The Nation Newspaper

Tag: art

  • Hope for infertile couples through ART

    The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH, Ilorin, Kwara State, Prof Waheed O. Olatinwo, has described infertility as a global problem.

    Olatinwo, who delivered the 178th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, titled Help for the helpless and hope for the hopeless: The medicine of reproductive possibility, at the university main campus recently, claimed “generally, the prevalence is about 10-15%, but reports from sub-Saharan Africa ranges from 20-26% depending on the population, while up to 20-30% has been reported in Nigeria.”

    He also stated that about 180 million couples are infertile globally, with a major contribution of these from developing countries. According to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O & G) specialist, when all attempts, orthodox or traditional, to become fertile and then produce children fail, “an infertile couple becomes helpless and hopelessness may set in.”

    Olatinwo said after several couples with infertility problems find no respite to the problem, some give up and accept their ‘fate’ while others employ the blame-game.

    He, however, enthused that there’s help for the helpless and hope for the hopeless, through what is referred to as Assisted Reproductive Technology, ART. Olatinwo stated that it’s ‘medicine of reproductive possibility’. ART, according to him, “refers to all treatments or procedures that include in-vitro handling of the human oocyte and spermatozoa or embryo for the purpose of establishing pregnancy.”

     

  • ‘Father threw me out because of art’

    ‘Father threw me out because of art’

    Former National President, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) Kolade Oshinowo will turn 70 on February 6. In 2004, the Federal Government conferred the renowned artist with the National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOM). Oshinowo speaks with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME on the price he paid for choosing to study fine art, why he left King’s College, Lagos as an art teacher, his post- retirement experience and his love for drawing, among other issues.

    Going by his track record Kolade Oshinowo, 70   has attained the status of a living legend. He rose to become Deputy Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos between 1992 and 1996 before retiring on February 28, 2008. Apart from being a prolific painter, Oshinowo’s concerns go beyond aesthetics on canvas. He uses his paintings  to draw attention to critical issues in the society.

    In 2016, during his solo exhibition Changing Times, held at Terra Kulture Gallery, Lagos, Oshinowo noted that the nation was going through troubling times. “My current output includes works that attempt to reflect our dark side and the consequences of several wrong choices we have made as a nation. Negative reports have invariably overshadowed what we always assumed to be our ‘normal’ life. Our state of wickedness and penchant for ‘man’s inhumanity to man’ has continued to assault our collective psyche, robbing us of our genuine desire for progress,” he said.

    He has been a campaigner for a saner society using his paintings since 1998 and he is still painting. “There is hopelessness in the land, so we seek God’s intervention. I work with a great deal of energy and passion; unending streams of responses to various stimuli within our socio-economic, political, cultural and environmental space. Decades of uninterrupted studio practice, searching, researching, exploring and discovering has often resulted in my desire to outdo myself.

    “I try to subject reality to a preferential process of selection and choosing only what  is in concert or harmony with my own disposition. I allow my paintings to talk to me in a meditative engagement process in the course of my work. This dialogue has enabled me to give life to a large body of work,” he said.

    Turning 70

    It is a thing of joy to be celebrated at 70. But, do I really deserve it? I just try to enjoy what I do and also enjoy the peace of mind. My private life is difficult to separate from my academic life.

    I joined Yaba College of Technology as a 25-year-old man in 1974. Prof Yusuf Grillo influenced my joining the college. Until then I was a teacher at King’s College, Lagos, but observed that most of my students would drop art while enrolling for O’Levels because they want to study engineering or medicine. On that basis, the option to join Yaba Tech became attractive. But, having spent over three decades there, my students were becoming Heads of Department and Dean. So, it was a signal that my time was up. And I threw in the towel 10 years ago.

    I always tell my friends never wait in doing anything worth doing now.

    For me, to be 70 is a matter of numbers  but age is telling on the frame no doubt. In those days, I could paint for seven  to eight hours non-stop, but today I have to stop and continue again. One needs to slow down a little. However, making it to 70 in good health is God’s grace.

    Realisation of his dream

    If I had followed my late father’s instructions, I wouldn’t have been fulfilled. And if I have to come back to this world again, I will remain an artist. I am glad there are lots of art schools in the country today unlike during our time.

    My secondary school days were memorable. My late father believed strongly in only three professions: Medicine, Engineering and Law. He wanted me to study sciences. As a result, he moved me from one school to another in search of where sciences are well taught. Fortunately for me, in the course of that movement, I got to a school that has a good art room. That was my main attraction. In that school, the art teacher, Pa Osu often handed over the class to me to take charge. In fact, three persons made me realised my dream as artist.

    Pa Osu, my art teacher, is one of them. He would enter me for art competition without my knowledge. Most times, I got awards and I would be presented with item on the assembly ground. The second person was Mr. Banjoko, the manager at the bank where I worked after leaving secondary school. While at the bank, I used to sketch many of our customers without knowing that the manager was watching me. One day he asked what would I like to study? Unknown to me, he had checked the sketch pad in my drawer in my absence and saw all the drawings.

    Shocked by the question I summoned courage to answer I would study for AIB and ICAN, which are professional courses in the banking industry. Unsatisfied, he repeated the question again. It was then I realised he was up to something serious. I then told him I would like to study fine art. He replied saying go and get admission and leave the bank.

    The third person was my late sister who cared for me when my father threw me out of the house because of art. She gave me support when it matters most in my life then.

    First bold step

    When I was seeking admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, I went with my drawings while some students went with giant paintings on canvas. I have always been  the champion for drawing skill. If you are good as an artist, you cannot starve except you are lazy. Drawing skill comes naturally. My focus has been on studio practice despite my years in the academy. And as my incentive to drawing, I will give a prize for it on my birth day.

    Post retirement years

    The whole essence of my retirement was to have enough time for my studio work. Again, artists do not retire. Since I left Yaba Tech 10 years ago, I have had more time to paint because no supervising of any project, no rushing to sign in at school and no teaching of students. It actually gave me more time to practise and the beauty of it all is that I retired to something tangible. Sometimes at some social functions I do go blank with little or no interest in the happenings around me because my mind was in the studio.

    Events lined up for his celebration

    Art community in Lagos has set aside the month of February to celebrate the former Deputy Rector Yaba College of Technology, Lagos beginning with a three-day workshop organised by Prof Peju Layiwola at the Women and Youth Art Foundation in Surulere Lagos on February 5. This will be followed by a drawing session organised by Olu Ajayi tagged Kolade Oshinowo Before the Artists at the Art Complex, Yaba College of Technology on Thursday February 8. There will also be an Art Stampede in his honour on Friday February 9 at the Art Complex Yabatech, by 4pm.

    On Saturday February 10, a retrospective exhibition of Oshinowo’s works will hold at Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi Lagos by 4pm. Also, the SNA Lagos chapter will also be celebrating Oshinowo during its SNA Week, which shall hold from February 16 to 23. On February 17, at Terra Kulture Lagos, Moses Oghagbon will hold an exhibition in celebrating Kolade Oshinowo.

    The School of Art, Design and Printing Technology, Yaba College of Technology will on February 23 hold an exhibition tagged Living legend: A tribute to Mr. Kolade Oshinowo. There will be an international conference from April 4 to 6, featuring scholars and writers who will unravel Oshinowo, the man and his art, and provide answers to who is Kolade Oshinowo? Papers presented at the conference will be published into a book.

    Oshinowo will be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a gala night on April 6 sponsored by the Society of Nigerian Artists. All the events are being organised by Lagos State government, Society of Nigerian Artists, Yaba College of Technology, Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos, Nigerian Society for Education through Arts, Cultural and Creative Arts Foundation, Agufon Publications, Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, CORA, Mydrim Gallery, OYASAF, Phephe Planet Productions among others.

  • LASUTH records 74 live births through cheaper ART

    LASUTH records 74 live births through cheaper ART

    Experts from the BridgeClinic and the Institute of Fertility Medicine (IFM) of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), have showcased the 74 babies delivered through their collaboration, writes OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA.

    No one gave it a chance of survival at the beginning. But six years later, the collaboration between Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the BridgeClinic (TBC) on  cheaper Invitro Fertility Treatment (IVF) for the financially challenged has started bearing fruits.

    The deal led to the formation of the Institute of Fertility Medicine (IFM), which has handled 74 live births through the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).

    LASUTH and TBC management fittingly rolled out the drums to celebrate the feat.

    The BridgeClinic (TBC)Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Richardson Ajayi, said: ‘’It is tough running a parallel organisation in a public hospital – with  similar mission and standard.

    ‘’It’s like staging a war against oneself, but the desire to see many couples, especially those who are financially challenged, achieve procreation, sustained the result of having 74 live births through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital’s (LASUTH’s)  Institute of Fertility Medicine (IFM) of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the BridgeClinic.”

    He said the plan was to hand over the facility to LASUTH after five years.

    The objective of the deal is to provide quality fertility services to economically challenged families in Lagos and its environs.

    IFM, which operates within LASUTH, is staffed by LASUTH doctors and TBC’s nurses and embryologists. This helped the LASUTH doctors to be trained by The BridgeClinic and enabled it to subsidise treatment for lower income families that needed ART, especially IVF with percent discount offered them.

    According to Ajayi, the standard the BridgeClinic is known for, exists at LASUTH’s IMF and it was not easy funding such operations, “but today, we are happy that many families have babies of their own. How good you cultured in a laboratory determines success. This is the first in West Africa where a private and a public hospital collaborate on ART/IVF. My dream is to take IFM and transform it into a research institute.”

    Ajayi appealed to the government to fund the LASUTH’s IMF to enable  achieve its goal.

    LUTH management appealed to  Nigerians to support the government in achieving a cheaper cost of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) especially its peak -IVF.

    LASUTH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Adewale Oke, represented by Dr Ayoade Adedokun, the hospital’s  Clinical Services and Training Director, said: “We have been told what future lies ahead of the partnership, which is to bring down the cost further. With the help of the government and well-meaning Nigerians, we can achieve this; that is, getting the drugs at a highly subsidised rate that will bring down the cost of treatment.’’

    According to the hospital’s Chairman of IFM Board, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, the cost of one ART cycle is from N400,000 to N500,000.

    Fabamwo said there was the need to train more fertility experts in the hospital. He said only two persons had been trained as consultants on fertility matters in the hospital. He, however, noted that some resident doctors in the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department had undertaken routine trainings at the IFM.

    “For now, only two consultants will carry on with the service in the institution,” he said.

    The chairman said the hospital was aiming at being independent in fertility issues.

    Fabamwo said: “We are only waiting for the completion of the Ayinke House, which will be the new building for the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department before we start to operate on our own.’’

    The guest speaker, Dr Tawakalitu Otun, a consultant gynaecologist, urged those with infertile cases to seek assistance.

    Otun said religious beliefs hindered some women from seeking appropriate treatment,“The issue of religion is a huge challenge; when women and men are infertile, they believe it is a supernatural problem, but science has gone beyond that myth. It is better to be investigated and the cause of the problem identified and treated. Not all women will have babies through Invitro Fertility Treatment (IVF); there is also room for adoption. There are other ways of conceiving and having children,” she said.

    Otun said  about 50 per cent of those who visited the hospital’s gynaecology clinics presented with   infertility cases.

    According to her, the country still records a high rate of infertility. “The reason is that there are a lot of practices among the population that can affect fertility potential vis-a-vis the level of promiscuity within the environment. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) can be a reason.

    “For the female, the cause is mostly tubal factor, which is due to infection from STDs; also, men have problems with sperm counts due to infections,” she said.

    Bridge Clinic Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jide Ojo, said IVF awareness was low.

    Ojo said: “There are a lot of people who are dying in silence. They feel stigmatised and do not know where to seek help. There is the need for more awareness so that a lot of people will know where to go to access these services.

    ‘’There are now hope and potential solutions for a lot of couples who may be giving up hope of becoming parents. They need to know where to go, who to talk to, and how to access these services and make their dreams come true.”

    The first live birth through LASUTH’s IFM was a set of twins delivered on December 26, 2011. The IFM opened in August 2011.

  • The art of political deception

    The art of political deception

    Since the beginning of recorded history, two notions of politics have endured. One suggests that politics is about the good of the community. The other argues that it is all about the self. Between the two, there is a consensus that politics is about “who gets what, when, and how?”

    For the first notion, the community decides the question of “who gets what when and how?” and that decision is almost always favorable to the entire community. For the second notion, the community has no independent existence because it is made up of individuals and what each person makes is what he or she gets. Community has no right to the assets of its members except for the purpose of securing them.

    Of course, this debate is an offshoot of democratic politics and therefore only makes sense therein. Monarchies care less about individuals who are not part of the divine inheritance. This ideological dichotomy between looking after the good of the community and the interest of individuals has driven the politics of the western world especially since the beginning of modern politics in the 18th century.

    In the beginning, both sides argued their cases without blushing, and in defiance of any public opprobrium. In the vanguard of the politics of self-interest are the libertarians, the most radical of whom was Ayn Rand whose glorification of selfishness has fueled the passion of generations of libertarians, especially in the US and Western Europe.

    Recently, however, while those who insist on the primacy of community have not felt embarrassed about their position, many politicians who would pass as defenders of self-interest now cover their core position with a deceptive facade of community interest. They argue, that is, that pursuing policies that promote the self ends up benefiting the general interest. Their position has two arguments with the same conclusion.

    First, promoting the interest of individuals, as they see it, is the right policy for a government to pursue because individuals are the components of the community. Second, even if pursuing individual interests is not morally defensible in its own right, it is justifiable as an ultimate means to the promotion of the interest of the community.

    While the first position is unapologetically a glorification of naked individualism, the second camouflages as anything but individualism. It is what I refer to as political deception. It has been elevated to the level of an art, and it has been the motivating force behind the politics of the last few centuries. With its center of gravity in the West, it has traveled wide to most corners of the world, including ours.

    The sad part of the politics of deception is that it often succeeds in recruiting its actual and potential victims as its most prominent and reliable advocates. Concrete examples to prove the veracity of this claim are not out of reach. Just as charity veritably begins at home, however, we may start our journey to the mindset of political deception with our clime, in which it is certainly not a stranger.

    The free education of every child has long been the passion of egalitarians like Chief Obafemi Awolowo. But in 1954 Awolowo faced the battle of his political life when his free primary education policy was the subject of opposition attack and blackmail in the federal elections of that year. Awolowo’s party, Action Group, had calculated almost to the penny what it would need for the policy to take off in January 1955. A special educational poll tax was imposed on each adult to raise funds for the new program. The opposition kicked and campaigned effectively against the ruling party.

    The attack line was that Awolowo was going to deprive the parents of the services of their children on the farm. It was a low blow coming from the educated elite who certainly knew better. But it worked. Action Group lost the federal election. But it did not lose its focus; it implemented the policy and, with its success, stole the heart of the masses. Because our people were quick to discern the benefits of free primary education to their families, political deception backfired against its creative artists.

    In other climes, including the most developed ones, the masses negatively impacted by its catastrophic grip have not been as quick in recognizing political deception.

    Very early on, the Obama administration saw the plight of many US citizens who had no access to health care because health insurance was beyond their reach. They carried diseases without knowing until it was too late because they could not afford regular medical checkups. Then the cost of late treatment bankrupted them. Obama and the Democrats proposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) bill and got it approved by Congress. Obama signed it into law and the difference in the lives of many was immediately clear.

    But political deception fought back. Individual mandate, a key component of the law, was characterized as anti-freedom. This campaign rhetoric was sold hook, line, and sinker in the 2010 midterm elections. And many of the beneficiaries of the law bought the rhetoric. Republicans picked up enough seats to win back the majority in the House. Though Obama was re-elected in 2012, Senate was captured by Republicans and the repeal of the ACA was their major campaign issue. They passed repeal and replace bills multiple times but because of Obama’s veto power, none became law.

    Then entered President Trump with the House and Senate as co-travelers in the “repeal and replace” train. Suddenly, the eyes of the beneficiaries were opened as the prospect of a real repeal with no good replacement became clear. They jammed town halls in protest. And the masters of political deception retreated. A great lesson in the art of the protest!

    But political deception doesn’t give up easily. It comes back to fight again. If it is defeated by beneficiaries of Affordable Care Act, it comes back in the form of “a huge tax cut” for everyone. And so was born the Tax Reform Bill of 2017, which the CBO has determined will add $1.4 trillion to the deficit and make four million lose health insurance in 2019, and 13 million in 2027. While it is also determined that Corporate tax cuts will be permanent if the bill becomes law, many individuals especially in the middle and lower income group will have temporary gains in the short term but tax hikes in the long term when the life of the bill expires.

    The central aspect of the tax reform bill is its targeting the ACA, again! It will repeal the individual mandate, leading to many young people neglecting to buy health insurance once the prospect of penalty for not buying is removed. Along with this is the availability of the subsidy that those who neglect to buy health insurance are entitled to receive under ACA. Such subsidies, estimated to be in hundreds of billions, are now targeted by Republicans to fund extra tax cut for the wealthy.

    Sadly, some beneficiaries of the ACA are all for the repeal of the individual mandate. Note that these group will benefit the least from tax reform. But they are indoctrinated to believe that it is good for the economy, and therefore for them, and that the removal of individual mandate is only for the defense of their freedom of choice.

    No one can infallibly predict the trajectory of American politics in the next few days talk less of few months. Will the masses know better and turn against the party in power for its assault on their interests in affordable healthcare? Will the same electorates that gave Obama and his party a shellacking for passing the ACA into law now see the light and give the GOP a revenge shellacking for its unbending efforts to kill the law which they (masses) have now undoubtedly recognized to be for their interest?

    Time will tell. But one thing is sure. Political deception has a proven record of resilience. It will survive any temporary defeat provided its victims remain as gullible as they tend to be.

     

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  • ‘Art is the colossus of our day- to- day living’

    ‘Art is the colossus of our day- to- day living’

    THE Chrisland Group  Schools, Lagos, has held an art award as part of activities markingits 40th anniversary. At the event which held Opebi, six art personalities were honoured for their contributions to the development of arts in the country.

    The awardees were professor of art Bruce Onobrakpeya; former provost of the Federal Government College, Osiele, Ogun State, Dr Kunle Filani; art editor Mr. Cossy Ajiboye; Sam Ovrait; art critic Mr. Mufu Onifade; and Mr Bernard Aina.

    They were awarded medals.

    Also four musicians – Dr Albert Oikelome; Sir Emeka Nwokodi; gospel musician Mr Kunle Ajayi, and performance poet and journalist Mr. Akeem Lasisi were given awards for their contributions to the music industry.

    According to Prof. Onobrakpeya, art does not only mirror society, it is a tool for advocacy.  “There is no world without art because it is the colossus of our day- to- day living. Just imagine a life without God creating a life without colours, how do we make life just to make it comfortable for the human race. Art is the coin of a healthy living, mixing different things you’ll have proper one because that is the Ariel of life,” he said.

    The Managing Director of the Chrisland Group of Schools, Mrs Grace Adeyemi, spoke of the importance of nurturing the talents in children, linking it with the mental development of the young. While urging parents to pay attention to talents in their children, she said nurturing the artistic and musical talents in children is one of the core values of the school. She added: “We train our children in music and art to bring out quality of art in them because some of them can sing well and very good in presentations, painting and acting.”

    The school also held an exhibition to commemorate its anniversary. The exhibition featured artworks of pupils from all Chrisland Group of Schools along with other schools, such as: Grange School, GRA Ikeja; Lara School, Gbagada; Grace Schools; Lagos, Mind Builders School; and Supreme Educational  Foundation.

    The works included tye and dye; painting, sculpting, etc.

  • CREATIVITY, ART, ENTERTAINMENT IN AMBODE’S DNA, SAYS COMMISSIONER

    CREATIVITY, ART, ENTERTAINMENT IN AMBODE’S DNA, SAYS COMMISSIONER

    In just two years of assuming office, there is hardly any part of the creative sector that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has not impacted. From the glamour of showbiz to a business environment set for Return on Investment, Lagos, under Ambode has continued to push the envelope. The State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayoyinde reveals more in this interview with Entertainment Editor, VICTOR AKANDE.

    GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode has done so much for arts and entertainment within the short time that he became governor of Lagos State; can you tell us a bit about his affinity to the creative industry before now?

    (Smiles) Well, he’s got ears for good music. He’s an accountant, but he’s an art enthusiast and he started right from his school days. You know, his secondary school was in Warri and his university was University of Lagos. Except you’re close to him, you won’t know that he’s very deep in matters of arts.

    And not just in appreciating the arts, he has also supported, even before he became governor, a number of artistes, particularly musicians. You may be shocked to hear that three of the most prominent musicians in Nigeria as at today; two in the hip hop world and one in the, if you like, Yoruba traditional music, who happens to be a female, largely owe their musical career to his support, even before he became governor.

    Because he has always believed in supporting the arts which is the reason why, in drafting the strategic roadmap that he wanted to implement when he becomes governor, what was prominent in that strategic framework was the Project T.H.E.S.E which stands for Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and the Arts plus Sports to create Excellence for Lagos State. This is why you see that, as an accountant and former Auditor General, he has succeeded in re-shaping the finances of the state…

    How rich is Lagos State in relation to all the beautiful projects embarked upon by this administration?

    Lagos makes good revenue, but it pales into insignificance compared to the things that we need to do. Everybody knows that he guards Lagos’ money jealously, which is why people have been wondering where he is getting the money, but because he has been able to manage the resource and has deployed everything into projects and impactful things, he’s succeeding on those things. But his other heart and love is for arts, entertainment, tourism, hospitality and the likes, which is why he has always said that the future of the state lies in ideas and services.

    Talking about ideas; the creative industry is full of plenty of them, trooping into Lagos, isn’t there going be an explosion?

    That is where the T.H.E.S.E scheme comes in. With a burgeoning population here, with youths coming out of school not getting jobs and with practically every four or five Nigerians coming out of universities, one or two from them think that they need to be in Lagos to ‘make it’, you need to create opportunities for them. Those opportunities would not happen in banks or oil companies. How many can they all take? But in services, in creative economy and sports, they can be gainfully employed. That’s why the governor is pushing so much into that. And I can say without fear of contradiction or equivocation that in his appreciation for finer things of life, creativity, arts, entertainment, movies, etc is in his DNA.

    How much has political bottlenecks affected his drive toward the T.H.E.S.E scheme?

    I think every leader and public officer will have to understand the spirit of politics. It is not only political bottlenecks that can slow you down. Even public service bureaucracy can. Bureaucracy is not an African word or invention. It’s an English word. It means that all over the world, government requires that you must examine things critically. That said, this is a man who spent the better part of his adult life as a civil servant – 27 good years – and rising first to the position of Auditor General for Local Government, and Accountant General and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance. So, he understands the terrain and I think that all his experiences really have prepared him for that position. So, if there are bottlenecks, I don’t think they have slowed him down. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to deliver in the manner that he has delivered in two years. I think he has managed very well to navigate through, not only the political gimmicks that might be there but also through bureaucracy and red tape that public service tend to create.

    What about some Federal Government facilities in Lagos that the governor wishes to resuscitate and put to maximum use?

    I think he’s doing a good job of it. I think he’s following on the charge that President Muhammadu Buhari gave to him on the podium when he (Buhari) came for a campaign in Lagos State. And he said that he is aware that because Lagos has always been in the opposition party from the Federal, if he becomes president, and of course, APC retains Lagos, it would be the first time since democracy returned 19 years ago that Lagos and Federal would align. It means that all the things that Lagos has been denied, this is the season that they would return. For example, the governor wrote the president himself, requesting for the transfer of the Presidential lodge to Lagos State because he has decided from the beginning that he was not going to stay in the governor’s lodge in Marina. He reckoned that if Ikeja is the capital, the secretariat is there, the ultra-modern governor’s house that Asiwaju started is also there, that he should lead by example and make sure that with his family, he lives there and works there.

    We heard about plan to turn Marina to an artistic zone…

    Yes. The governor’s plan has always been to turn the entire Marina and Onikan axis into a kind of art arcade, such that if you’re coming from either Awolowo Road or from outer Marina or from any part, you would be entering an artistic zone. MUSON Centre is already there, Yoruba Tennis Club, National Museum is there, another museum, Lagos Museum is coming there. TBS is there. There is a multi-purpose car park. So, you have an arcade. There will now be a skywalk from that arcade all the way to Freedom Park. So, you will have a zone that is art, tourism and culture oriented. Therefore, if as a tourist, you are listing areas of visits, you know that in one day, you can do about 15 or 18 or 20 different centres within the arcade. You will have breakfast there, you will have lunch there, memorabilia, bookshop, welcome centre, show, cinema, everything. And of course, there is also another similar arcade coming to Ikeja. We’re thinking of an Ikeja Convention Center springing from the area where you have LTV.

    This year’s edition of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) was planned to hold at the National Theatre, but that didn’t happen for obvious reason. Is hope still alive to resuscitate the edifice?

    Well, like the National Theatre, there are a couple of structures that belong to the Federal Government which are in Lagos State that Lagos State desires to fix. But sometimes you realise that it goes beyond desire. There are bottlenecks that will need to be fixed, particularly for National Theatre, National Museum and National Stadium. It’s not very straightforward. Talks are still ongoing. We’re trying to perfect the whole process. For the National Stadium for example, two committees were set up from our part and from the part of Sports Ministry. For National Theatre, not only was AMAA meant to hold there, National Theatre was meant to play an important role during Lagos@50 because Professor Wole Soyinka-led committee was looking for an ideal location that can take multiple activities. Regrettably, it didn’t work out as at that time. Just like you said, we’re keeping hope alive. And we’re hoping that the bottlenecks and the red tape at the federal level will see the eagerness and enthusiasm of Lagos State to get it done. In any case, we also agree that like the Oshodi International Aiport Road, all those monuments are an embarrassment to Nigeria and therefore, the need to fix them is very germane.

    Going by the support given to events like AFRIMA, AMAA, AFRIFF, Lagos International Jazz Festival, TIFF City-to-City Focus on Nollywood, Notting Hill Carnival, Felabration, etcetera, is there plan to enhance the RoI of creative industry investors vis-à-vis piracy fight, physical investments, and curbing the menace of area boys that allegedly disrupt shoots?

    Yes, there are. But you know government ideally is not supposed to run businesses. Government is an enabler, government is a regulator and government should provide the incentives for such projects to thrive which is why it is important for those in the sectors that we’ve mentioned not to rely only on government. There will be grants provided as it is done all over the world, but art is not beggarly. Art is driven by passion, art is business and arts can be profitable. But of course, this government wants to provide the social infrastructures. Any money that government puts into supporting the arts is a social cost really because you need to first galvanise the industry, because even activities of government are co-sponsored by the corporate sector. In any case, for every economic activity that you galvanise, tax returns, sales tax, consumption tax, VAT, etc will still come back to government. I told you about Media City coming up at the premises of LTV 8 where we used to have Blue Roof. An Entertainment Center/Film village is coming up at Epe. Epe is being opened up with road infrastructures. It means that the things that individual artists may not have money to do, government can provide so that artistes would be gainfully employed, shoot more movies. Look at what we did at Toronto International Film Festival last year. The only thing Lagos State did was to support artistes to attend and then we supported them with a pavilion – Seed money. Guess what, this year, one year after the whole thing, another Nigerian film by Mo Abudu has been selected; a film about Lagos. Out of the eight films that went to Toronto last year, six or seven of them are among the 10 highest grossing films of 2016, practically all shot in Lagos. And all the 10 highest grossing films have made more than two billion naira. Tax comes to Lagos State. Even if Lagos state had supported one or two of the films, Lagos State has made more money from that seed money support through tax, through social engagement. People would buy popcorn, people would buy soft drinks, tickets, maiguards would get jobs, Uber would get work, taxi drivers etc. There is a chain and at the end of the day, government still benefits. That is the kind of social infrastructure in the area of creative economy that this government believes in.

    Any plans for community cinemas?

    Yes, we’re thinking about it. You’ll see that we’ve started regeneration of the Under-Bridge. Polly Alakija has done fantastically well with Falomo underbridge. We have cleared Obalende. We’re coming to McGregor, we’re doing Ojuelegba, we’re doing Ikeja. If in three years, we’re able to fix six or seven under bridges and we have a pilot, with say, Falomo and McGregor, we believe that such can be the catalyst for community cinemas because the proposals are already on ground. 200, 300, 400, 500 seaters can now be replicated in at least, the 20 local government areas before going to the LCDAs.

    What about piracy?

    We’re working with the federal government. The governor has actually scheduled a meeting with some stakeholders to add to the initiative that federal government has started with the police. The honourable member of the House, who is the Chairman of Tourism, Arts and Culture in the House, Desmond Elliot, is working with myself and the Acting Commissioner for Tourism on that, to seek the governor’s intervention to complement what the federal is already doing, because 70 percent of the work is being consumed in Lagos, probably produced in Lagos. So, if the buy-in of Lagos is not there, whatever we’re doing elsewhere may not really benefit the industry. So, we’re thinking, not only in terms of piracy but also in terms of, in fact, the two key things that they are presenting to governor is how to lead the anti-piracy move, how to strengthen it and how to protect the industry, particularly those who shoot on the streets.

    That takes us to the menace of area boys that allegedly disrupt shoots…

    Yes. Although we discovered that most of those people who complained that they were attacked never got permit from Lagos State Video and Film Censors Board, which normally has the machinery, as they do elsewhere, in New York and other cities in the world. If you’re shooting exteriorly in New York, New York City provides you with two police which is also what we try to do here. But of course, we know that we can improve on it and it should never be an excuse that those who don’t have permits can be attacked. No. you shouldn’t attack anybody. But those who are also breaking the law abinitio should not. They ought to get permit. So, two things that the governor will be seeing the key stakeholders about – piracy and the issue of opportunistic attacks that some producers encounter on their way.

    …Any other challenges of achieving the full potential of tourism in Lagos State?

    Well, there are so many things that the state is dealing with because of the issues of economic downturn that the rest of the country is witnessing. Lagos is like the Mecca and therefore, the kind of funding that ought to go into finer things of life may not be sufficient because you’ve got to deal with health, you’ve got to deal with education, in terms of public schools, you’ve got to deal with road infrastructure on a daily basis, deal with flooding, deal with security because Lagos is basically subsidising other states. People are out of school as I said to you, they’re coming to Lagos. People are looking for jobs, they’re coming to Lagos. Those who are not coming, they’re waiting for subsidy from their relatives working in Lagos. So, the social cost is high. Lagos has to deal with all those things. There is a report by the police that 80 percent of those who engage in street trading in Lagos State come from a particular state in Nigeria. You don’t need visa to come to Lagos. We can’t return you to where we are coming from. So, we need to deal with all these things and it becomes a bit of a burden dealing with all the vagaries. And in providing public transportation, you’re not just dealing with only Lagosians, you’re dealing with visitors who are trooping in on a daily basis. You need to clear garbage, clear their rubbish, clear their refuse, you’re dealing with people trooping in on a daily basis. You can say that is an issue, of course. Huge headcount is also an advantage. Once we’re able to track people, pay your taxes, do the needful and we’re there.

    I think the governor once requested a framework from the creative industry in Lagos. Have they forwarded anything to that effect?

    Unfortunately not. He met with artistes, particularly musical artistes after One Lagos Fiesta and requested for their framework. I am sad to say that nothing has happened since then from their part. But of course, we won’t say because that has not happened that we’ve not recorded successes in other areas, particularly in the area of visual arts, particularly with what we’re trying to do with the movies now, piracy, etc. But it shouldn’t be that government should contract, be paid and walk away. We’re looking for an enduring framework that can benefit everybody.

    So, what has changed in terms of security and how has that been able to boost night life in Lagos?

    A lot. Reports from the security people say that in the last two years, crime has reduced by 65 percent. Of course, you will see or hear of armed robberies. I mean, this is a megacity. It happens in many megacities. So, dealing with crime is a part of the realities of megacities. But the capacity for the state to manage crime and criminality, to deal with such issues is high. It’s the highest in West Africa, perhaps one of the highest on the continent. So, that sends signals to the investors. It reassured visitors. You will be shocked that part of the reason why the economy of Lagos State grew last year more than even the previous year in the year of recession is also because more people visited Lagos State. More hotels are being built. It’s people from outside mainly and internal tourism that is funding the needful. More choice restaurants, more boutique hotels, more new beaches are being developed. Even, we in our own way, we’re creating Epe and Badagry Marina so that we’ll have the kind of beachfronts that you see in Capetown, in Port Elizabeth, in Miami and all those things because we know that we can secure the place. So, it has improved the economy and evidence was the fact that last year, Lagos made more revenue. The first half of this year alone, Lagos has made more revenue compared to the first half of 2016 that was a very good year anyway.

    The next celebration of Lagos is at the forthcoming Notting Hill Carnival. What is the level of preparation and the feedback from the Nigerian community in London?

    What is happening in London is pop art theme. Lagos is supporting Felabration in London and in Lagos; London of course during the Notting Hill Carnival, and in Lagos in October because August marks the 20th anniversary of the death of the greatest musical icon of Africa, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who lived all his adult life in Lagos. He was a Lagosian, so Lagos is supporting that and just like last year, Lagos is also supporting the transformation of the Nigerian Corner to Lagos Corner. We have two major themes to celebrate Lagos@50. And then, there is a month-long festival of creativity, arts and craft and artworks by Lagos students who made some fantastic canoes together with Polly Alakija who is the chairman of the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture. And then, there’s Bolanle Austen-Peters with ‘Saro The Musical’ which is going to London after ‘Wakaa’ of last year. So, for like five days in the first instance and throughout the end of August till the end of September, Lagos will be reverberating in the whole of London in the cultural sense. And it is important for us because that is brand love for Lagos State in the year that we’re still celebrating the 50th anniversary of our state.

    Of course everybody is waiting. They’re eager; they can’t wait to see Lagos because part of what will herald the whole thing is Sunday the 27th. And we have the ‘Ekopolitan Experience’ as part of the Love Lagos Weekend in London Season 2. Last year, it was ‘Love Lagos Weekend’, now this is Season 2. The ‘Ekopolitan Experience’  will be the prelude to Lagos Corner and Felabration. And that will be like walking into Eko that will be created in London – Lagos food, Lagos music, Lagos@50 clothing, children of Nigerians in the Diaspora winning prizes to sing Lagos songs, poetry, and best of Nigerian DJs – everything that would remind you of Lagos.

  • ‘Art was part of my growing up in the palace’

    ‘Art was part of my growing up in the palace’

     In this interview with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME, Cronwne Art Gallery proprietor  Mr. Omoregbe Erediauwa speaks on his interest in promoting art, why he founded the gallery and his vision for the gallery, among others. 

    At the beginning

     

    “It has to do with my background. In the family I grew up, you find art everywhere. And growing older, I now have the maturity to see, like and collect.  Again, it is a personal thing to collect works and it got to a point when storage became a challenge. That brought the idea of setting up an art gallery in 2014.

    Initially it was primarily to provide a space for my collection to breath. But much later I wanted to partner artists for a larger collection for public enjoyment. Also, such collaboration would afford me the opportunity to learn fast on the demands of the project because you would find people asking you the right questions to make you improve.

     

     

    Vision of the gallery

     

    “To serve as a reservoir where people can get as much authentic information about Edo heritage. We read a lot about Edo heritage from different sources, so we want this gallery to serve as a place to confirm such information. In the long run, if it is possible we should be able to buy back our objects in foreign museums and private galleries. The ground floor is dedicated to modern art while the top floor is for antiquities.”

     

    Preserving and documenting  the objects

     

    “I am collaborating with officials of National Commission for Museums and Monuments in the areas of preservation and documentation as well as authentication.

     

     

    Art business in Edo State

     

    It is unfortunate that the state of art business is low. Hopefully, the present administration has a strong passion for art. Oba Ewuare of Benin also has the same passion. He even has a foundation. However, the bronze guild in Igun Street, Benin City, is inactive. Most of the youths are only interested in travelling out to Europe.

    There is a suggestion that in order to revamp the bronze casting guild in Igu, the guild should be redesigned as a vocational school that incorporates academic and craft business. This will prepare the young ones for the future instead of the craze to travel to Europe.

     

     Projections

     

     

    “We don’t have resident artists for promotion yet. But we are starting off with the joint art exhibition featuring, Pius Owolabi and Emosivbe Kamere. So, we are providing this as a platform to promote young artists, may be, twice in a year. It ran from June 22 to July 2.”

  • ‘During civil war, art was propaganda tool for govt’

    ‘During civil war, art was propaganda tool for govt’

    Former Arts Adviser to the Federal Government and founder, TAFAS Legacy Gallery, Ikeja, Lagos, Chief Timothy Banjo Fasuyi, who turned 82 last month, spoke with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME on why it took him 33 years to hold his second solo art exhibition and why art is used by the government as a propaganda tool during wars. 

    What were the responses of collectors and your friends to your last exhibition when you turned 82?

    It was very heart-warming for me when I saw my old friends and artists come round to felicitate with me, except for few who could not come. I thank Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya and Kolade Oshinowo who appreciated and recognised my contributions to the art, despite my long stay away from Lagos art scene for over 20 years in Ilesa. They were happy to see me again and I think love don’t mind time of separation.

    You were absent from the Lagos art scene for long without an exhibition. What is the significance of art exhibition in the career of an artist?

    Exhibition is the harvest time of the artist. It is also the checkpoint of the artists. When you are working as an artist, a time will come you want to assess and review what you have done and what to do with all that you have produced. The artist uses the exhibition as a time to plan for the next stage of production. That is one reason.

    If during an exhibition the sale an artist made is good, he will not only smile to the bank but replenish his collection for future show. Also, the artist may not have made money from his exhibition but got constructive criticism from the press that will spur him to do better next time. This is another reason.

    Interestingly, an exhibition also provides opportunity for friends of artist to interact with one another outside studio time. In fact, some artists may learn from your works. But there are some political commissions. For instance, during the early days of Soviet Union, art became a tool of propaganda for the promotion of communism. Every artist then was commissioned to promote the ideology of the government.

    In Nigeria during the civil war, the Federal Military Government sent eight artists, including myself, to different parts of the world for art exhibition. This was to tell the world that artists were working and Nigeria was peaceful, in spite of the crisis. The artists were sent to Italy, Germany, London and US to exhibit their artworks. It was purely propaganda because there is no reward for that. It was service to the nation then.

    Artistes, including painters, sculptors, musicians, dramatists, writers and singers, are the soul of any society. When they poured out their souls via any media, they are reflecting the state of the society. Historians and art critics collect instructive messages about the society from artistes to reinforce their writings on the society.

    It took you 33 years to hold a second art exhibition after the first one in France, Paris. Why the long delay?

    The interval between my last solo art exhibition in Paris in 1984 and this year’s outing is rather long. But, it was not  lazily used. I have occupied myself with other things that are part of my dream. Again, it is not a matter of timing but I had personal programmes I was working on all these years. My dream as a student at the Nigeria College of Arts and Science, Zaria included building a house, school, church and art gallery. I have an estate in Ilesa, built two churches and am working on my art gallery in Lagos. That I am lagging in one area does not mean that I am sleeping. I am doing well in other areas to achieve my dream. I voluntarily retired from the Federal Ministry of Education exactly on my 50th birthday, according to my plan. Some were worried about my retirement. And many thought I was been haunted by African juju because they could not comprehend why I should leave my job as director in charge of all the Federal Government’s colleges in the country. The Head of Service then, Mr. Gray Longe, called me to ask if anything was wrong with my head. I told him nothing was wrong with me. And since then, I have no regret.

    Again, the main reason I have not been able to exhibit for that long was because of the Federal Government’s order banning private practice in the civil service in the 70s. This order affected almost all professionals, including artists. But note that I was the Secretary of Society of Nigerian Artists and I participated in group exhibitions at the initial period of the association.

    However, when I left the civil service, I discovered that the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination was posing challenges to many students. So, I established a pre-varsity school at Ikeja to coach students seeking admission to varsities and polytechnics. This literarily took me away from the art.

    Last month, you celebrated your 82nd birthday with an art exhibition, symposium, award presentation and dinner. What lesson did you learn from the events?

    Since the previous exhibition, I have been working in the last five years at my Ilesa base before returning to Lagos. But, in spite of the logistics and planning costs, I was happy at the quality and turnout of guests, friends and artists at the various events marking my 82nd birthday. I specially thank the Society of Nigerian Artists and other artists, such as Dr. Kunle Adeyemi and Bolaji Ogunwo, for their support. Now that my exhibition is over, I am trying to reposition the gallery to accommodate larger collection of works. The National Gallery of Art is planning the launch of a book here very soon.

     

  • Women as agents of the Art

    Women as agents of the Art

    Women’s images are always very exciting to behold when it comes to visual arts. Some of these artistic and remarkable pieces were brought to light at a celebration of women’s achievements, struggles and artistic perspective which took place recently at the Moor House hotel , Lagos.

    The event which was hosted by –’African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) Southwest showed  Here the public was treated to a Concept–’Art exhibition depicting women as change agents.

    According to Ora Ataguba, the organizations Southwest Coordinator: “the theme for this year’s exhibition is “Be bold for Change. Here we have put together a collection of 50 Art  works which showcase womanhood in the purest natural form. We appreciate the God given endowment of purpose and resilience  in daily pursuit”.

    One of the interesting part of the outing is the fact that a percentage of the proceeds from the exhibition goes to a budding entrepreneur. “We are also pleased to say that a percentage of what we raise from this event will be donated towards encouraging young and budding women in the Arts”.

    The choice of the , Ataguba adds will emanate from a pitching contest which would set off the Awep mentoring program.

    The colorful event creative works three artiste,–’ Chike Onuora, Ademola Adeshina, Joseph Mathew Bidemi.

    Apart from the collection, issues affecting the womenfolk and how their lot can be improved upon were discused. Factors seeking to empower women through a hand holding holistic approach as well as the assessment of the business to funding were all x-rayed.

    GrowthCap, one of the stakeholders at the event took time to talk about how to enhance women needs. “We gives strategic, management and investment advice to social, responsible businesses in emerging markets with a focus on women and young entrepreneurs”, Charlotte Salford. With a team of global advisers GrowthCap diagnoses the needs for growth in businesses and advises entrepreneurs in confidence, using a tailor made, sector specific approach suitable for each, individual entrepreneur.

    Those who attended the exhibition included Ambassador Foluke Marcus Bello (Awep trustee),Charlotte Salford (CEO Growthcap UK) , Mr Oyewole, Chairman Export committee. NBBF (Nigerian British Business Council) and Vivian Ani of High net Resources), art connoisseurs and guests from different sectors of the economy.

  • ‘Living from my art is my greatest success’

    ‘Living from my art is my greatest success’

    Chief Executive, Livon, Azuka Daco unleashes artistic passion by designing own’s line of clothing. The Fine Arts graduate says he simply needed to be free to pursue his true calling, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Chief Executive Officer, Livon, Azuka Daco studied Fine Art at  Yaba College of  Technology(YABATECH), Lagos, but his  real passion is  fashion designing.

    With a knowledge of the industry, he has risen from being an accomplished fashion designer to a service provider in the industry  as advisor, trainer and  motivational speaker. The desire to start something on his own manifested while in YABATCH  as a student. He was making money selling his products.

    He  says this experience triggered his business mind because he believed he could develop his own enterprise. Indeed, Daco started  with  just  a sewing machine and turned to simple contracts that involved designing clothes for people.

    While his experience widened, he  started bidding for  bigger jobs. Today, his office is spread  on the top floor of a building along Opebi.

    He might have started as a small business in a little space, but today in his Salvation Road Headquarters, Ikeja, he has several hands  working for him and reaping so much in sales.

    The entrepreneur started designing dresses he believed would appeal to young, urban customers like him. Unlike the popular adage that you need to have money to make money, Daco believes a fashion entrepreneur needs a sewing  machine  and passion for creativity. He also attributes his success to innovations, saying he encourages unique designs for every client. For him, deadlines are important. From the runway to the room, he is stamping his stylish visions as he moves beyond haute couture and into the realm of interior design.

    On his source of inspiration , he responded that he is constantly inspired by his  clients. His designed outfits have been worn time and again by celebrities. From the look of things, it has been a fast rise for him since his first business in 2008, knitting and tailoring clothing.

    His clients commend him that he has done himself  a great service by creating a very strong business model from the very beginning. His accomplishment has not been without challenges as jobs were scarce and for the few jobs, clients did not pay on time he revealed. As a fashion entrepreneur that supports new and emerging talent as well as weaver groups, he trusts his ability to smell fresh and exhibit talent to provide the support team to a budding designer.

    He is providing apparel entrepreneurs with the resources and training to turn their vision into a profitable reality.

    Daco has been working on many projects. A plan is underway for a permanent training centre that will equip students with hands-on skills. Already, he is drawing a growing student population, having  established  himself  as a designer for simple lines, enhanced by his artful use of colour, great tailoring and quality of fabrics.

    He said with the establishment of the institute, the graduates from there would be able to compete favourably with other fashion designers across the globe.

    He said it will also lead to job creation. With the venture, he aims to provide relevant practical training and in-depth industry knowledge to fashion aspirants across the country.He is proving that the days of fashion schools training glorified seamstresses are over.