As the year draws to a close, Edozie Udeze projects into the future and foresees a better 2013 for the culture sector
The year 2013, from many indications, holds a lot of promises and hopes for arts and culture practitioners in the country. Artistes have already begun in earnest to prepare for the year and to make more strides that will surpass the outgoing year. AJ Dagga Tolar, Chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos State Chapter, believes that the sector looks forward to having the best in terms of poetry, prose, children’s literature, drama and more. “More writers are even set to hit the limelight and push the literary frontiers of the nation to an enviable level,” Tolar asserted.
Literature
With the Nigeria Literature prize organised by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) entering its 8th edition, it is hoped that more juicy and innovative ideas will be entrenched into the prize. Already, NLNG stakeholders and the advisory board have been meeting to enlarge the prize and make it more encompassing. There is the tendency now to institute either a second minor literature prize or to reward both the first and second runners up in the almighty USD 100,000 prize. With this in place, more writers will be gingered on to burn the mid-night candle and tighten their seat belts for more quality literary efforts.
It is the turn of poetry next year and the signs are already in the air that Nigerian poets will not allow this opportunity to slip them by again. The last poetry prize four years ago was not awarded owing to what the judges termed lack of quality presentations. But with many historical events in the country in the last year, mainly the Boko Haram menace and so on, poets indeed have a lot of ideas to feed on.
Tolar reveals that three poetry collections already in the pipeline are likely to take the literary firmament by storm. They are: An Island of Self by Mature Tanko Okoduwa, Love in the Memory of Pain by Aj Dagga Tolar and Service to the Fatherland by Folu Agoi. A lot more are in the offing to jostle for the literary prize for next year.
By the time A Bit of Difference by Sefi Atta which is just around the corner finally takes hold of the literary scene next year, the world will see more world class novels good enough for global attention and merit. A Bit of Different is Atta’s third novel and its contents show a writer whose push for literary excellence and profusion is ever exhilaratingly refreshing. It is stark and terse, appealing to the senses.
There are artistes preparing to make a cross-over from film-making to stage acting, from music to the stage and drama and so on. The beauty of the sector lies in the fact that more events and theatre centres are likely to open since thespians have shown more committed signs of venturing out at night for relaxation and entertainment. With new theatres likely to see the light of day next year, more playwrights will emerge either with new works or to re-make the existing ones.
The tendency thereto is to have a more vibrant sector, spinning more money for practitioners and keeping the people on their toes. In fact, entertainment in all facets will be at its peak, offering new job opportunities to artistes.
Government agencies
Already, there is talk in government circle that the budget for the Culture and Tourism sector will be increased. Government feels, from the information available to us, that if the sector is properly funded and repackaged, the cultural and tourism values of the nation can be harnessed for domestic use and export purposes, thereby attracting more visitors and investors to the country.
It is for this reason that most of the directors and culture technocrats have begun to breathe fresh air of hope, getting set to swing into action as soon as the necessary paraphernalia are in place for them to start work.
Already, the plan for a new National Theatre has been finalised. Government feels that the functions of the only National Theatre which is located in Lagos needs to be decentralised. Henceforth, the Calabar National Theatre project which is a pivot and urgent project will commence as soon as money is released next year. Culture Minister, Chief Edem Duke, hopes that this will help to move the sector forward and encourage more tourists to come to savour some of our rich cultural heritage.
Also in place is the extended programme to reach out to more Nigerians and Blacks in Diaspora. The usual international conferences and seminars by the Centre for Black and African Art and Civilisation (CBAAC) to extend its hands of brotherhood to Blacks all over the world will be intensified. It is also hoped that the budget to do that and to ensure that more programmes are packaged and achieved in this direction will be made possible by the federal government.
As it is now, more Blacks in Colombia, Mexico and some parts of the Caribbean are mounting pressures on the Nigerian government to remember them in terms of contacts and conferences. Already, government is serious about using culture next year as a viable diplomatic weapon to win over many nations. Domestic culture or home-grown culture has helped the Asian Tigers to be authorities in world affairs and in the area of technological advancement.
If properly harnessed, the language classes organised and run by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) will help to bridge more gap in the area of ethnic intolerance in the country. The language classes have helped many Nigerians learning languages other than their own. It is going to be more pleasant to see a lot of other Nigerians eager to prove that language is a powerful tool for national integration and cohesion. NICO will ensure that the ingredients for the classes and more determined and qualified teachers are engaged for this purpose.
Dance troupes
The private sector is not left behind. In as much as the National Troupe of Nigeria, the nation’s apex dance troupe is in the upswing move, it will also continue to extend its hands of friendship to other artistes and dance troupes to give Nigerian culture the best it deserves.
As more private dance troupes are springing up to encourage more youths to earn a living, it is hoped that there will be a total boom in this regard in 2013. As it is now, artistes have realised that there are plenty of opportunities in the dance sector. It is also an export commodity and so the National Troupe of Nigeria will have more roles to play to continue to show the way forward. In fact the synergy in this respect will be more binding and serious. All these will make for a more cohesive culture sector which is hoped to garner more revenue for the nation.
Art studios
In the area of contemporary art, more private art studios and galleries are likely to emerge. It has been noticed of late that many young Nigerian artists have been pushing to have a say in their profession. Owing to this development, it is likely that more frontiers will open as more studios and galleries spring up to cushion the effect of many art works that need to be exhibited. Already, Nigerian art works have begun to command national and international attention and Nigerian artistes are geared towards a more concerted effort come next year.
It is also likely that there will be a synergy between Nigerian home video buffs and their counterparts in the writers’ association to produce more believable films. This thought has been on for a while now and it is hoped that this 2013 will see it come to fruition.
But then what will be the fate of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos which has diverted its attention from the main core art programmes and events in the last years? All eyes will be on the management to see to it that life and proper cultural issues return to the theatre next year. It is the responsibility of the people in the sector to see to this and not really leave the responsibility solely in the hands of art managers.
Given that the sector cannot thrive in an atmosphere of chaos and inaction, theatre artistes are likely to reignite action into the stage. The stage seems to be the livewire of the sector so far and will see more practitioners going the extra length to produce plays and empower more actors thereby.
There is also a talk in government circle that the UNESCO tourists sites in Nigeria may be increased from three to five next year. Some directors have already begun action to prepare the sites and upgrade their status to meet UNESCO demands. If this is done, Nigeria will have more tourism actions and activities next year, given that UNESCO sites give more advantage to the rating of the people’s culture, heritage and faunas.
Other traditional festivals will happen in their time and season. But it is hoped that new modalities will be employed to make them more attractive. Festivals and carnivals offer people time to mix, relax and explore the environment. And so it will be.
