of visual literacy through discourse alternatives that engage practice, history, criticism and interpretation; to encourage discourse options that privilege diverse ideological perspectives and to create an enabling medium for the free expression and exchange of ideas.

    Shyllon’s philanthropic gestures know no bound. He restored a failed Ben Enwonwu’s 1952 artwork for the University of Ibadan, donated a 25-feet sculpture Towards Distinction to the University of Ibadan, contributed to the redesigning of the University of Ibadan zoo, contributed to the refurbishment of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife campus (during the tenure of Prof Rogers Makanjuola), endowed a professorial chair at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, sponsored school competition in arts, sponsored the annual creative art workshop at the University of Lagos, donated sculptures to the Freedom Park, Lagos and runs residency programmes for arts scholars among others through his foundation.

  • Eyeing history from a photographer’s perspective

    Eyeing history from a photographer’s perspective

    The cover photograph of the catalogue for this special exhibition, Eyes of History, aptly personifies the metaphor that the camera-and-photographer is the ultimate eye that sees captures and records permanent visual documentation for posterity. This monumental photograph is a very touching human angle narrative of an extraordinary moment in an event of family history. Not surprisingly, many eyes and cameras are seen in the photograph diligently documenting the same once-in-a-lifetime moment and occasion!

    We see Governor Fashola caringly holding a new-born baby, the mother of the baby is ‘captured’ excitedly taking a photograph of the Governor holding her prized baby; with her cell-phone camera and, other female maternity-hospital staff are also seen taking photographs of the precious moment with their own cell-phone cameras. The many eyes present are all on this event; witnessing it. However, it is Lukman Olaonipekun (a.k.a Lukesh); magnificently playing the professional role of an experienced and creative ‘super-eye’ who has brought into sharp focus, for posterity, the entire extraordinary moment and event!

    This classic photograph and, many more in the exhibition, say a lot about Lukesh the photographer. The cover photograph demonstrates that he is very alert; a crucial hallmark for good photography and also has a keen eye for composition.

    When a photographer over time develops an intimate and spontaneous relationship between his camera and himself; the camera eventually becomes an extension of him, his all-seeing eye! The eye is one of the greatest wonders of nature. It never tires of seeing, it can see far and near, wide and small, it can see in any manner of weather and light; from bright sunshine to darkness, it can see colours, shapes and literarily everything. In carrying out its natural functions, it seamlessly adjusts its focus to keep objects in sharp focus!

    Hence, one of the top compliments you can pay a photographer is to say that he has “an eye.” In the case of Olaonikpekun, (Lukesh) his photographs in Eyes of History  and, many others of his, are clear and undisputed evidence that he has, “a very good eye.” Lukesh has an “exceptional eye,” and this is evident in his huge body of works compiled over two decades of his career as a professional photographer.

    He has a panoramic eye, a discerning eye for the unusual and spectacular and, a roving inquisitive eye! This is why Lukesh’s Eyes of History brings us marvelling sights of history, culture, lifestyles and landscapes. This exhibition simultaneously documents the history of a period in his photographic career and equally serves as a trajectory of how his eye has been refined, over time, in its development.

    Where does Lukesh belong in the pantheon of photography in Nigeria? He definitely belongs to the documentary genre; with a difference. Whilst he might also be classified as a Photojournalist/ Press Photographer, he is again a different type of press photographer; more like a trailblazer as a Political Photographer. He has made history and distinguished himself as the first private photographer in Nigeria to have become the full-time official and personal photographer of an elected Governor, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola [SAN] of Lagos State, for two terms [2007-2015]. Usually, it is the official photographers in the State Ministry of Information and Government House who are assigned to cover the Governor’s activities.

    Eyes of History is a vivid visual story of contrast and change from both an aesthetic and psychical points of view. We get a glimpse and understanding of the process of change unfolding; with the principal characters and machinery for change at work, the challenges that have been overcome and the new challenges clamouring for future and permanent solutions.

    Incidentally, many of the photographs in this Eyes of History, exhibition are also published in Lukman Olaonikpekun’s new book The Fashola Years; a testimony of Governor Fashola’s successful efforts to transform Lagos State and chart the path towards Lagos becoming a megacity during his eight-year tenure.

    It opens with the driver of the change process in Lagos State, Governor Fashola, addressing his ‘engine-house;’ the Permanent Secretaries and Directors of the Civil Service in 2014. Then we see him distributing free Eko Crops Exercise Books to students in 2011.These two photographs in particular and, some others in this exhibition exemplify that Lukesh has mastered the cardinal photographic principle of knowing the moment of decision; that fractional exact moment when you take a photograph. It is about precise timing to get the action; as in Fashola’s hand gestures around the microphone as he stresses a point and, the eye contact between a grateful admiring student and Governor Fashola! The vast Agric-Yes Songhai Farm in Badagry in 2013 tells of efforts to make Lagos State more self-sufficient in food production.

    The next series of photographs can be categorised as reflecting the phases of change in the infrastructure and transportation sectors in Lagos State. These aerial photographs include The Old Face of Oshodi; congested and chaotic, new and improved road networks, The Okota-Itire Link Bridge, The Maryland intersection, the old reliable Third Mainland Bridge, the new cable-stayed Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge; first of its kind in West Africa and commissioned on Democracy Day, May 29, 2013, and the same Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge at sunset. A picturesque photograph of a mother with her baby strapped on her back and paddling home in her dug-out canoe precedes the new phases of transportation in Lagos State. These are a line up of Bus Rapid Transport-BRT buses launched in 2007, BRT buses driving under overhead pedestrian bridges and, then The Lagos Light Rail Project under construction.

    The photographs in this Eyes of History are taken from Lukesh’s point of view from the air, land and water. In the series that can be categorised as faces of change, we have an aerial photograph of the Makoko water community on the Lagos Lagoon; reputed to be one of Africa’s oldest fishing settlements, and, an aerial close-up shot of a colourful Makoko abode on stilts surrounded by dug-out canoes. As a sharp contrast we have photographs of a first-of-its-kind housing scheme in Nigeria, the Lagos State Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme-HOMS. There are photographs of a HOMS Estate near completion with hordes of workers who helped build the estate lurking around, and another photograph of a completed HOMS Housing Estate at Shogunro, Ogba, with children confidently playing football in the blissful environment. Aerial shots of Lagos with its skyscrapers, Bar Beach and a night scene of an Ikoyi waterfront complete this segment.

    By now a viewer of this exhibition would have noticed how Lukesh has artistically used natural light, the time of day and electric light to create different moods. The stunning photograph of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge taken at sunset gives the Lagos Lagoon a golden hue while the Lagoon of the Ikoyi waterfront has a shimmering blue hue thanks to the electricity-lit buildings. Nearly all the photographs in this Eyes of History, are in colour and the few black & white photographs like The Third Mainland Bridge and Badagry Traditional Drummers have their own peculiar mood and strength.

    Then there are photographs that depict the wide diversity of the culture, old and new, of Lagos State. The Eyo masquerade, the cultural face of Lagos, is prominently featured. There is a parade of dancers at the 2014 Lagos Carnival; supposed to be over 100 years old and another group of dancers. Two Badagry drummers drumsticks in both hands are photographed dancing around their traditional big high drum; this one with a painted robed figure carved on it. A photograph of participants in a boat regatta; featuring happy boisterous canoe-women performing at the 2013 Lagos Black Heritage Festival, captures one of the many aquatic attractions that have made Lagos State a vibrant tourism destination.

    The Fashola administration during its eight-year tenure undertook a massive beautification project in Lagos State which involved trees, flowers and jobs. A split-frame photograph of what the Adeniji Adele Loop looked like in 2007 and 2008 before and after its beautification respectively, a photograph of the beautified Simpson Loop in 2008 and, a photograph of the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos, in 2011, attest to the success of this Lagos State Beautification Project.

    With a population in excess of 21 million and 60 per cent of Nigeria’s industries located in Lagos State, the energy requirements of the State is about 10,000-12,000MW. This is in sharp contrast to the less than 1,000MW currently available on the national grid. The Fashola administration therefore embarked on a robust programme of Independent Power Projects-IPP and power from these IPPs are used in government institutions, light the streets and public spaces. Tinubu Square lit up at night its fountains glistering is simply warm and beautiful!

    Eyes of History appropriately features Governor Fashola himself in the landmark exhibition. We see the politician, the person; charismatic, approachable by the elderly, adults and the young. A man of the people and for the people, he is comfortable with members of the Lagos State catfish marketers Association, a grandmother giving him a warm hug, and a bold young girl who has broken protocol to approach him. It is touching to see him exchange high fives with a young boy whose future he has definitely helped secure!

    Eyes of History is another milestone in the photographic career of Lukesh, with much more to come.

  • iRep attracts foreign recognitions

    iRep attracts foreign recognitions

    After a successful hosting of this year’s iRep International Documentary Film Festival in March, the iRepresent Documentary Film Forum has continued to attract international recognitions as it co-hosted the Dok.Network Africa programme at the 30th anniversary edition of the Dok.Fest Munich, Germany, one of the prime documentary film festivals in Europe.

    The event, held at the prestigious Museum Funf Kontinente Munich, witnessed an impressive diverse audience. The special session screened among others the film by Camilla Nielsson (Denmark) The Democrats and Rehad Desai’s compelling work Miners’ Shot Down (South Africa) as well as La Sirene De Faso Fani by Michel K. Zongo (Burkina Faso.).

    It also presented a dynamic panel discussion on documentary’s political role in emerging democracies in Africa. Rens van Munster of the Danish Institute for International Studies presented a talk with very interesting perspectives on the Political dimensions of Documentary filmmaking.

    Co-founder and Executive Director of IREP Femi Odugbemi was a featured speaker. He also presented Miners’ Shot Down on behalf of South African director, Rehad Desai. The film was curated and recommended to Dok.Fest 2015 by IREP and had earlier featured as part of the screened films at the iREP 2014 edition.

    The idea of Africa Day had been inspired by the collaboration between DOK.Fest and iREP, which began three years ago. The collaboration has also yielded another opportunity as DOK.Fest has asked iREP to send in one of its operation staff to once again undertake a six-week internship starting in November. The cooperation between iREP and DOK.Fest had been midwifed by the Goethe Institute, Lagos, which had also been the intermediary of the relationship between iREP and the Ag-Dok – the highly influential German association of independent film producers, which in the past four years, has brought groups of German filmmakers to every edition of the yearly iREP festival.

    Also, the Forum got an invitation from Cape Town, South Africa to send a representative to the ENCOUNTERS Documentary Film Festival – a highly competitive international documentary film workshop and industry gathering, for a three-week training and internship that would usher collaborative programming. IREP 2015 Festival Manager Lanre Olupona has since left for South Africa on that attachment. He will work and understudy the programming team of Encounters Festival over an intensive 3-week, with a view to learning best practices in Festival Operations and management. It will be recalled that two years ago another IREP Festival Manager Toyin Poju-Oyemade was in Munich, Germany to understudy the operations of the Dok.Fest Documentary Festival as well. All of these exchanges have strengthened IREP’s global network and enshrined global best practices in its operations.

    In June at the prestigious Sheffield Documentary Film Festival UK, Femi Odugbemi will also be a featured speaker on the subject of Imperialism Or Inquiry – How Fair Is Foreign Filming? a major panel of the Documentary Campus Industry Conference. He will as well be meeting several global documentary filmmakers to schedule films for the 2016 IREP Festival.

    In July, Odugbemi will also be attending the People2People conference to be hosted by the 2015 Durban International Film Festival in South Africa. Odugbemi is on the Advisory Board of the People2People Conference and IREP is a founding signatory to the Documentary Network Africa, DNA, an influential documentary platform featuring filmmakers from 45 Africa countries.

    Meanwhile, iREP will be resuming its monthly film screening programme at the Freedom Park Lagos this week with the tribute screening of the film Uncommon Service produced by Deji Adesanya on the unusual story of patriotism and community service by Dr Yombo Awojobi, a medical doctor cum inventor, engineer, philosopher, all rolled into one. Dr. Yombo Awojobi died a few weeks ago.  The film screening event was held on Sunday, June 7 at 2pm at Freedom Park, Broad Street Lagos.

  • My Hero… The sunny side of Mr President

    My Hero… The sunny side of Mr President

    IT was a 40-minute documentary. Yet, members of the audience at its screening got more than a bumper harvest from it. Tagged My Hero… is a documentary on the life style of President Mohammadu Buhari, which was premiered recently at Abuja before some select audience such as General Paul Tafa (rtd) Mallam Isyaku Ibrahim, Alhaji M.M. Abdul, former Minister of Information, Mr. Tony Momoh, former Head of Civil Service, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, Director General, National Gallery of Art, Abduallahi Muku.

    No doubt, many members of the audience at the premier may have been stunned by some of the revelations made in the film. The 40-minute documentary endeared Buhari to many at the end of the show as the sunny side of a man misunderstood as a brute and unfriendly was captured in the documentary.

    The film, produced by Ireti Bakare Yusuf in collaboration with Heavywind Studios,

    was premiered as part of activities heralding the dawn of Buhari’s administration. Executive Producer of the documentary, Ireti Bakare Yusuf said she got involved in the film through a voluntary work and that she was not certain Buhari would win the election. Yet many people supported her ambition and that was what led to the actualisation of the work.

    On the choice of title, she said the dots after the word Hero was included after the election was won to capture the inputs that were gathered after the election. According to Yusuf, after four years of Buhari’s administration, those who do not believe in him now might come to agree with the title.

    General Tafa, an age-long ally of Buhari who chaired the premier commended the effort of the executive producer. According to him, the fact that the documentary was single handedly financed by her was most commendable. Tafa said: “She traversed Nigeria with her team and at her expense to interview people, friends and relations of Buhari because of her belief in Buhari as somebody who will bring change to Nigeria. The documentary says it all but even before that, I want to say that Buhari is the man Nigeria needs now and my prayer is that all that he stood for and had said would be fulfilled in the next four years”.

    For about 40 minutes, audience were taken through interviews with prominent Nigerians on one hand and the general public who had not had any close relationship with him on the other, each giving his perception about the new President. Max Siollun, a historian, for instance, described Buhari as a very consistent person while others see him from the perception of honesty, consistent and integrity.

    In fact, every aspect of Buhari’s life was captured in interviews with 29 Nigerians that comprised close associates, childhood friends, relations, family members, employees as well as the general public. Among those interviewed are Musa Bello, Kunle Idiagbon, Captain Paul Tafa, Dr. Abiola Gyado, General Mohammed Magoro, Tunji Lardner and Chief Bisi Akande.

    Ironically, even though they were interviewed at different times and in different places, every contributor had an impressive and positive description of the man, Buhari.

    The highlight of the interview was where Buhari’s wife revealed how humorous he is. According to her, Mr. President also loves animal channels and local movies and could watch films for over 10 hours without getting bored.

    Yusuf stated that although the task was very challenging, she got a little support from friends and that made her work more of a memorable experience than a challenge, adding, “It was challenging but also, I had support and that made things a lot easier. However, that was not the most challenging task I have ever carried out. We live in Nigeria; we all have challenges but we always overcome those challenges. So, I like to see it as a journey and experience rather than a challenge

    “But it was good going to see all those friends of President Buhari. Some of the things I learnt from them behind the camera were greater than those in the film and as for whether it changed my perception about Buhari, I will say it did. Who would have thought that Buhari is into comic books? His wife said he sits down and watches animal channels for over 10 hours and he loves it to a point where he begins to cry. Who would have thought of that?

    “The Buhari we all know is a man that is austere and straight looking. Nobody knew he also has a sense of humour. It was one of the things I learnt. So, a lot of my perception about him changed and I think a lot of people’s perception about him also changed through the documentary. It was very rewarding for me in many ways but definitely not financially.

    “As a Nigerian, as a person and in my own development, it has enabled me to learn so much about the goodness of this country. One of the things that became apparent to me is that there are honest, humble, God-fearing and law abiding men and women in this country who served the nation wholeheartedly without stealing a penny.

    “These people are of different generations from ours and I hope that our generations would learn from that. A lot of Buhari’s friends I met have humble homes. It is a case of show me your friend and I will tell you who you are”, Ireti said.

    Also at the event was the Director General, National Gallery of Art, Abdullahi Muku. He said he would be taking away a lot of things from the documentary.

    “I learnt that we have a leader that is disciplined. With a disciplined leader, the followers will have no option than to be disciplined. But the most important thing I have learnt from the documentary is that we as a people appear to be having our last chance to get things right. Hence, we must give our maximum cooperation to ensure he succeeds and when he success, we succeed.

    “In one word, I will say that he is a disciplined man with a tremendous believe in the country and committed to see that everything works well for Nigeria”, Muku said.

    For the former Minister of Information, Chief Tony Momoh, the documentary has brought about the humane side of Buhari as told by friends.

    He added: “It also brought out how humorous he is. How strict people thought he was but how very humorous he has always been.

    “There were lots of things people did not know about Buhari, which came out in the film today – closeness to those who worked with him and those he worked with. There did not seem to be anybody who said anything evil about him or the so called bad side that the hate films said about him.

    “As a person, I have known Buhari since 2003 when I was with him and I know he is the simplest man you can meet. He talks about the rules and expects everybody to obey the rules. He is very predictable, you will know what he will do; if you compromise any of the issues, you are on your own.

    On what he expects of Buhari after inauguration, Momoh noted that the President should hit the ground running.

    “Buhari said things have become so bad that it will take a lot of time to stabilise and he will pursue security, develop infrastructure and all of us will look forward to prosperity”, Momoh added.