The Nation Newspaper

Tag: art

  • Art, science of billings, receivables: Case study of Nigeria’s electricity industry

    In the service industry, one can never eliminate accounts receivable due to the need to certify services provided, upon which payments are based.

    The service provider owes the duty to prove that services contracted have been delivered in the right quantity and quality. Disputes can and often arise with regards to these two issues. Resolutions often involve discounts, where service quality is below par, and sometimes, resolution may involve the issuance of credit notes.

    With regards to infrastructure, the need for accurate and transparent billings is a sine-qua-non. The curious case of Nigerian electricity billings and receivables include the situation, where a utility service provider would brazenly continually provide bills on estimation, the basis of which is unknown to the consumer. The service provider fears no dispute nor loss where he makes no attempt whatsoever to provide a means of ascertaining the quantity or quality of services rendered.

    Another curious case in the Nigerian electricity industry is that in which an MDA will obtain appropriation in the annual budget for utilities and still refuse to pay the service provider for continuous periods. The question is, “what happens to the funds appropriated for that purpose?” Another question is, “how would such an MDA obtain an appropriation for the settlement of utility bills (power) for previous physical periods without being queried?

    In Nigeria, the art involved in power billing to the individual consumer consists mainly of the art of pole-climbing – the popular extortionist tactics of NEPA – PHCN – DISCOS. It also includes the sneak distribution of bills when the consumer is most unlikely to be available to challenge the bill.

    Another component of this art is the haggling and negotiations involved in arriving at the non-disconnection or on-the-spot reconnections fee. The final component of this art is the skill involved in arriving at the estimation. The marketing officers take casual inventory of the type of car the consumer uses, his fashion preferences, and possibly the facial ambience of the property occupied. These are the requirements for providing an expert judgment of power consumption – NO METERS REQUIRED. In other climes, meters are the only basis for charging utility bills?

    With the level of technological advancement and knowledge freely available, I can bet with any Disco that a set of junior secondary school kids will design a tamper – proof App that will ensure electricity meters cannot be circumvented. Personally, I can design such meter for any willing Disco at less than one million naira and a royalty of 2% of the value of any such meter deployed by them.

    The greed of the Discos is the major factor at play here. The continuous issuance of estimated bills is nothing but extortion from the helpless individual consumers to make up for the shortfalls from MDAs who are powerful enough to resist the monthly balloons of estimated bills.

    I believe its high time government beams its searchlight on the regulators in the electricity industry (NERC) to ascertain why they are reluctant to apply the sanctions in the privatisation agreement or relief to the consumers. How can we explain a situation where a consumer has been placed on estimated billing for years without being offered a meter? Obviously, the service provider “does not give a dam!”

     

    • Aibangbe, a Media and Energy Relations Consultant, wrote from Lagos

     

  • Atiku demonstrates visual art

    Atiku demonstrates visual art

    Jelili Atiku has successfully established himself as one of the most revered performance artists in the world.  A visual artist by profession, he chose from day one to use his visual works as a platform to perform some series of art works on stage to capture his audience.  This was why he took his time to create his own form, style and message.  Today he is a brand.

    A performance artist well gifted in the area of conceptualization, so far he has won the Prince Claus award as Africa’s most consistent performance artist.  This Netherlands based award listed him as one of its 2015 laureates.  Awardees are chosen every year in the area of creative works emboldened by the artist himself.  To them, his works provoke debates on the issues of climate change, desert encroachment, oil spillage, environmental degradation and such ugly happenings that deplete the earth.

    To him, art is the best way to capture the world.  It is not only to draw, paint and sculpt or even do installations in different forms, but to try to condense the message of his art works through demonstrations, performances and acts.

    During the last Lagos Book and Art Festival, held at the Freedom Park, Lagos, Atiku’s works were spectacular in a way no other artist could equal him.  Indeed in the past two editions of the festival, Atiku’s visual works have been used to establish some landmark impressions of how a real performance fine artist should exhibit his trade.  The pictures of his shows, his own person and what he stands for, have been so conspicuous that Atiku himself has been accepted as a phenomenon.

    In a statement in the brochure of the festival titled they have asked us to smile, it described him as an artist “whose creative sensibility is directed towards using art to critically interrogate man’s actions.”  Today its resultant effects within socio-political, economic, cultural and environmental space have been quite remarkable.  Atiku asserts also that his art has been of immense use to take his numerous “viewers into the true realisation of the consequences of crises, human rights abuses, conflicts and wars.”

    This way, it has been easy for the people, mostly the uninformed to grasp the issues he raises, his approach to topical world issues, why he has chosen this route to demonstrate his art and so on.  “This way too, the world can come to understand the environment better, expand their experiences and consequently activate and renew their lives and the environment,” he said.

    For instance, this art has taken him to most parts of the world.  In those places, he introduces arts in a way to draw the people to him.  In Earth with Trees and Water I Am, Atiku takes three elements that are critical and intrinsic to the sustenance of life to showcase his concept.  What is the concept of life itself?  Why wouldn’t the earth and water be too intricately connected to give man his whole essence?

    Now resorting to the usage of his body as the conveyor of his message the artist in him comes to the fore.  Of course, his attitude is to show that this concept is approachable and should therefore be made to be closer to humanity.  His body is the medium as well as the embodiment of experiments.  To him, tree, earth and water can go hand-in-hand to give man his true bearing.  But man has to use them to achieve enduring environmental preservation.  It is man’s efforts that can maintain, sustain and preserve the environment.  And through his works in forms of demonstrations, it is quite obvious that these issues are brought closer to realisation.

    In other words, visual arts can be used in the way Atiku has formulated it to reach out to the world, campaigning to save the earth.  Environmental degradation has to be avoided.  And an artist has brought himself to the level where the oil companies and their allies have to listen to this sort of campaign formula.

    When he first took his work to Germany to do his stage stunt, most of his audience were to behold this noble and innovative approach to art.  His first demonstration kept them spellbound and showed too that this is what he can take further than that.  In truth, Atiku has furthered his art that today he is well accepted in many parts of the globe.  He is seen as a trail blazer in performance art.  He is even expected to go further than this since creative art needs to be explored continually.

    A graduate of Fine Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State, and the University of Lagos, Atiku believes that expressive art is the most potent way to convince humanity.  “Its potency cannot be overlooked.  It brings visual art to the consciousness of the people and the society,” he said.

  • Art from different parts thrill in Abuja

    Art from different parts thrill in Abuja

    The exhibition lasted for one week with 20 ambassadors in attendance  at the FCT Exhibition Pavilion, Abuja. It served the viewer with a platter of rich art from Nigeria, China, Czech Republic, Germany and South Korea. The beauty and aesthetic appeal of the works on display, were glaring in the strength of cultural diversity, the variety of the media in which the art pieces are executed and the dexterity of the artists.

    The exhibition opened with works of art from Nigeria. The exhibits, which were taken from the collection of National Gallery of Art (NGA), featured the works of some of Nigeria’s prolific and renowned artists whose works are in public and private collections in Nigeria and beyond. Six generations of Nigerian artists were represented in this exhibition by Bruce Onobrakpeya, Jimoh Buraimoh, Rukeme Noserieme, Godwin Nwajei, Ray Soko, Ben Osaghae, Abraham Uyovbisere, Ajene Isegbe, Bisi Fakeye, Bunmi Babatunde, Ufuoma Enuarherhe, Nduwhite Ndubuisi Ahanonu, Fidelis Odogwu, Kashim Salami, Millicent Osumuo and Emmanuel Adelola. The kaleidoscope of works on display are executed in a variety of media which ranged from print, oil, pastel, acrylic and charcoal on canvas, paper and board; mixed media; plastocast; fibre glass to metal and wood sculpture. The art pieces were a micro-representation of the trajectory of Nigerian art. Master strokes of the brush, chisel and knife of older generation Nigerian artists were showcased alongside those of their younger counterparts who are following strongly in their footprints. They presented themes that deal with the vagaries of everyday life, politics, culture, mythology and history.

    China, appearing on the show for the first time, was making a strong showing with 25 fines pun porcelain pieces by 10 top Chinese artists- Sun Zhigang, Huang Yanfei, Chen Jiansheng, Lu Yigang, Lui Yunhui, Xu Xuengen, Xia Guoan, Feng Xia, Xu Yuping and Zhang Xialong. The history of the development of Chinese ceramic art can be traced back to the dynastic periods (about 10,000-11,000 years ago). The first types of ceramics that were produced served mainly utilitarian purposes. Over the ensuing centuries, new techniques and styles developed; aesthetics was blended with utilitarianism and sophisticated porcelain pieces were produced for use in imperial courts. China is without doubt, the home of the very best of exquisite ceramics crafted under strict conditions with painstaking attention to detail and sensitivity to materials. The porcelain paintings on display treated some common symbols and themes in Chinese art and culture- the lotus flower: beauty and purity- “Lotus in the Pond”; the horse: strength, elegance and speed- “Steed”; the rooster: courage, benevolence and faithfulness -”Daybreak”. We were also presented with beautiful landscapes and impressions of nature occasioned by seasonal changes. The virtuosity of the 10 exhibiting artists was clearly evident in the pieces displayed. The exquisite, delicate and pristine beauty of the works were a sight to behold. Some were almost translucent and had designs embedded in them which were not visible to the naked eye but were  clearly seen when light passed through them.

    The Czech Republic, a two-time participant in The Art of Friendship exhibition, exhibited eleven lithographs by Oldrich Jelen, a famous and accomplished Czech painter and illustrator. The works exhibited combined realistic elements with surrealism to create paintings that were pleasing to the sight while transporting the viewer into a world of fantasy and magic. Jelen is a highly sought after illustrator of magazines and books, especially books written for children. He illustrated the Czech translation of the books of Enid Blyton, the famous best-selling English author of popular children’s adventure/mystery books. Oldrich Jelen is widely exhibited in the Czech Republic and beyond and has received numerous awards for his work.

    Georg Baselitz, German painter, sculptor, printmaker and draughtsman is Germany’s choice for her debut in this exhibition series.  He is one of Germany’s most celebrated living artists. He gained fame in Germany in the 1970s and exploded onto the international scene a decade later. Baselitz, who is the pioneer German Neo-Expressionistic painting, is known for his unconventional style of anamorphic painting which sometimes shocks his audiences and provokes them to introspection. The eleven woodcut prints on show in this exhibition, were painted upside down!

    South Korea, a part of the exhibition series from inception, featured 15 Korean traditional folk paintings by 15 contemporary Korean artists. Traditional Korean folk art, Minhwa, has been a popular medium of art expression of the innermost thoughts and dreams of the ordinary Korean man or woman since the 17th century. The paintings by Song Chang Soo, Son Yu Young, Ku Young Ae, Kwon Song Nyeo, Seo Yeon Yee, Suh Hye Kyong, Oh Mi Jeong, Lee Hae Yeon, Choi Yong Soon, Han Mi Ae, Jee Mee Youn, Park Ok Sil, Lee Kyung Joo, Song Ji In and Kim In Soon were produced using Korean traditional water colours made from natural ingredients on mulberry paper known as Hanji. The vibrant water colours explored themes that ranged from nature (landscapes and animals), everyday life and living, purity and beauty to the surrealistic world of mythology.

    The strength of The Art of Friendship III exhibition was anchored on the unity of the thematic content of the exhibits in the face of their stylistic, cultural and symbolic diversity. A vast majority of the works lent themselves to easy interpretation and appreciation by all strata of viewers without losing their seductive beauty. The Art of Friendship series is growing from strength to strength and living up to its billing as the melting pot of cross cultural art interaction in Abuja.

     

    • Ngozi John-Uyah wrote from Abuja
  • How Glo turned leading the pack into an art

    How Glo turned leading the pack into an art

    Call it a big swoop or a bumper harvest of stars and you are right. Telecoms giant Globacom has raised the bar as the nation’s network of stars, with its endorsement of no fewer than 29  leading artistes as brand ambassadors, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports.

    Globacom is huge in my industry and I see the evidence of the company’s commitment to improving the industry and the lives of its practitioners everywhere I turn. To be honest, it’s been a dream to have a working relationship with the Glo brand. An opportunity to turn this dream to reality came, and I took it.”

    That testimonial by Nigeria’s musical star, Wizkid (Ayodeji Balogun) confirms the strong belief among leading artistes in Glo’s massive support for the creative industry and why they found solace with the telecom giant.

    Wizkid, one of the biggest signings this year, was formerly with MTN. He jettisoned MTN and signed for Globacom. According to a statement he issued titled: Why I signed with Glo, Wizkid said Globacom is a brand he had admired for a very long time considering its strong persona and its very massive impact and image in the entertainment industry in Nigeria.

    He added that it’s an incredible blessing to be sought after by arguably Nigeria’s two most powerful brands at the same time. “My decision to go with Globacom this time is not an act of spite against MTN. I simply seized an opportunity to move from Yellow land to greener pastures. God bless,” he said.

    With these record breaking endorsements, Glo has stepped up its support for the arts and has thus attained the largest portfolio of brand ambassadors by any company in Nigeria. Interestingly, Glo’s massive support for the creative industry spanned themed concerts, reality TV competitions, events promotions and campus tours, which have over the years impacted the creative industry to becoming an economic hub for income generation.

    The new ambassadors are nine, while 20 have been with the company for some time. The ambassadors include  Sani Danja,   Sammie Okposo, Ego Ogbaro, Peter & Paul Okoye  (P-Square), Bright Okpocha (Basketmouth), Funke Akindele, Ini Edo, Ime Bishop Umoh, John Okafor (Mr Ibu), Helen Paul, Chiwetalu Agu and Wande Coal. Others are D’banj, Omawumi Megbele, Bezhiwa Idakula (Bez), Chinedu Okoli (Flavour), Jude Abaga (M.I), Damini Ogolu (Burna Boy), Bimbo Oloyede, Bovi Ugboma, Ayodeji Makun (AY), Patience Ozokwo (MamG), Odunlade Adekola, OC Ukeje, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello, Hadizah Blell (Di’ja) and Ayodeji Balogun (Wizkid).

    The mega deal is another major statement about Glo’s commitment to the growth of entertainment industry. Globacom has been consistent in supporting the   industry. Apart from supporting through endorsement deals, Globacom avails the industry of its massive infrastructure to facilitate distribution of practitioners’ works. It is estimated that mobile operator including Globacom has generated millions of Naira for artistes by helping them to sell their music as ringtones. Through this deal, Globacom is ploughing hundreds of millions of naira into the entertainment industry. No doubt, the network provider has been able to turn the lives of many entertainment stars around. It is such a deal as this that some up and coming stars need to blossom into mega stars.

    Bez, for instance, has metamorphosed into a huge star since he was signed up by Globacom several years ago. Glo is also developing different segments of the entertainment industry as the ambassadors are drawn from Nollywood, music, comedy and broadcasting.

    It has also launched a world-class online entertainment portal for the enjoyment of its teeming subscribers across the country which would also help to expose ambassadors to a larger audience.

  • National art competition calls for entries

    National art competition calls for entries

    Nigerian Breweries Plc in collaboration with the African Artists’ Foundation has called for entries for this year’s national art competition initiated to promote the conceptual development of contemporary art in the country as well as raise awareness on relevant social issues through the use of creative expression.

    The competition, which has as theme Future Histories is open to aspiring Nigerian artists, and accepts entries in diverse mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, installation and video art.

    According to Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB Plc, Mr. Kufre Ekanem collection of entries will close on July 3 after, which a shortlist of 12 best entries will be announced for the final. This, he said, will be followed by artists retreat and workshop facilitated by leading artists and scholars. He said the competition has evolved into a leading platform for the development of the next generation of contemporary artists in Nigeria.

    “The grand finale and judging ceremony will hold in November to select winners. The winners will be decided by a panel of judges led by Prof El Anatsui. The prizes to be won include N2million and a solo exhibition for the first place winner. There will also be a N1million each for winner of outstanding concept and outstanding production,” he said.

    He stated that the objective of selecting this year’s theme is to encourage artists to think laterally about social, political and cultural climate of their local communities while exploring their creativity. He noted that the competition places emphasis on the processes of artistic creation rather than solely on the end product and that it is designed to support artists to develop ideas and the message of their work.

    Director African Artists’ Foundation, Mr Azu Nwagbogu disclosed that there will be a session on proposal writing for the artists this year in pursuance of their art practice.

    Past winner of the prize, Modupeola Fadugba described the competition as a perfect platform to launch her career as it allows her to plan creatively. “Also, the competition brought great visibility to my works. And lots of people now have access to my works including galleries form the US,” she said.

  • The art of election rigging

    The art of election rigging

    Moniker Williams, an election observer, who monitored the recent governorship poll Akwa Ibom State, examines the danger of election rigging to democracy.

    From the governorship elections that took place on April 11, 2015, it was obvious there was a systemic ploy to ensure incredible results were achieved. With a massive win of 996,071 votes out of 1,122, 836 votes cast(representing a 90% win) one can only admire such phenomenal results. When such great strides are achieved, it is important to study the model used and adopt key lessons in the interest of national development.

    10 key rigging strategies:

    1. Make sure people can’t vote–

    It’s so simple, but it really is pure genius. Across the 31 LGA’s, there were records of missing election materials, especially the result sheets.  As eager citizens arrive, you can either stop them from getting accredited by making sure no PVC card reader arrives at the polling unit or in some cases allow them to get accredited but no stamp to thumb print the election sheet. Better still,you can have the ad hoc staff show that result sheets are missing to really discourage citizens. This will make people feel thatwaking up early to exercise their fundamental human right is a complete waste of time as a lack of result sheet shows how their votes will definitelyNOT count.

     

    2. Compromise the Resident Electoral Officer(REC) –

    This falls in line with best practice of the top-down approach in a system where decision-making is highly centralized. This provides an overall and clear direction for all tiers of the electoral hierarchy from the Electoral Officers to the Ad-hoc Staff to ensure a seamless execution of the plan for a successful election.

     

    3. Abduct over-zealous ad-hoc staff–

    This is for those who will insist on doing their duty or due to a gap in communication from the Supervising Presiding Officer (SPO) may not have received the order of the day. So, to avert any confusion, simply abduct the young ad-hoc staff before they arrive at their assigned polling units. It saves from the drama of snatching ballot boxes in front of crowds as you can intervene just in time while you leave citizens waiting aimlessly at the polling unit. Also, it’s just a few hours, as they will be released just in time to submit their election materials in tact at the collation center while they wait to receive their appreciation envelope for the night. It is very important that both the top-down and bottom-up approach is deployed for optimal performance and best results delivered. Using the top-down approach provides focus, direction and performance conditions, but if used in isolation can be ineffective. Such a system with several moving parts must provide some level of independent thinking to allow for quick responses when things don’t go as planned. For instance, we observed a level of ingenuity, such as the few places where election results sheets where not missing, fake result sheets were made available. This shows the creativity some electoral officials displayed. This also creates a medley of problems, which makes election reportage of actual events overwhelming and implausible.

     

    4. Use violence where necessary–

    The use of violence in one area can have a ripple effect that will reverberate across the entireState, thanks to the use of mobile phones and social media. This is great as one does not have to use a huge amount of force as seen in prior elections but just enough to remind people of how being democratic can land you in the gutter with dismembered body parts. In this election we saw a more organized approach using white buses with decent looking thugs who came to cart awayballot boxes. They shot in the air using guns several times to disperse the crowd of eager citizens willing to vote. Unfortunately the violence did result in a few people being killed but it is important to note it appeared it was used more as a deterrent than a direct use of force against the Akwa Ibom people.  In a country ridden with insecurity from a terrorist group in the North, 8 people getting killed and over 30 cases of severely injured people will definitely not get any media attention.

     

    5. Control the media–

    To achieve absolute success you cannot afford for the media to be let loose in the State, they tend to have a mind of their own, desirous of reporting real happenings in real time. Ensure this freelance approach to the media is not condoned. They must be told to stay away and for those in the State they must be controlled. In a case where the brown appreciative envelope does not suffice, you have touse coercion by threatening to burn down their houses with their family in it. Of course, that should temper down any bright ideas on election reportage and ensure they are where the main actors of the State are to cover a seamless process of accreditation and voting in the 30% of the State that seemed to vote. This will of course be a stark difference from what International observers and some local observers will report but fortunately no one has a wide reach like the local media.  Those observer reports are really just for those academics that aspire to be a resource for election monitoring in developing countries.

     

    6. Compromise some observers–

    Again maintaining balance is key. It would be a shame to have such a flawless plan of robbing people of their right to vote by leaving observers to wander around freely reporting a very different reality you have worked so hard to create. In this case, invite them to your house for lunch, welcome them very warmly to the State House and ensure you have discussions of how greatly you have performed and how ecstatic the Akwa Ibom people are to vote 100% for continuity. Do let them know that you are a product of democracy and you will continue to ensure these dividends flow even after you’re gone as governor. Again thank them for their good works and don’t forget the brown appreciative envelope, this time dollars must be the currency usedas some observers are sophisticated. This ensures they have a great time in Akwa Ibom and for some male observers they can now afford to experience the ‘ladies of the night’ in their hotel rooms as they return with a fist of full of dollars. As they report, you’ll be pleased to see them use the buzzwords such as ‘peaceful’ and ‘perfect’ to describe the successful election.

     

    7. Strategic use of security forces–

    Ensure you have heavy security presence in your opponents strong areas. As much as 22 policemen were present in one polling unit in EniongOffot and none were present in other “less” threatening areas where violence erupted. This anomaly will secure the plan inareas easily controlled. While on the other hand, keep any opposition and their thugs from running amuck as they witness their grand plans to vote or cause their own brand of trouble thwarted before their very eyes. Also you’ll need to ensure the security forces across all levels are on your side. This is for post-election purposes when annoying citizens who actually get upset about their inability to vote, gather to peacefully protest the announced results. You must ensure that none of such revolutionary activities are tolerated. For the few bold citizens that are undeterred by the violence they heard or witnessed during the election process you must make sure as soon they gather, you disperse them. Release fire trucks, helicopter and army tankers to display an unrelenting show of force for those who will try to prove a point about their right to vote.

     

    8. Compromise heads of security forces–

    Again, it is not enough to use the top down approach only with the electoral staff, it must be used for the security forces as well in combination with the bottom-up approach. Remember it is the combination of both that delivers effective results. You must positively influence the commissioner of police so that every time he gets on the news to discuss the elections he uses buzz words such as  ‘peaceful’ and ‘perfect’ to describe the elections. When asked how about the pockets of violence being reported, he’ll react in a super confident way to play down such reports and make lackluster statements such as ‘there’s no violence, but I’ll look into it’. He’ll stick to the narrative of perfect elections like white on rice. This will null informal news from miscreants on social media as the main security agent has spoken and his word is bond.

     

    9. Announce results as fast as you can–

    In this case; you have to seek balance again because it’s a bit tricky. You can’t afford to announce too early, as it will cause eyebrows to be raised so make sure you are not the first or second State to announce results but ensure you are top seven. At least a good 12 hours after elections is usually a good time to announce the pre-written results. Since you have achieved rule number one by stopping 70% of the citizens from voting, you can skip the arduous task of actually collating results from Ward level to LGA level to State level. There is no need for the manual labour of counting and deciding how many votes will be rendered invalid to guarantee the pre-determined winner. The pre-generated computer results is what you’ll have the REC write on the result sheet to be announced by the Returning Officer usually a Professor assigned from INEC who also plays his role of announcing results ‘as is’ without any questions.

     

    10. Media appearances–

    It is important to select key state actors from Government House, House of Assembly, former and current National Assembly Members and NGO organizations (heavily linked to these state actors)as media emissaries. You’ll need to ensure all media emissaries sing the same song of how the state has always voted one way and will always vote that way forever and ever. You also need to make sure all emissaries use the same buzzwords ‘peaceful’ and ‘perfect’ election. They cannot deviate from the script or attempt to sound realistic by admitting to any reports of slight violence or election fraud. They must not generalize or relate to the fact that Nigerian elections are far from perfect. They must keep their realism to themselves. Finally, these media emissaries need to dismiss anycounter narrative from the public as the agents of the opposition parties. It is befitting to label the opposition parties as sore losers who failed miserably in their collective bid to even garner 10% of the votes in the State. Remember to thank the Akwa Ibom people for their steadfastness in delivering incredible election results giving the winner a landslide victory that is enviable by national and global standards. When pictures of protest emerge, tell the audience that those images are imaginary and the real march was a victory march around the State celebrating this glorious win.

    The above steps are how to win an election Akwa-Ibom Style, real democracy from the great doctrine of Akpabiosm. Hope this serves as a useful guide in winning elections and nation building.

  • Memo to Buhari on art, culture and tourism

    The resourcefulness and resolve of the leaders of the legacy parties that formed the APC in the face of phenomenal distractions and the attendant overwhelming victory of the party at the recently concluded polls, as well as the track records of the President-elect and the APC government in various states of the federation, all point to the fact that the long-awaited change for Nigeria is here. Change many Nigerians hope will rescue the economy from years of lack lustre policy implementation.

    There is no doubt that these are exciting times for Nigerians and giving them the desired change that will turnaround living and lifestyles calls for a   redefined strategy of governance, and critical appraisal of the various sectors of the economy. It must be done objectively, with a view to effectively diversify the economy in pursuance of the party’s manifesto and fulfilment of the yearnings and aspiration of the masses. It must also be with a sense of urgency that will take the country beyond the hackneyed accolade of being the biggest economy in Africa.

    As the incoming government takes giant strides, it must be noted that one of the sectors of the Nigeria economy that genuinely deserves a searchlight is Tourism. This is not only because of the rich resource endowment of the country, but also because of the capacity of the sector to significantly contribute to the economic well-being of Nigeria through creating jobs, and generate income to enhance the country’s GDP. With the daily upsurge in insurgency occasioned by poverty and unemployment, tourism is the industry with the panacea to impact poverty alleviation positively.

    The incoming administration can do this by moving away from the uncoordinated strategies of previous governments to develop the sector, and deploy strong political will to support the industry through policies that will eliminate all the critical constraints of the past. The best foot forward is the revisit of the Tourism Master Plan of 2000, as well as the various studies and recommendations to the past Presidential Council on Tourism, and use a fine-tuned instrument from these to evolve an industry that has the promise to play a critical role in nation building and development.

    A key component of this process that will facilitate the success of the industry should include: ensuring public sector leadership at all levels and segments of the sector, that have a sound understanding of  issues and complexities of the industry including the capacity to stimulate inter-governmental and public private sector networking and collaboration; monitor the impact of policies of other sector of the economy on Tourism at the various ties of government; institute and implement tourism product development, capacity building and manpower development. Accomplishing significant improvement in the sector will be accentuated if the government pursues a comprehensive programme for the sector that creates connectivity between local communities, various tiers and department, of government and regional institutions, as have been successfully done in East and Southern African countries with rewarding economic results.

    This time around, the role of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation should be redefined while Tourism in Nigeria must by deliberate and focused action of government be made to generate worthy economic return for all stakeholders, including local communities even as conservation of Nigeria’s cultural and environmental heritage is appropriately promoted through the instrumentality of Tourism.

  • Collector decries poor art appreciation

    Collector decries poor art appreciation

    A Lagos-based art collector and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Aguene Art Foundation, Chief Solomon Ogbonna, has decried the lack of support from the government and poor art appreciation in Nigeria. He called for the building of standard museums across the country, saying nothing would strengthen a people as much as a proper appreciation and understanding of their own history.

    ”I believe that art is a form of culture and an extension of the mind and reasoning of the spirit. I am an advocate of the customs and traditions of Africans, and I am convinced that nothing will strengthen a people as much as a proper appreciation and understanding of their own history as recorded by their own people in their own language,” Ogbonna said.

    He said if he had his way, one of the biggest museums in the world would be built in Nigeria, as he believes strongly that the country is blessed with a rich arts and cultural heritage that are not given due attention.  Indeed, one of the things that have continued to surprise him is why the government, especially the governors, are paying lip service to art and culture?

    “It is a shame that most of the states in Nigeria, despite the rich cultural heritage and artifacts in them, the country cannot boast of any standard museum that can showcase their ancient or modern arts or compete favourably with museums in other parts of the world. Rather, our sons and daughters travel to the western countries and are proud to flaunt it that they saw one, two or more art works of their tribes on display in various museums abroad, raking in money for the western countries in the process. It is a known fact that Nigerian art works do not serve decorative purposes alone. Aside being priceless, they also convey important messages to the people, especially bronze, copper and wood works, which have been rated in the world as the best and most valuable African art.”

    He went on: “Our leaders should know that setting up a standard museum that will attract tourists from all over the world is not about a certificate or how educated one is. It is also not about appointing a friend or relation who has no interest or knowledge in, or love and passion for, art and tradition as a commissioner or minister.

    “It is also pertinent to know that no one can govern his people without having a clear knowledge of their art, culture and tradition,” Ogbonna said.

    He rsaid the preservation of art, culture and the tradition of the people is a passion in his family. He said the Aguene Art Foundation is a product of his love for art.

    “We launched the foundation about two years ago, specifically, on August 21, 2013. I want to use this foundation to help young artists who are talented but do not have the material to showcase and expose their talent to the world because of lack of resources. The foundation will help them with their creativity and make them independent, and also serve as a medium to empower students who are talented – in primary and secondary schools and also in higher institutions.

    “I have over 6700 arts works including modern and ancient arts, bronze, beadworks, word carvings, paintings, batiks, ceramics, fibre glass works, some of them dates to 200 years ago. I have some terracotta (Nok Culture) works that are about 2000 years old.”

    So, is he just collecting art works just for its appreciation and documentation or is he also thinking of making money from them?

    “For the modern works, yes,” he said. “I can commission specific works for people to buy. For such work I also personally supervise them to make it special, make it different.  What I do with most modern works that I commission, I don’t use one artist. Sometimes one artist could do a work to a particular stage and I will tell the artist to stop so that someone else will touch it. So you cannot claim the work, also you cannot copy the work.”

    “I hope to hold the first exhibition of most modern works I have collected for over two years. The exhibition will hold here in my house in April this year. The works for the exhibition will be limited to those I collected from two years ago till date,” he said, adding, however, that the works are not for sale.

  • Promoting art at the grassroots

    Promoting art at the grassroots

    After a successful debut last month, a new creative session tagged Children Art Club, endorsed by INSEA and supported by Teaching Visual Art and Olumo Art Movement, will hold its second edition on March 21, at the Cultural and Musical Heritage Centre, Olumo Rock, Ikija, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    Last month, the session attracted no fewer than 30 children between the ages of two and 16. The guests included the president, School of Virtue, Mr. Segun Coker; Director of Programmes, OGTV, Mr. Seyi Oladimeji and the Public Faces magazine team lead by Miss Bola Solate and president of Olumo Art Movement, Mr. Kola Anidugbe.

    According to the organisers, the platform is to grant talented children access to the best, most-stimulating and most-rewarding artistic engagements that include creative expression through drawing, mosaic, collage, painting, sculpture, wearable art, graffiti and many more.

    Others include teaching and learning of art techniques under the guidance of artists and art educators; share ideas with their peers; hands-on workshops with diverse studio artists and art educators; building portfolio and participating in national and international art contests; showcase their talents and skills through art exhibitions; virtual documentation of the children’s art works and media exposure. Facilitators included Alhaji Adeleye, Mr. Kehinde H, Prince Olusegun Adeniyi and a visiting artist, Lanre Tejuoso.

    The Children Art Club was established to make art education and art practice accessible and affordable (absolutely free) for Nigerian children irrespective of their social background, status or religion affiliation. It is meant to improve and expand access to Art education in such that the children of our nation will receive a broad and balanced education. The essence is to create a springboard to help the children on their voyage of discovery and self-expression.

    The Children Art Club is an outlet for self-expression, started in January 2015 to unlock talents, encourage aspirations, and nurture creativity. It is a creative platform for every child to help them harness, maximize and express unhindered their God’s given potentials in a serene environment that inspire creativity. “It is a platform where we can reach each child through art as a therapy, empowerment and personal talent development. At the February edition, the children were made to create wearable arts with white t-shirts. It was fun and the children enjoyed the remarkable moment of creating art on ready-to-wear shirts,” the art director, Olusegun Adeniyi said.

  • Ambode’s art

    What’s in a biography? Plenty, if it’s about Lagos State governorship hopeful and frontrunner Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Art of Selfless Service by Marian Osoba, which was published last year and colourfully launched on May 15 at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, stands out as a book for this time in the countdown to the gubernatorial poll next month. It is a must-read for anyone who desires a picture of the man who will succeed outgoing Governor Babatunde Fashola, all things being equal.

    Symbolically, the book’s release announced Ambode’s canonisation. Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the preeminent Lagos monarch who may be considered a reliable source of information on the thinking in the charmed circle of political kingmakers in the state, controversially declared: “The elders of Lagos have said that Ambode will be governor.” He said: “It is true that we are launching a book, but we know why we are here.”  Beyond the surface, the book presentation had the quality of a finely planned public relations stunt to sell Ambode. According to Oba Akiolu on the occasion, “The elders have been meeting…We review things regularly…The elders have said that Ambode should be the next governor of Lagos.”  So far, the king’s confident endorsement is winning as Ambode, having won his party’s governorship primary, is well-positioned to defeat all rivals in the February election.

    What does Ambode’s candidacy represent? In a fundamental sense, beyond his respected financial wizardry and managerial mastery, Ambode’s recognised emphasis on selfless service is a defining plus. In actuality, a leader without a correct sense of service is ultimately negative.  Service to the people, in the purest meaning of the concept, is Ambode’s mantra.  Two quotes from the biography deserve contemplation, especially given the regrettable reality that personal aggrandisement is a familiar guiding principle of political leadership in the country.       According to him, “A true leader sees his work as selfless service towards a higher purpose. A true leader should be judged by what he has not – ego, arrogance and self interest.” He also said: “We must, wherever we find ourselves, create an atmosphere of selfless service.”

    Against this background, it is significant to highlight Ambode’s Local Government Years from 1988 to 1998 and his tenure as the Accountant General of Lagos State from 2006 to 2012 in a 27-year career in the state civil service, which he ended by voluntary retirement. In the biography, he said: “If you work successfully at Local Government level and you are able to make a difference, there is nowhere else you cannot work successfully.”

    Ambode’s remarkable sense of service could be discerned from his critical role in the creation of the State Treasury Office (STO), which should be of special significance in rating him as a governorship material. The STO has been acknowledged as a ground-breaking development which has fundamentally improved how the state’s funds are raised, budgeted, managed and spent. It goes without saying that Ambode’s demonstrated authoritative grasp of treasury issues would most likely be an advantage. ”If we take the concept of resource generation, allocation and distribution into cognisance and apply the principles of good governance, we will achieve economic growth and development,” Ambode said while presenting a paper titled “Public Finance: Probity and Accountability” at a workshop organised in August last year by the Lagos State Government and the Lagos Business School.

    He has also shed light on his understanding of good governance, which is an essential aspect of his vision. He said in a newspaper interview:  ”In essence, the elected government is like a caretaker for the rest of the people, overseeing their resources on their behalf. The citizens remain the landlord while the elected officials are only caretakers.”  He further said: “Arising from this, good government can only thrive where the resources of the people are judiciously distributed to various sectors/needs in the society in a just and equitable manner that makes life easier for every person.”

    Interestingly, the biography provides what may be interpreted as a thought-provoking response to the view in certain quarters that Ambode is a puppet of political kingmakers. “Sometimes I am confronted with the subject of mentoring and I am asked who my mentor is,” he said. “Somehow I cannot place appropriate answers to some of these questions. Why? Because every day, I am also confronted by situations which give one the opportunity to search for true leaders and even though they abound everywhere and a lot of us have the innate capacity to make a positive difference, we are never recorded as mentors, champions or true leaders.”

    He added:  ”At different points in our lives, we have had relationships; a teacher, a boss, an employer, a friend, a parent who has greatly changed the way we looked at life and the world. Someone who inspired us and motivated us, someone who taught us to set goals and instilled the confidence and spirit to achieve them, someone who had high standards and truly stood for something; such a person is the real mentor we all need to find. I have found true leaders through such observations in the course of my career…they help you build your art of selfless service, but it is important too that you carve out for yourself an identity authentically your own, that you don’t monkey another person’s life so slavishly as to lose your own.”  It is noteworthy that Ambode spoke of those who “help you build your art of selfless service.”

    The projection of Ambode’s political vision through an inventive acronym, LAGOS, is notable for the inclusion of service.  At the well-attended ceremony in October last year at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, where he formally expressed his desire to govern the state, Ambode declared: “Our message is LAGOS. LAGOS is Leadership, LAGOS is Accountability, LAGOS is Good Governance, LAGOS is Opportunities and LAGOS is Service. This is what I stand for.”

    It is a demonstration of impressive originality that he has been able to package his organising principles in a capsule named after the state he seeks to govern. More importantly, his antecedents indicate that he is a man who can walk the talk. His credentials in leadership, accountability and service are reinforced by Governor Fashola who branded him as an individual   ”guided by the philosophy of a true public officer, who must place himself last while rendering service to the public.”