The Nation Newspaper

Category: Arts & Life

  • It’s no season of anomie

    It’s no season of anomie

    With the theme freedom and the word, renowned literary eggheads gathered in Lagos recently to discuss Wole Soyinka at 80 and Freedom and Nation Building. It was part of activities for this year’s edition of the Lagos Book and Art Festival as put together by the Committee for Relevent Art. Edozie Udeze reports

    The essence of every coloquium is to highlight a theme and bring it into life in the consciousness of the public. This was what the erudile professors and literary eggheads who gathered last weekend at the Freedom Square, Lagos, were able to do to some select works of Professor Wole Soyinka. It was the occasion of the 16th edition of the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) organised by the Committee for Relevent Art (CORA)

    Even though the overall theme of the festival was Freedom and the word, the discussion around Soyinka’s works was anchored on Freedom and Nation Building, using The Man Died, Ake, Ibadan, Isara, You Must Set Forth at Dawn, Penkelemesi and so on, to get the ball rolling. Handled by Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, the idea was to see how Soyinka has been able to use his works to set the necessary agenda for the society. In a society where many things have gone wrong, where the leadership of the country is often foolhardy, where the people themselves, even the so-called champions of the cause of the common man keep silence in time of oppression and massive corruption, what then is the role of the writer in all these? How has Soyinka used his works to tackle these issues and reached out to the people as an activist?

    Professor Biodun Jeyifo who gave the keynote address noted that the likes of Soyinka are rare in the literary firmament of the world. He drew attention to the era of King Richard II in England who was so wicked and avaricious that William Shakespeare did not spare him in some of his poems and plays. So also is Soyinka whom he said has come for his own generation and the generation to come with abundance of visionary and revoluntionary works to set the tone for possible changes.

    “To relate what Soyinka is to Nigeria is to make poignant reference to what Shakespeare did in the era of King Richard II. In a land of abundance, a place where wealth is available to make the people happy, there is plenty of poverty, sadness ad agony. In England, Richard II was besotted with expensive lifestyle like most of the Nigerian leaders of today. The leaders are obviously insensitive to the suffereings of the people. This is what we face today in Nigeria. The common understanding here today is that leadership does not care about the people, about how to use the necessary elements of governance to distribute the wealth of the land equitably.”

    In his works, Soyinka follows in the same sequence in his style of writing, attacking issues, lampooning leaders for their inability to make the country better. “So we have so many Richard II in Nigeria and this is why Soyinka has refused to relent. The two WS lived in worlds filled with inequalities and bad leadership. Now we have in addition bad leadership, total looting of what belongs to the people. This was what Shakespeare tackled in his best quintessential artistic ideas and expressions. Therefore the works of Soyinka are deeply embedded in their intents on politics. He deals with the nation and its dispossessions”.

    In Dance of the Forests, Jeyifo noted, Soyinka drew attention to the early signs of fault starts and mistakes in the nationhood. The play which was premiered in 1960 to usher in the independence of Nigeria from the shackles of the British overlords. The play is full of injustices of all kinds. “Here, truly, Soyinka talks about the dispossessed. The work is more explicit as it clamours for change, a proper stage for change.The state of the dispossessed is always clear in all his works.”

    With reference to The Man Died, Season of Anomie and more, his radical activism came fully to the fore. In his memoirs he did not even spare the enemies of the people. Using both social, political and religious undertones, Soyinka pointed out the ills. In Trials of Brother Jero and others he foresaw the revoluntionary approach of men of God towards hoodwinking the people. However, in all these, Soyinka puts himself into his works. He uses himself to projest his stories and present the ideas before him. “This was why he deliberately broke away from the conservative forces to become a revolutionary, an activist just to face and deal with bad leaders in a society peopled by reactionary forces. When Soyinka became involved in the June 12, 1993 protests to right the wrong against M.K.O Abiola, he did so as a revolutionary, someone touched by the problems of the society. All these are what he brings to bear in all his works. Today, there is no African writer as powerful as he is in the way he implores his revoluntionary ideas to better the welfare of the people. This is why he is seen as a rampaging social crusader, who uses metaphors to externalise his ideas. He sees this as a monstrous society, with deep moral and social decadence where political forces are at work.”

    When King Henry IV became the leader of England, things became better, the English people smiled and the economy became more bouyant. Jeyifo infers that this is what Soinka wishes to happen in Nigeria. “When you compare the two leaders in England and then come home to see the irony of leadership in Nigeria, you then see why as a writer, Soyinka wants this era of eldorado to come now. He continues to search for good leaders and seek ways to actualise this in all his works. As a popular writer, the dispossessed must have a say, they should be given back what belongs to them”.

    In his own contribution, Professor Ropo Sekoni concurred with Jeyifo that Soyinka creates himself as one of the characters in most of his works. “He may not really make other protagonists in his works, but then to situate himself in them for proper effect. In his Pekelemesi years in Ibadan, Soyinka uses a character to project highly positive ideas. Even though he did not join any political party, he uses the involvement of those in them to champion his ideas for total change. Therefore in Ake, Isara, Ibadan and You Must Set Forth at Dawn, you see a revoluntionary anarchist, but with redemptive reformism”.

    Sekoni particularly made reference to the role Soyinka ascribed to women in Ake where he projects them as truly diplomatic and good leaders. He did this so well and ethusiastically, even in his story on Ogboni where he discovers that the place of women as leaders cannot be overlooked. In all, he agrees that as a writer, Soyinka is an activist with unbridled revoluntionary mind, a mind ever determined to ask for change for the good of all.

    For Profesor Mabel of the University of Abuja, Soyinka could only display his innocence as a boy child in Ake. There, he was untainted by the society and gradually he began to be involved in the affairs of the people with his works. According to her, “In Isara, he is now in the world of the grown-ups, asking for justice. You see him concerned for justice. He does not run away from fights. A vivid recount of women’s role in politics comes out clear here. The role of women in Egbaland in the choice of who leads them becomes Soyinka’s total portrayal of women.

    If the women could unseat the Egba monarch, if they could speak with one voice in such an organised manner, Soyinka is saying that women have a lot to offer to the society. “At that point, he was a young man fully prepared to ask for change in his community. This is why he was more interested in teacher-education through his own father who was equally a teacher. And so in traversing all genres of literature, you see Soyinka involved in social, political and moral issues of the people. The Pekelemesi years shows and epitomises the strength of character in him. To him, freedom becomes a symbol, Nigeria becomes an unfinished business.”

    Describing him as a moving dramatist , Mabel said, “Soyinka believes strongly that the human mind and psyche has to be free. This is why his works try to make life meaningful for the people. He is more guided by the sentiments of his time, of the people around him both now and forever,” she said.

    In his comments, Kunle Ajibade observed that Soyinka has chosen to live for humanity, for the common people, for a better society. “He is a moving tank of ideas; ideas that do not in any way go obsolete but remain relevant for all time to come. Soyinka’s life is for people to realise who they are and what must be done to have a concerted change in the society.”

    In his opening remarks, Ogunbiyi commended CORA for the outing and noted that this is the time to draw attention to serious literary issues to make the society change. “Whether it is the Port Harcourt Book fair or LABAF, we need to keep books alive in the society and in the lives of the people themselves. Biodun Jeyifo has written series of articles on the complexity of Soyinka’s works. We are today to listen to him and to learn more on the redical aspects of Soyinka, not only as a writer but as someone who brings himself into what he writes.”

    Ogunbiyi who is also a literatti reminded the gathering that Soyinka uses his deep Yoruba cultural values to shape his works, projecting the people for total effect. “Yes, indeed is a deep political activist who situates his works within the context of the people, the society, the leadership and sustains the interest of readers to follow him all through. This is why his works are of stupendous quality which often gives his literary productions some level of complexity”.

    The discussion was part of series of activitists to give vent to the freedom of the word, in honour of Wole Soyinka at 80. It was to truly see how the man as a writer has fared in his numerous works to effectively touch humanity. It showed that Soyinka even at 80 years of age has not slowed down, has not relented in his quest for an ideal society for all peoples of the world.

  • Discussing freedom

    Discussing freedom

    At the Freedom Park, Lagos, recently some literary eggheads met to discuss in search of freedom and what it constitutes to societies across the world. The issue of what societies do with freedom and their aftermath was the bane of contention. Edozie Udeze writes

    In every situation in all parts of the world when people agitate for freedom, what first comes to their minds is how far-fetched is this dream of obtaining freedom. There is nowhere in the world; whether in Africa or elsewhere where freedom is obtained on a platter of gold. But even then, when this freedom is finally got, what else follows; what do the people do with it to ensure that they consolidate on the gains of this freedom in order to take their society to a greater height?

    These and more were some of the issues that preoccupied the minds of Olayinka Oyegbile, Toni Kan, Derin Ajao, Kola Tunbosun, Femi Odugbemi and others during the just concluded 16th edition of the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF). In the theme of the discussion which centred on freedom and its aftermath the discussants took a swipe at the works of some authors who have written variously on this theme. In search of freedom, and freedom of what? This was the rhetorical question on the lips the of discussants.

    In introducing the topic, Odugbemi opined that books have helped societies across the globe to view their situations better. From apartheid in South Africa, to the cold war years and the fall of the Berlin walls, it is important to see how some very critical books have emerged on these sensitive issues to help the world grasp the situation in such a way as to guide against reoccurrence.

    Oyegbile’s topic which was unique both in its presentation and subject-matter dwelt on the work of Alaa Al-Aswany, an Egyptian author resident in the United State of America. In his book entitled Chicago, Al-Aswany, an award-winning writer dealt with the crisis of identity for most Arabs who are torn between their own strict moral lifestyle in Egypt and the sort of freedom and loose society that pervades the United State of America. “It is the story of sex, love, freedom and identity”, Oyegbile averred.

    Yet it is the story of some Egyptians sent by the government to the USA on scholarship to return back home to Egypt to help rebuild their society. Most of them now find themselves in a confusing state; being immersed in a country where morality is loose, yet the people are making progress. “They could not understand it; yet God has blessed and will continue to bless America. Back in Egypt, the people are made to live a strict religious life, yet there is strife everywhere; there is war and peace eludes the people. Even the Jews are better placed in the world. Is it because they are friends with America, that things are better for them?” Oyebile intoned, dwelling on the deep psychological impact of the book, both on the Egyptians who are torn between the two worlds and some Americans who keep the company of these Arabs.

    It is intriguing, but mostly, Chicago exposes the trauma of a people who live amidst the deluge of an endless lie; a people who are not, as it were, allowed to be true to themselves, to their beliefs and convictions. “Based essentially on a university campus lifestyle, it chronicles these experiences in a post 20/11 Chicago and also brings to the fore the inevitable role of America as the land of freedom and diverse ideas,” Oyegbile surmised.

    In the second book which he discussed, Oyegbule equally ex-rayed the place of the News magazine and its founding editors in championing the cause of freedom from the clutches of military rule. “It was tough, yet these brave writers rose to the occasion. In devising all sorts of strategies and methods, they were able to rattle the military,” Oyegbile said. This story of the News, is the story of democracy in Nigeria today and it is incomplete to celebrate this dispensation without giving kudos to the likes of Bayo Onanuga, Seyi Kehinde, Kunle Ajibade, Dapo Olorunyomi and others for their sense of commitment and bravery that gave freedom to Nigeria.

    In his own contribution, Toni Kan dwelt on the situation in Jos, Plateau State, at the moment where fear and trepidation rule the hearts of the people. “This is a place where love ruled before; where people from all over the world converged to enjoy the bliss of the society. But today man-made strife, hatred and anarchy have taken over. What we see today is a replica of the Berlin wall. You have to be restricted to your own area in the city if you want to enjoy your life,” Kan revealed, “Jos, may not be the same again in a long time to come,” he lamented.

    There is so much fear in the city of Jos. Kan related this scenario to the early years of the Berlin walls when the two Germanys were so scared of one another. Not even social contacts were made possible. Communism and capitalism were then pools apart. The issues of the beliefs of the people along social lines were the basis for deep mistrust. So then, what do we have in Jos now? Anarchy and fear for tomorrow have taken over the entire enclave. If that is the case, what then is freedom; how does man obtain freedom in order to prosper in the world? These are the salient issues in search of freedom raised and they are issues that indeed trouble the soul of humanity.

    How can man himself work to keep the society trouble-free? Tunbosun who discussed apartheid per se, was not happy that the world did not or could not see the true ironies of this monster until years later. By then, a lot of damage, deep-rooted for that matter, had been established to keep the Blacks perpetually backwards. “And this is what the Black South Africans are suffering today. That trauma of a situation so long perpetuated in their society is still haunting them. As a matter of fact, it will take a long while for them to get out of it,’ Tunbosun argued.

    To him, the white supremacy in the enclave was perpetuated mainly to deny the Blacks of the right to vote. They were also denied the right to go to school and be exposed to the world. This worked for a long time, until people like Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and others began to challenge the white rulers of South Africa. And when the centre could not hold anymore, freedom came; came in such a way that the era of trauma cannot be easily forgotten by the people who were at the receiving end.”

    The discussants harped on the need for people to begin on time to stand for their rights. No one has the monopoly of victimization or the withholding of other people’s rights and freedom. Freedom is freely given to every man and therefore every man has the right to be respected. Why would people assume the policeman of the world or even go as far as dictating to other societies on how to order their lives? This was the main thrust of the matter and so where these rights have been knowingly or unknowingly infringed upon, people should rise to fight against it. And once this freedom is won, let there be concerted efforts to make the society better so as to justify the need for this hard won freedom.

  • Making them relevant

    Making them relevant

    TITLE: The Missing Daughters
    AUTHOR: Orubebe, G.E.
    PUBLISHER: Grace Springs Africa Publishers, Lagos
    NO. OF PAGES: 285
    REVIEWER: Chijioke Uwasomba

    The Missing Daughters is a morality tale by Orubebe Gandhi to warn men and women alike of the need to accept the will of God as it relates to the sex of their children. In order words, every child, whether male or female is important and should not be discarded. Those who out of foolishness or short-sightedness, dismiss their female child or children are bound to regret like Obi in the novel under discussion.

    The story is set in a village called Ogbabiri. From all indications and by all accounts, Ogbabiri is a village that lacks modern facilities that could make life more meaningful. The commonest source of energy in the area is firewood and no wonder the village is always enveloped by smoke. The point at issue upon which the story revolves round- the less value placed on the female child- further portrays the society of the novel as one that is primitive in every material particular.

    Egbema, who has six boys is always in the habit of boasting to his wife, Nigho that the female sex does not endear to his ancestors. He sees his family from  time immemorial as a male-breeding one. Egbema dismisses Nigho for wanting to have a female child as if she is the one who decides the sex of a child. It is with this mindset that Egbema warns his children: “Any woman you marry among all of you, if she bears a female child in the midst of your children, she would have committed an abomination in that she may have had that female issue from another man, she would have committed adultery” (29). Egbema is obsessed with this reprehensible thinking to the extent that “No female children” becomes the chant in his household.

    It is important to note that out of fear and to satisfy their father, all Egbema’s children are gripped by their father’s story about male/female which they have dubbed ” the male syndrome thing”(35). Bafukeme, the oldest son who has fallen in love with Ereseimo shows signs of fear because he does not want to hurt the sensibilities of his father. This is more so considering the fact that Ereseimo’s family is known as a female-bearing one. But in the end both Bafukeme’s wife and those of the other two siblings give birth to male children.

    Obi’s wife cannot understand the queer premium placed on male children over and above the female by the Egbema family. She sees it as amusing. Obi tells his wife: “You either give birth to male children or you are not part of our family”(55). But unfortunately to Obi his wife gives birth to a female. Of all in the household of Egbema it is only Nigho, Egbema’s wife that defends and identifies with Obi’s wife. She teases Obi: “Becky has given birth to a female child. Go and kill yourself. Since she arrived here, she has been like a woman in harem”(59). Becky gives birth to two other girls and is driven out by Obi her husband: “Go away with your female children”(62),Obi chides her.

    Nigho, a very clairvoyant mother scolds Obi for his foolish decision. Obi’s siblings and their father Egbema praise Obi to high heavens for the decision to send his wife and children away. No sooner has Obi taken this decision than he begins to regret his action, tormenting himself. Even in his place of work, Obi who is known for his exemplary industry and commitment to duties can no longer give his best. He is chided by the management: “Obi your attitude to work which used to be commendable has taken a plunge for the worse. This place is not a civil service arena rather we are a company. You had an adept hand in times past”(68). Obi is eventually sacked. He marries another girl. As if he has lost every modicum of reason, he drives the third wife away saying: “go away with your female child”(69).

    Meanwhile, Becky, Obi’s first wife who had been driven away by Obi has not lost hope in Jesus Christ in spite of all her frustrations. Her three daughters- Dora, Dolphin and Betty- who are under the custody of her parents and being taken care of, over time  become graduates with the first daughter Dora,who at this point has become a lawyer getting married to Dr. Ibeh Ogbebor,a medical doctor.

    By a twist of events the king of Ogbabiri informs his people of how the Ogbu indigenes who the Ogbabiri clan had given its land for their settlement have turned around to be killing the Ogbabiri people. All the Ogbu males are wiped out. Some of the Ogbu girls are taken captive and one of these girls, Edna is married by Obi making it the fourth wife he has married. Strangely, Obi does everything within his power including cooking and serving Edna but the latter does not show any form of appreciation. Obi’s drinking habit which he acquired when he was desperately looking for male children has increased even now that through Edna he has had three male children. His wife Edna and the three children take to alcoholic drinks like Obi leading to the death of the third son Roland.

    Edna is also rumoured to be sleeping with all sorts of men and caught in a room with a man. Because of the irresponsibility of Obi’s children and the waywardness of Edna, Obi decides to keep his money in the bank to prevent it from being stolen but is beaten mercilessly by his children in his farm. Obi is rescued by a good Samaritan, Ogbebor who takes him to his Doctor son, Dr. Ibeh Ogbebor who turns out surprisingly to be the husband of one of the three daughters of Obi (Becky’s first daughter, Dora). Obi is healed in Ogbebor’s house and is given a parcel of land to farm since he says he wants to be Ogbebor’s servant.

    The turning point in the life of Obi comes when he realises that but for Dr. Ibe Ogbebor, all the other eight children of Ogbebor are all females. Obi is at this point in his life full of regrets, more so when he notices the enviable relationship that exists between Dr. Ibeh Ogbebor and his lovely wife, Barrister Dora Ogbebor. Each time Ogbebor’s children display their love for their father with gifts, the gesture evokes thoughtful memory in Obi. He begins to regret his past actions especially the way he treated his wife Becky and children. The invitation of Becky to the Chieftaincy ceremonies for Ogbebor brings Becky and Obi together as Becky recognises Obi and holds him with joy. This leads to a reconciliation between Obi, Becky and their three daughters but with the search for the other daughters from the other women that had been sent packing by Obi in those days of his “madness”.

    As noted from the outset of this review, this is a novel that is rich in didactic disclosures harping on the need for forgiveness. At the denouement of the novel, the reader realises the futility and foolishness in dismissing the female sex as unimportant. The novel throws up a lot of issues bordering on the need for good family values, respect for women, love, the recognition of women as human beings who have the same values as their male counterparts or even better. Ironically, the male children of Obi become alcoholics and father beaters who are given to criminality. Obi’s most loved wife whom he pampers, in cahoots with her children become a thorn in the flesh of Obi.

    But for the love shown to Obi by Ogbebor after the thorough beaten given to him by his male children, he would have died. The love and fellow feeling showed to him by Ogbebor and his household, and the cohesiveness of the immediate and extended Ogbebor family prick the conscience of Obi and usher a turn-around in his entire consciousness.

  • Soul stirring songs at ‘God’s party’

    Soul stirring songs at ‘God’s party’

    Renowned gospel singers Don Moen and Agatha Christie led thousands of singers in an all-night praise and worship at this year’s 9,999 Carol Night held at Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo last Saturday. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME was there.

     

    Yours before the start of this year’s Akwa Ibom State organised 9,999 Carol Night, long queue of guests formed at the entrance of Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo. Vendors arranged their wares at strategic locations on the road leading to stadium. Security officials were busy directing the crowd and maintaining order. For the 9,999-strong choir that occupied the first floor of the stadium (all dressed in white T-shirt and black trousers or skirt) last Saturday night was memorable, as their performance was watched live in 59 countries.

    As the kick off time got closer, the atmosphere around the stadium became rowdy as motorists battled for space with pedestrians who struggled to remain on the queue. By 9pm, the 30,000 capacity stadium was almost filled. Thirty minutes later, the Akwa Ibom Voices set the tone for the Carol Night immediately after Governor Godswill Akpabio and family took their seats.  The group’s performance drew almost everyone to his feet.

    And for the next six hours, it was rain of songs of praise and dancing. The 9,999 choir backed by many renowned gospel artistes from across the globe, rendered soul stirring hymns into the wee hours of Sunday. Among gospel groups that performed were Don Moen, Buchi, Panam Percy Paul, Bongos Ikwe, Angela Christie, the Voices of Jamaica Choir, the Harmonious Chorale from Ghana, national choir of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis; Ibom Orchestra and Unity Brass Band.

    Like a contest, each performing group attempted to outclass one another with the rendition of special songs from their repertoire. Angela Christie offered Midnight Crew’s Igwe, though not with same dexterity as the original singer, to the admiration of the crowd.

    For Otukpo-born highlife musician, Bongos Ikwe, Amen, was the toast for all. He also rendered a different version of Amen, co-produced by Archbishop John Cardinal Onaiyekan. Ikwe dedicated the song to the Archbishop who was the lead minister at the Carol Night. Panam Percy Paul did not disappoint the audience when he presented some of his old tunes such as Come lets Praise the Lord.

    Accompanied by his wife, Governor Akpabio flagged off the night, saying: “Tonight, I have come to kick off the 2014 Christmas Carol done in a spectacular way in a spectacular state. You might not hear your voices as you did in the past six years, but you will get uncommon blessing home. Every singing and dancing will bring blessing to you. I therefore kick off God’s party in the name of God, son and Holy Ghost.” Akpabio later led the ministration with a reading from Matthew 1: 18-23 which focuses on the birth of Jesus Christ-the reason for the Carol Night.

    Akpabio described this year’s the carol night as a celebration of love, noting that “whether you are a Muslim or a Christian because we need a peaceful world for mankind to develop”.

    “God is love, and out of love God gave his only son for us to redeem man of his sins. This is the 7th edition but holding for the first time in the new stadium. Our journey has been easy. We have fought ethnicity. God gave us the string to string them down. As the walls of Jericho came down, every barrier to our success will come down. As we join our voices together, the insurgence shall cease to be. Through our voices, the Ebola shall cease to be, scourges of poverty in Africa will be erased in the continent through our voices,” Akpabio said.

    Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Olorunfemi Onaiyekan has allayed fears of crises during the forthcoming general elections, saying there is no need for such fears. He, however, tasked President Goodluck Jonathan not to fail to stop the Boko Haram insurgencies that have claimed thousands of lives in some parts of northern states because Nigerians would not accept any excuses. He said Boko Haram is a matter that concerns all and as such Christians ‘we must pray and work for peace.’

    Archbishop Onaiyekan who ministered at the Carol said Nigerian politicians must not forget that though God expects human beings to organise his life, which is why there are governors and president, that God is the owner of all things.

    He charged politicians to seek power for the good of the majority of the people. People according to him, is the reason for governance.

    “It is not enough to feat God. We must rule according to His will and for the good of the people. People are the reason for governance.  Politicians are supposed to do whatever they do for the good of the majority. We are looking forward to the chance of making the choice of who will rule us,” he said.

    The Archbishop whose message was titled Religious peace in our land, said in this period of Christmas Nigerians should not forget to cast their minds to the birth of Jesus in the manger noting that one important lesson of the season is that ‘we are challenged to have care for children.’

    “As we sit here, my heart goes out to the babies who are being born in distressful situations especially in northeast states where Boko Haram have driven people away from. Also, we should remember babies in the terrible theatres of wars such as Pakistan and Syria. Every child is precious. The lesson of Xmas is that the will of God will always be done,” he added.

  • ‘I have overcome that fear of writing and sharing’

    ‘I have overcome that fear of writing and sharing’

    The United Kingdom (UK) believes it has eradicated racism in the workplace. But, Africans know too well that it is still there. Your accent, the colour of your skin stand you out, and in certain cases, make it hard for you to fit in. Laws cannot prevent workplace cynicism and the silent slurs targeted at you for being the colour you are. A Fly Girl is Amanda Epe’s debut book, an inspirational memoir of her days working with British Airways; travel tales through the lens of a black African woman. Epe’s well-documented and interesting book is the first narrative of its kind as she is the first seminal story-teller on the narrative of being a black cabin crew member with the British Airways. Epe writes articles, essays, poetry, fiction and her work has featured in publications and anthologies in the UK, the United States (U.S.), and Nigeria. She speaks to Tundun Adeyemo. Excerpts:

    Why did you write this book?

    I was obliged to write this for my spirit and I didn’t want to take this story unpublished to the grave.

    What is your favourite part in the story?

    If I had to put a bookmark in one place, it would be the active, funny, bright and sunny story in Miami.

    At what time or point  did you feel the need to write the story?

    It was strongly felt in 2013, a time of writing in my serene state and being fully inspired. It was the starting point anyway. At least, I put a pen to paper and wrote the first paragraph; most of the work continued the following year.

    Racism occurs in different ways to different people, and many talk about this every day. What more are you adding to the conversation?

    My angle has some insights into the in-depth thoughts of being black and wearing the Union Jack.

    Is there a place for the woman in the business community?

    During my life in the air, I worked with business savvy women and I reflect on one in particular that endeavoured to become a grand entrepreneur through trade and travel, she was an inspiration. Women are not just in business, but are on top. I admired a recent report of a black British woman, Karen Blackett, who is the first businesswoman to top the Powerlist 100, and also Folorunsho Alakija on the billionaire list, the latter an example of how times have advanced with women working and trading in oil.

    When you talk to women across the world, what is the one thing they tell you?

    We are all singing the same song, but with various tunes, in the western world equality is still sought, and across the globe we are coming out, stepping up or striving to make our mark.

    Is it a question really that black people are not well integrated into the community?

    In comparison to other western nations I feel that black communities are somewhat integrated, until we are fully empowered economically there will always be marginalisation

    You have a very British accent, is this book personal then? How can you suffer racism when you are British?

    My being British has a prefix; readers can learn more about this concept in reading some chapters in the book.

    Returning home to Nigeria… is that an option?

    To run from racism is just running, if I had run away as a new recruit, I wouldn’t be telling this story. How long must one fight is another story. In the play Pandora’s Box by playwright, Ade Solanke, this issue of returning to Nigeria was discussed, one of the characters the uncle was telling the Diaspora his niece and her friend to “stay there” (UK) and fight. The friend, who had decided to make a new life in Nigeria (the character Bev whose parents migrated to Britain from the Caribbean), argued against him speaking about England saying: “ Uncle, I’d love to contribute to my country. I’ve tried to.

    But do they want my contribution? Well, I refuse to be wasted!” She goes on to say that we are more than English and wanting to discover another part of her. I agree with the character, and Nigeria is certainly an option. Look at the statistics of Black British actors and entertainers who cross the pond heading to USA.

    You are campaigning for women and their issues. Is this another empowering tool?

    It is simply my writing journey although it is part of empowering. If a woman reader feels inspired in her journey by relating to my writing/storytelling, then that is a success for me.

    What is next to for you to conquer?

    The mission continues. I must follow the call to write and to work, to do the things that give me joy, the works that are creative and that can be shared.

    Why should I buy your book?

    Two words, I guarantee you’ll engage and enjoy it.

    What will our readers hear about your book that they haven’t heard elsewhere?

    This author shares her experiences and thoughts from her travels, and discusses taboo topics and issues not easily for conversation in our and the wider community.

    If you were me right now, what sort of questions should you be asking?

    O.K I would like to tell you about the euphoric feeling of delivering my debut, and that it was created for people like me, but also beyond that target group. If you ask about my readership I feel that outside of Black women in the Diaspora and at home, this book relates and can be read by an international audience of men and women.

    How long did it take you to write this book?

    About nine months flat.

    Is there a part two coming soon?

    My journey and travels continue, a travel series perhaps.

    Can you share two thoughts with our readers?

    Many people are afraid to fly, my thoughts on this analogy is to feel the fear and still take off. I have overcome that fear of writing and sharing, so please do share your stuff!

    Where can we find more about your book?

    A Fly Girl, the kindle version is now available on Amazon. A Fly Girl will be available in print from Amazon, Waterstones and all good retailers by January 2015.

  • ‘Jagua Nana’s Daughter on my mind’

    ‘Jagua Nana’s Daughter on my mind’

    In this interview, the Director of Caine Prize and author of Blood on the page, Lizzy Attery, speaks on her works, Mabati Cornell Kiswahili prize and the Caine Prize. Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme reports.

    As a writer who also organises an award for African writers, which is your greatest African novel you ever read?

    I have a very soft spot for Butterfly Burning by Yvonne Vera. She was a Zimbawean writer who died of AIDS related complications but she was in my opionion a great novelist . The novel is set in the 1940’s. The novel is a sort of musical.The novel had profound impact on me. Also in London I was introduced to several African writers such as Cyprian Ekwesi who wrote Jagua Nana’s Daughter. I hope to one day turn Butterfly Burnning to a film  because of the imagery I see when I am reading it.

    Why did you write a book Blood on the page?

    I wrote the book, Blood on the page while I was doing a Phd but it was published after the completion of the programme. The research I was doing got me in contact to many authors. Some of them were new writers and they were the first to write about HIV in South-Africa and Zimbabwe. I spent probably a year (2003 /2004) looking for text and when I found them, I discovered nobody has really critique them. In general, such work hasn’t been done. So, I did it. I educated myself and got to the source. I knew that in the West, gay people were accused of spreading the HIV virus. So, to a large extent each chapter is an academic text and what I did, was to summarise all they said.

    What is your impression of Ake Arts and Book festival and the rocky city of Abeokuta?

    I am certainly a big fan of the festival, I have met many interesting people and I listened to what all of them said. I think it is quite a great opportunity to engage with literary people as well as the local people. I have met several people here including writers from all over the world. Mukoma Wa Ngugi and many of my old friends who I have known from several parts of Africa I am re-connecting here. The festival featured a high caliber of talents and I am enjoying it. You rarely see this array of talents in one spot. In London as a mother I don’t go out much to see things like this. For me, to watch Nigerian films is not just an opportunity, but an honour because you don’t find such every day. It will take a lot of time for me to digest it.

    You watched October 1, what lesson did you take from it?

    One of the lessons I took from October 1 film is from that perspective of an oyinbo, (a white person) through which the story is being told. There are dangerous things, also about the priest who gave more opportunities to people in the place where the story is set and the way he treated the young boy, the damage he did in the process while bettering people’s live. It is still entertaining but it makes one to think deeply why we put trust on some certain people. Why do we send children away for education? It was a surprise to me because my appreciation of Nigerian film is limited to Nollywood.

    Why did you partner Mukoma Wa Ngugi for a Kiswahili prize and not a Yoruba or an Igbo prize?

    Mukowa Wa Ngugi is a crime writer in his own right. He is also a professor of literature based in the United States.  We have really being able to secure funding in South of Africa by Mabati Rolling Mills who are producers of iron roofing sheets for over 50 years and they have an interest in the language spoken by over three hundred million people in that region. We may not have found a Yoruba prize or an Igbo prize. But, it is an avenue to say companies that make roofing sheets in Yoruba to encourage Yoruba literature for instance. Because it is important that African language should be taken seriously for literature and there should be prizes for it. We the founders of  Mabati Cornell Kiswahili prize are still learning ourselves, it is an interesting thing to set up for anyone who has that energy for it.

    What next are you working on?

    After the announcement of the Caine prize judges at Ake Art and Book Festival, the next thing is the funding of the Caine Prize workshop holding in Ghana in March next year because we don’t know if we are going to get enough funds for the workshop and flights from one African country to another as it is quite expensive. And of course, the Mabati Cornell Kiswahili prize. I am current receiving entries for the Caine Prize and looking through if those stories are eligible. I have to read those that are too short, too long and the self–published whether they are eligible. I am also preparing to teach two African courses at Kings College, London.

    How do you know the stories sent to you are between 3,000 words to ten thousand10,000 words?

    I sometimes count the number of words if I am not sure but when the number of words published in the short story is written when sent to me, it helps because I wouldn’t have to count. So, I have interesting things to do as the Caine Prize Director and also boring things to do like counting the pages and number of words from one end to the other.

    The judges of this year’s Caine Prize for African Writing were announced at the recently concluded Ake Arts and Book Festival in Abeokuta. The panel will be chaired by award-winning South African author Zoë Wicomb. She will be joined by the distinguished television and radio journalist Zeinab Badawi,  Indian author and Man Booker Prize shortlistee Neel Mukherjee, Assistant Prof of English at the University of Georgetown, Cóilín Parsons, and Brian Chikwava, the winner of the Caine Prize in 2003.

    During the announcement Attree stated, “We are proud to announce the 2015 judges early this year and hope the calibre of this outstanding panel will encourage publishers to enter stories before the deadline of 31 January 2015.”

    Kenya’s Okwiri Oduor won this year’s prize of 10,000 pounds with her short story, My Father’s Head which explores the narrator’s difficulty in dealing with the loss of her father and looks at the themes of memory, loss and loneliness. The narrator works in an old people’s home and comes into contact with a priest, giving her the courage to recall her buried memories of her father.

    Chair of the judges, Jackie Kay, praised the story, saying, “Okwiri Oduor is a writer we are all really excited to have discovered. ‘My Father’s Head’ is an uplifting story about mourning – Joycean in its reach. She exercises an extraordinary amount of control and yet the story is subtle, tender and moving. It is a story you want to return to the minute you finish it.”

    Oduor directed the inaugural Writivism Literary Festival in Kampala, Uganda in August 2013. Her novella, The Dream Chasers was highly commended in the Commonwealth Book Prize, 2012. She is a 2014 MacDowell Colony fellow and is currently at work on her debut novel. Nigerian writers that have won the Caine Prize in the past included Helon Habila (2001), Segun Afolabi (2005), E C Osondu (2009) and Tope Folarin (2013).

  • ‘With Arts Journalism, we created value’

    ‘With Arts Journalism, we created value’

    Former Deputy Editor of The Guardian Mr. Ben Tomoloju is a man of many parts. He is a theatre artist, writer, musician and cultural activist, who has dedicated his life to the promotion of arts and culture. He was with The Guardian between 1985 and 1993. Askari, Aminatu, Jankariwo and Flowers’ Introspect are some of his published plays and books. Last Thursday, he turned 60. In this interview with Arts reporters, Tomoloju reflects on his career, activism, politics and art journalism. Arts Editor Ozolua Uhakheme was there.

    You pioneered art journalism in the country, how did it start?

    I had the facility to add value to journalism through my literary enterprise. And I didn’t fail. If I had, people would have complained about the Punch editorial from April 1982 to late 1983. As the lay reader (the title then for Chairman, Editorial Board), I was in charge of the editorial in addition to my work as English Language Teacher at Agege Grammar School. When I was in the Punch, I also observed that people were writing about what was supposed to be the arts, but what they were writing was pedestal things which didn’t go to the nitty-gritty of art appreciation – theatre, performing, visual or literary arts.

    It was all about musicians and other things that were outside the realms of arts. I then asked for a page that was when my name came into the limelight as an art writer. I asked for a page or at least a column every Saturday called Portrait of an Artist and I started showcasing talents and when the opportunity came for me to be invited to join another paper – The Democrat in Kaduna- I was invited to be a member of the editorial board based on my antecedents in the Punch, but I refused, I said I would prefer to be the Arts Editor, which is my passion in journalism.

    So, in the last quarter of 1983 before the Buhari-Idiagbon coup, I was given a letter of appointment as Review Editor of the Democrat weekly. Being the Review Editor, my job included aspects of features writing and so I combined them with arts writing. I also did a few things, which I suppose posterity should evaluate, one of which was to identify that the couples of literature written on the Nigerian civil war should be a subject of study. I wrote a whole broadsheet (full page) on that, proposing that it should be a subject of study. I believe that by now it has been very well articulated in scholarship.

    That was what journalism did in terms of giving direction and perception of the proper development of literature. We also talked about some potential like Barbra Soki… We interviewed her and went to town with her story. The following week, we got a call from some media organisations, they wanted her to model for them, and so we were creating values. The literary aspects of what we were writing in The Democrat, our big bosses – Stanley Macebuh, Lade Bonuola, Femi Osofisan, Yemi Ogunbiyi, Odia Ofeimun felt I should come and join The Guardian, and there was no dispute about it, so, in 1985, I joined The Guardian as the pioneer Arts Editor and another journey began from there.

    I really flourished in The Guardian, I did a lot. I want to say that the arts journalists should be leaders! In recent times, I was reading through the literatures of June 12, I don’t know if there is any scholar in this country that has identified June 12 literatures! It is a whole, big collection on June 12 or pro-democracy literature. That is literature inter-relating with politics and the democratisation process. Beautiful prose work, fantastic narratives, thorough and in-depth analysis. It is for the journalist to point it out. This is the kind of thing we should be pointing out. That is the kind of thing I felt I ought to be doing in those active days in journalism. Thereafter, we went to put arts journalism on the Television, but the mercantilism choked us up. This is a little bit of the excursion, there is much to say about arts journalism.

    At what point did the advocacy start?

    Almost immediately! The very fact that we felt that arts was not being given a good deal in journalism was the beginning of the advocacy. I read about a very fantastic reggae artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist being written about, but what the journalist felt was the best to write about him was that he had no car, and that he was… around the town! For God sake! That is a reflection of mercantile society. The society that is abraded by materialism! The beginning of the advocacy was that we should face another dimension to journalistic reportage, review and analysis of the arts, instead of the mundane things that come in form of entertainment. The advocacy went on from there. We projected very powerful productions to national reckoning. We (with my colleagues) also reported every development in policy and implementation in the country’s cultural sector. We recall that Prof. Bayo Oduneye was the chairman of the review committee of film and theatre in the 80s and thereafter, we had the stakeholders’ meeting on the cultural sector when Col. Tunde Akogun came in. In fact, it was a very serious thing, because, we, on the Arts Desk of The Guardian, had given Col. Tunde Akogun an elaborate interview and we had transcribed to publish in two parts: we published part one in 1986, before we could publish the second part, there was the Babangida’s coup, nobody knew which typhoon would sweep any officer away, but our page was there empty and so what do we do?

    We had a meeting to decide that whether Akogun remains as the sole administrator of culture or not, we would run the interview. We have not received any information that he has been thrown out of the army and so we went on with the interview and so we were also independent as journalists to run the ideas embedded in the interview and so we carried part 2. Behold Akogun had a bigger promotion and that was part of the advocacy.

    Thereafter, we went into copyright. We were following Tony Okoroji, Onyeka Onwenu, Charly Boy and Sunny Ade, and before you know it, we were also part of the advocacy.  We were in the committees representing the media without apology to anybody, because I could as well go there as an artist. And some people branded us – my humble self and Jahman…, they called us ‘Journartist’.  But we were opening doors and creating professionals for the future- those people skilled in arts; mass communication, and they applied their skills to the development of Arts Journalism.

    We followed it up to the National Troupe of Nigeria, to a point that we almost camped at Ososa. The first thing was, they didn’t know that arts could make great news. So, when we first had a tour with the Federal Sole Administrator for  Culture, Col. Akogun, I didn’t leave it to my reporters alone. We wrote the stuff together, slammed my byline with reports from… and hit the front page. Then, the Permanent Secretary, Asumbole, saw it and read it in The Guardian.  He liked it. Col Akogun also went to visit Baba Ogunde and Asumbole came back and found out the following morning that it was on the front page of The Guardian again! Then Anthony Ukpo, Minister for Information and Culture found it very interesting and exciting. We conferred status, but with sound judgment.

    Babangida, then, had been reading, he sent a message. He wanted a command performance of the Ososa experiment and Baba Ogunde brought a classic, the main bowl was fully air-conditioned and we were all part of the advocacy. This guy in Galaxy now – Steve Ojo was a young engineer then, he promised that he was going to turn around the air-conditioning system of the main bowl; that they didn’t need to go to Belgium, and they did the chiller and it was wonderful.

    Col. Akogun gave the contract to Ojo’s company. So, we had the command performance of the National Troupe. Babangida sent Abacha to represent him and sent a statement that from that moment on, the performance should be the nucleus of the National Troupe of Nigeria. It was followed by a decree and the National Troupe was formed. Babangida noted the progression of the reports in The Guardian. We keep saying this not because we are boastful, it is a collaboration, sometimes our journalists would sleep at locations or carry the arts desk to places where events were happening. Then when there were no internet or phones, we would do a relay race with the reports to the newsroom, where somebody was waiting to do the re-write.

    So also the National Gallery of Arts; the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO); National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC); NAFEST and so on. I sent people all over the country to cover events and culture- related issues. Sometime in 1988 a government official loosely said that NAFEST would host in Lagos and we caught on it and I sent a reporter to go and meet the Commissioner of Information and Culture in Lagos State, Modupe Adeogun I think… I said, ‘go to her, but don’t ask her are you going to host NAFEST, ask her, how are you preparing to host NAFEST? Because the man, who is in charge of culture nationwide, had said NAFEST would be in Lagos.

    Are you satisfied with the sustenance of the art model you pioneered?

    I am not happy by the spasmodic approach to pagination created mostly by commercial needs of the newspaper. I would have celebrated the fact that the tradition is maintained and sustained. That is, there is always an arts page to read in a day in the newspapers, but people must have faith in the industry to be able to excel, especially when there are models. If you want to commercialise, I keep telling media people at different forums that the arts desk is the biggest place to generate adverts. The only thing is that the credit is not given to them. All these telecommunications adverts are all arts informed. We own the media pages – service providers are ours. I think the adverts people have to be educated on the cultures of adverts regarding arts. You have to encourage the publishing industries — how do you sensitise them to advertise and so there is a problem, which is a disconnect between the marketing side of news magazine and the editorial side. I think our editors of today need to be firm; a reporter who reports arts is now pulled away to cover Maritime, I think the newspaper employers need some re-orientation.

    Quality of art reporting now compared to then.

    There are some disappointing moments; you find people lifting press statements, it is wrong, you don’t report one-sided things, there are some things that need to be well detailed before it is reported. There are some fantastic culture journalists who are heartwarming, and they are critics who do well because they are in it.

    Arts community’s response to arts and culture reporting

    If the person written about does not care then it is because the subject of the article is not penchant enough to indict, appraise and appreciate on a fundamental basis. If for instance, they have been ripping off their workers and it goes to the press with facts and figures, they will care. When Barbra Soki released an album, somebody told her that she confined herself to her acting and she shouldn’t try music, and I don’t think she has tried music ever since. The critical and status conferral dimension to journalism should be based on fundamental principles and there should be no patronisation of anybody, the more patronising you are, the more important they feel. Like Bayo Onanuga said about his political journalism career, that he wants his own brand of journalism that will make political leaders feel uncomfortable, which will make them sit up. They will respect you more as an art journalist if you are sound in criticism, creative in reporting, friendly in appreciation but not patronising.

  • Ondo lifts Mare for tourists

    Ondo lifts Mare for tourists

    Ondo State government raised the bar at this year’s Mare Festival, with the construction of more facilities for tourists and fun seekers, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme.

    Unlike past editions, this year’s Mare Festival offered tourists and enthusiast bountiful menu as they converged on the hilly town of Idanre in Ondo State for 3 days of sport tourism.  From the newly built serene shelter at Habit 1 Tourism Zone, to Idanre Hills Resort that boasts of tree-houses, recreation halls, Ampitheatre and relaxation spots, tourists and athletes and artistes had exciting experiences.

    For Governor Olusegun Mimiko, this year’s Mare Festival was more than exciting. He said the introduction of golf tournament added more colour and glamour to the festival.

    “Next year, there will be two golf tournaments- one in Smoky Hills and the other at the Atosin Golf Course, which is in completion stage. The golf course is unique in terms of its topography.

    He disclosed that the amphitheatre at the resort will host artistic events every month as a way to make Ondo State number one tourists destination. He assured that the state is doing all within its capability to bring Idanre to global tourism map. “This Idanre will no doubt next year be a preferred destination for tourists and fun seekers.  In fact, more of the tree houses will be built while the Mare festival will be bigger,” he added.

    Governor Mimiko who was honoured by Guild of Tourism Journalists of Nigeria, with the Best Domestic Tourism  Brand award, commended the organisers of the festival for their performance.

    The Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo who was special guest lauded the efforts of Governor Mimiko for his commitment towards uplifting the status of the state into a major tourist destination in Nigeria. She said Ondo State is one of the states in the country that has demonstrated serious commitment to developing the state as a tourism hub.

    According to her “as a result of the level of development in the state’s tourism sector, I have continued to promote the various tourism potentials to the global community. Ondo State people are great in hospitality, each time I visit the state, there is always something beautiful that makes me feel at home. As an advocate of domestic tourism, the changes in the state and particularly Idanre hills since the last time I visited it are so dramatic.

    Ondo State is today the shining light in the Medical Tourism in the country. I commend the level of work carried out at the Idanre Resort, which has employed more than two hundred workers.”

    Mbanefo described Ondo State as a major tourism destination because of the large deposit of tourism potentials. The government, according to her, has worked so hard to improve the status of the state economically. “Within my short stay in the office as the Director-General of the NTDC, I have tour more than 20 states and participated in many festivals but south West particularly Ondo state is the best, the development of tourism particularly the resort is an awesome and amazing experience which will be fascinating. The resort is another testimony of the transformational work of the state governor and his team”

    She hinted that Overland Airline has indicated interest to commence commercial flight from Akure-Abuja and Lagos in order to facilitate the movement of tourists and fun seekers to various tourism destinations in the state. She noted that NTDC would ensure that domestic tourism remains the best approach to promote Nigeria tourism and create wealth for the nation and people. “Hence, the corporation is investing on promoting domestic tourism to empower local government at the grass root level and create jobs at the local government level,” she said.

    The Mare Festival featured motorised floats, cultural performances, mountain climbing, fast walking, musical concert and golf.

    Akinbolade Praise emerged first prize winner in the mountain climbing competition while Adekunle Adedoyoin and Sunday Akinwumi won the second and third position respectively. In the female category, Ayodeji Folashade won the first position and a cash prize of 30,000 naira while Oyebade Oluwaseun and Olawoye Damilola won second and third prizes respectively.

    For fast walking competition, Oluwafemi Dele got the first prize. Olowoniyi Abiodun got second prize while Isaac Ayokunle emerged third.

  • ECOBA honours Aguele, others

    The Edo College Old Boys Association, ECOBA, Lagos Branch has honoured some of its members at its Annual Dinner and Dance at Ruby Gardens in Lekki, Lagos.

    The recipients included the Chairman of Grenigas Limited, Emmanuel Aguele, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN), Country Senior Partner for PwC Nigeria, Mr. Uyi Akpata and Executive Director with Zenith Bank Mr. Kingsley Aigbonkhaevbo.

    Aguele, the recipient of the Life Time Achievement Award, left Edo College in 1954. He sat for Cambridge School Certificate in 1954 and passed in grade one. He obtained First class Honours Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Calcutta. He then moved to the United Kingdom to study for his Post graduate diploma at Imperial College. He also did his internship in Civil Engineering Construction with Earnest Ireland Ltd.

    In 1963, he moved to Bristol, attending courses at Bristol University and continued internship in a Consulting Firm Underwood &Partners. He returned to Nigeria in 1965 with a Masters Degree in Structures at the Imperial College London and Memberships of the British Civil and Structural Engineering Societies.

    Aguele held many important positions in the public service including the Director Development and Engineering with the Federal Capital Authority. He headed a team of Top Engineers to supervise the final Design of Phase 1&2 and thereby commence construction of the infrastructure, including Road Network, Water supply, Electrification, Solid waste disposal mechanism, Urban Planning and Implementation of neighborhood Facilities.

    On effectively leaving public service, Chief Emmanuel  went on to develop further a family business  GRENIGAS LIMITED and as well as HENDRICKS HOLDING, with  primary interests in Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) and Agriculture.

    Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN), who was in Edo College from 1975 – 1980, was honoured for his outstanding performance in the legal profession. He was called to bar in 1986 after studying Law at the University of Benin.

    In recognition of his modest contribution to the development of the law in Nigeria, The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee elevated him to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2007.

    On July 15, 2014, Mr. Augustine O. Alegeh was elected the 27th President of the Nigerian Bar Association, the umbrella professional association of all lawyers admitted to the Bar in Nigeria where he has continued to champion positive reforms.

    He is a member of the Board of Directors in a host of companies with vast interests in Construction, Information Technology, Engineering, Real Estate and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

    Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo, who was in Edo College, Benin City for his secondary education between 1977 and 1982, was honoured for his sterling performance in the banking industry. After leaving Edo College, he gained admission into the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo state in 1983. He graduated from the school with B.sc Hons (Agric. Economics) Second Class Upper Division in 1988.

    After a stint in Audit at D.O Dafinone & Co.  he later joined Zenith Bank Plc. in 1993 as an Assistant Banking Officer and was there till 2007 when he left as a General Manager. He joined UBA in 2007 as a General Manager and left in 2011 before joining Ecobank Nig Ltd. He is in the bank to date as Executive Director overseeing Lagos and Southwest directorate.

    Uyi Akpata, who was honoured for his excellent performance in the Audit, Oil and Gas sectors, is the Country Senior Partner for PwC Nigeria and Regional Senior Partner for the West Market Area. He is also PwC’s Africa Oil and Gas leader.  1984 graduate of Accounting from the University of Lagos, Uyi became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in November 1986 and is currently a Fellow of the Institute. He gained entrance into Edo College in 1974 and left after completing his O levels in 1979.

    Uyi  has  extensive  knowledge  and  experience  leading  the  audit  of  companies  in various sectors of the Nigerian economy. He has particular interest in the Energy and Utilities  industries  and  for  over  fifteen  years,  led  various  Assurance  engagement teams serving  large multinationals  including ExxonMobil,  Chevron and ENI  and of integrated and emerging regional Oil& amp; Gas companies, such as Oando and SaharaGroup.

  • Place of the supernatural in African Cinema

    Place of the supernatural in African Cinema

    With the theme: ‘African Cinema and the Supernatural’, scholars and filmmakers from across the world gathered in Kwara State to chart new ways of advancing the African Film Industry. Evelyn Osagie reports.

    As oil price continues to dwindle, scholars have urged African governments to look into other sectors for the continent’s advancement.

    One sector that has remained untapped is the Film Industry, which, the scholars described as “untapped goldmine”.

    While calling for better frameworks and support, they urged governments at all levels to tap the wealth in the Film Industry, which holds the key to unemployment and economic empowerment.

    They made the submission at a three-day conference on African Cinema industry organised by the Kwara State University (KWASU).

    With the theme: African Cinema and the Supernatural,  the conference, which had as keynote speaker United States’ scholar, Prof Ken Harrow of the Michigan State University, US, brought scholars and filmmakers from across the world. It also featured Prof Jonathan Haynes of the Long Island University, US; Anouk Batard, Research Center of Social & Political Sciences, University of Toulouse, France; Prof Kole Omotosho; Prof Frank N. Ukadike from Tulane University; Tunde Kelani; Zeb Ejiro; Lancelot Imasuen, among others.

    Aside the deliberations, some epic films and documentaries were screened, such as Kelani’s Dazzling Mirror.

    KWASU Vice Chancellor, Prof Abdul-Rasheed Na-Allah, is an ardent believer in the rich potential of the industry. In fact, according to him, his university is resolute on becoming a major centre for the study of film and culture. And so, the conference, which is in its second edition, is part of its moves to achieving its vision. Through the conference, he said, the university seeks to explore the cultural and social dimension of the film industry so as to help in its development, adding that the university has also established “the KWASU Film Village which would work closely with its School Performing and Visual Arts to enhance its objective”.

    Prof Na-Allah said: “We realise that our cinema, popular Nollywood, does not and cannot exist in a vacuum, but as a part of the global cultural practice. This is why in 2010, when we held the first edition, we have brought fine body of international scholars to KWASU; and another body of film and culture experts to KWASU today for the second edition. Our aim is to make the KWASU Conference on African Cinema global and yearly affair.

    “We seek to bring theory and praxis under one roof and to inculcate in our students a holistic creative and scholar impulse. As part of the drive to make KWASU the centre for the study of culture in the Nigerian University school system, we will move our ambition a step further. With your help, we plan to establish the Centre for Nollywood Studies, which will be one of the finest places to study the Nollywood phenomenon.”

    In their presentations, the scholars and filmmakers highlighted the role of the supernatural in the development of African cinema. According to Prof Onookome Okome, compelled to account for it social relevance and authority, Nollywood has been subjected to moral and social scrutiny by cultural mediators of African art from different quarters, especially from the intellectual class in Nigeria. “Before the screeching voices of these mediators made their presence known in the popular public, the State has promulgated a number of official policies to regulate the audio-visual industry. The earliest was of course the Cinematic Ordinance of 1914, which was revised by in 1997 by Nigerian Film Corporation Act. Since the formation of this Act, which is actually a revision of the Ordinance of 1914, a number of Government agencies were inaugurated to help policy the cultural sector and the projects they give to the public. These include the Nigerian Film

    Corporation (NFC); the National Film and Video and Censor Board (NFVCB) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC),” according to Prof Okome.

    On the backdrop of Okome’s observation that a session, tagged: Policing Nollywood: What is to Be Done, was held. It provided a forum for these governmental institutions to lay bare to the public their activities and methods of policing cultural productions in contemporary Nigeria. It featured the top executives of the National Film and Videos Censors Board and the Nigerian Film Corporation, including Prof Hyginus Ekwaazi; Ejiro and Kelani.

    While observing that the Motion Picture Industry is “a combination of art, amusement and business, Prof Omotosho urge Nigerian filmmakers to bring these three aspect to bare in the movies, saying it would help to further develop the industry. According to him, lack of attention to the art and business aspect of the industry has led to the lack of modernization of the themes of Nollywood.

    He criticised the preoccupation on money-making, human sacrifice, rituals, saying it reflects the “refusal of rulers in all the aspects of modern Nigerian life to modernize and move forward into the 21st century”, while calling for the involvement of academics in the film production.

    He said: “We limit ourselves and our possibilities when we limit ourselves to the products of Nollywood as the totality of the Nigerian filmmaking effort. If we add the journey of the Nigerian film Industry from stage script to film or by way of television production to the picture painted from the quotation of Jonathan Haynes, one of the first academics to critique the film industry in Nigeria in an article “Structural Adjustments in Nigeria Comedy: Baba Sala”, published in 1994, the quotation above, the present linkage of film criticism to literary criticism would be clear.

    “Academic critics are not particularly involved in the production process of the Nigerian film, but are at home in their area of literary criticisms. Our film studies must look at the work of artists such as Olaiya Adejumo (Baba Sala), the two shorties: Chinedu Ikedieze (alias Aki) and his playmate, Osita Iheme (alias Pawpaw). It should be of interest to Nigerian filmmakers that Pawpaw has teamed up with the greatest maker of funny films in South Africa, the Afrikaaner filmmaker, Leon Schuster, to make some incredible movies for the South African market.”

    Prof Harrow’s paper entitled: Witchcraft, Movies, and the City: the Old and the New, touched on the relationship between the notion of witchcraft, African cinema, and the African city. According to him, the cinema, witchcraft, and city are linked, saying each changed in conjunction with the other as the city changes, the urban notions of witchcraft do too, along with the cinema, while criticising the notion of witchcraft in African films. He compared the two different generations of cinema, focusing more on the earlier period prior to 1990. “To answer the question of the relationship between magic and cinema, I turn to the city where both took up their residence, where notions of witchcraft and the movies were defined and thus were born.”

    In his paper entitled:  The Supernatural in Nollywood Films: Multiple Logics, Prof Haynes said that from the moment when the first Nollywood films were condemned as full of “rituals” and “juju,” the prevalence of the supernatural has been taken as a hallmark of Nollywood. According to him, the supernatural appears in many different forms and tends to function differently in various film genres.

    “What is most characteristic of Nollywood is to deploy multiple logics at once in the service of its moralism, overlaying mutually reinforcing systems of religious belief, culture, psychology, plot structure, and generic form. This keeps the supernatural closely tethered to issues of individual, social, and political morality. Unlike in, say, the Indian “mythological,” the focus is on life in this world, in a human community. In general, Nollywood stages debates on pressing issues rather than taking a particular side.

    “Nollywood’s elastic spirit of non-contradiction should not be dismissed as commercially-driven pandering to the widest possible audience. It parallels the founding contradictory ideology of the Nigerian state, the alliance between a modernising central government and traditional rulers deriving power and legitimacy from indigenous spiritual forces. And it carries forward some of the most profound traditional African values: tolerance, ecumenicalism, negotiation, compromise, and consensus.”

    While noting that a famous peculiar and even typical feature of Nollywood movies is their ending with the mention “To God be the Glory”, Batard’s paper, Variations on Nigerian movies’ ending “To God be the glory”, focuses on the significations, the functions and the uses of such an appreciation which may also be read as an invocation. “My survey based on quite a number of movies’ endings shows that “To God be the glory” may not occur as systematically as popularly claimed by the publics of Nollywood’s “imagined community” – the ones who not only make, watch or reject, hail or criticise, but first and foremost discuss the Nigerian movies. As a matter of fact, I have noticed that as the Nigerian film industry has been going through a (de)legitimation process, the producers who try to distinguish themselves from the bad reputation of an industry based on quantity rather than quality and who want to be seen as professionals –

    who are also the better educated and more transnationalised ones aiming at theatrical and worldwide releases – deliberately omit the credit “To God be the glory”; “Not because I am not a Christian or I am not religious, but because it has some kind of bad connotation (…), it commemorates the end of a bad movie, or a bad script”.