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Tag: Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC)

  • CBAAC plans Caribbean nations tour, to reconnect them with African culture

    CBAAC plans Caribbean nations tour, to reconnect them with African culture

    The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) says its proposed tour of the Caribbean nations and festivals is to reconnect Africans in the Diaspora with their cultural heritage in Africa.

    Chief Ferdinand Anikwe, the Director-General of CBAAC, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said that the mandate of the centre was to sensitise and connect Africans in the Diaspora, particularly those in South America and in the Caribbean, to their original African culture.

    “The intention is to have an organic link between what they are doing there and what it used to be here.

    “Most of them went out there on circumstances known to us, either by conscription or during the slave trade.

    “Most of the carnivals in South America are a summary of what they are able to remember when they were here in Africa because our festivals and feast are countless.

    “For some people who had been taken away completely from their original roots and quarantined in different environments for centuries; trying to recapture what it was, they will do it in various forms.

    “That is why during their carnivals, you see them rubbing some substances on their faces inside articulated vehicles and go naked; all in an attempt to recapture what and how it used to be when they were in Africa,’’ he said.

    The CBAAC boss said that the centre was hopeful that from its 2018 budget it would have the opportunity “of touring South America and bringing these people home.’’

    Anekwe said that Africans had over the years grown with their cultures, feasts, festivals and all other forms of traditional ceremonies.

    The world cannot develop without including the culture and history of everyone.

    “If you observe the Asian Tigers, you will discover that they added other things to the developmental paradigm of Western Europe and North America, which is simply their culture.

    “They acquired the external influence called civilising mission and were able to domesticate those ideas and theories and integrate them properly into their culture and custom,’’ Anikwe said.

  • Promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage – Erelu Dosumu

    Promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage – Erelu Dosumu

    Erelu  Abiola Dosumu of Lagos, Dr Tony Okeregbe, Dr Ademola Fayemi and Dr Ferdinand Anikwe have advised Nigerians to promote and preserve their cultural heritage saying it is their identity before the international community.

    They said this at the ongoing 2017 Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) annual symposium with the title: “African Dress code’’ holding in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dosumu is an ambassador of African culture and tradition and Dr Tony Okeregbe is of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Lagos.

    Also, Dr Ademola Fayemi is of the University of Lagos while Dr Ferdinand Anikwe is the Director-General (D-G), Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation.

    Erelu Dosumu said that the Nigerian indigenous fabric was one of the country’s numerous rich cultural heritages which must be worn, developed and promoted by Nigerians wherever they find themselves.

    She said foreigners always admire Nigerians when they wear their indigenous fabrics outside the shores of Nigeria.

    Dosumu said, “That implies that our indigenous fabrics are highly valued and rated in foreign countries and will earn us huge foreign revenues when we export them.

    “This will also assist in growing our textile and fashion industries as well as reduce unemployment.’’

    The ambassador of culture and tradition advised Nigerian youths against embracing some foreign dress code that were against their own culture.

    “ I observe that the sagging culture that is prevalent in our society is a product of western dress code.

    “I want us all to take pride in everything that makes us African that is our culture instead of copying alien cultures that are not relevant to us.

    “ If we do not appreciate what we are; then it will be difficult to appreciate what we have and appreciating who we are since what we have is synonymous to our development.

    “ I urge everyone present to have a rethink on how we can move Nigeria and Africa forward, “she said.

    Also, Dr Tony Okeregbe, a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos, urged students present at the programme to cultivate the habit of dressing decently as they would be addressed by their dressing.

    He said that dresses were instruments of self-expression and cultural identity, adding that dresses speak to people, create meaning and as such demands response.

    “ I plead with you to dress to boost your dignity,  integrity and worth because dresses control and influence people, ” he said.

    Another don from Unilag, Dr Ademola Fayemi, said that one of the basic needs of an individual is clothing, adding that, the sacredness of the human body must be protected.

    “ Our body is sacred; let us all ensure it is protected and not exposed,’’ he said.

    Also,  Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, the Director -General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), decried the insatiable appetite of Nigerians for fairly used clothes usually imported from the developed world.

    Anikwe said that the rates at which Nigerians were embracing them had assumed a worrisome dimension.

    “If what is spent on Western dresses by Africans can be spent to buy African fabrics, the African fashion industry will receive a great boost.’’

    He noted that the richness of African arts; pottery, beads, cane chairs, sculptures and traditional dresses captured the attention of early European merchants and colonial masters.

    “ In the early 16th Century, African fabrics such as “Kente’’, “Aso-oke’’, “Adire’’ and others formed parts of the articles of trade within the West African sub-region.

    “The beauty, unique designs and vitality of traditional attires led to their massive demands by the Europeans.

    “ African fabrics became competitive in Europe and at a point, European textile industries began to copy African designs.

    “Still, they could not compete favourably with African fabrics,’’ he said.

    Anikwe said that the two-day symposium was meant to educate students and adults on the economic benefits of embracing African fabrics.

  • FESTAC 77 @ 40: CBAAC boss seeks active participation of Nigerians

    FESTAC 77 @ 40: CBAAC boss seeks active participation of Nigerians

    Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, Director General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) on Monday,called on Nigerians to ensure full participation in celebration of FESTAC 77 at 40.

    He made the plea while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, adding that this was to ensure that Nigerian cultural heritage was celebrated and promoted beyond the shores of the country.

    Anikwe who noted the complacency of some Nigerians towards most cultural programmes, said this should serve as a wakeup call to all citizens within and outside the country.

    ” I want us all to erase that thinking pattern and assumption that the celebration is bringing back the fetish nature of Nigerians.

    ” This is outrightly wrong and I believe everything that has to do with FESTAC 77 is an exhibition of our rich cultural heritage which we must celebrate this year,” he said.

    Anikwe said that the event would hold in over ten states including the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) where the Mascot would be unveiled by April 1.

    He said that different cultural displays would be held in some states including Katsina, Enugu, Ogun, Kaduna, Akwa- Ibom and some foreign countries.

    ” The celebration would be all through the year and it promises to be eventful and memorable.

    ” We are going to have Durbar display in Katsina , there will be masquerade festivals in Enugu and some other cultural activities in other parts of the country,” he said.

    Anikwe said that if Nigerian cultural heritage was well celebrated, promoted and properly harnessed, it could be a money spinner for individuals and the country.

  • `Festac 77 at 40’ to be celebrated next year – CBAAC boss

    `Festac 77 at 40’ to be celebrated next year – CBAAC boss

    The 40th anniversary of Festac 77 will be celebrated by Nigeria next year, Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, Director-General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC), has announced.

    Unveiling activities for “Festac 77 at 40’’ to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, Anikwe said that the year-long event would attract local and international tourists.

    NAN recalls that Nigeria hosted the First World Blacks and African Festival of Arts and Culture (Festac) at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos in 1977.

    According to the CBAAC boss, “Festac 77 at 40’’ will provide a veritable platform for Nigerian artists to showcase their talents to the world, especially blacks in the Diaspora.

    He added that the event, which would kick off at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, would celebrate everything that represented the Nigerian culture, both at home and the Diaspora.

    “Festac 77 at 40 will be a huge and mega celebration of our arts, crafts, relics, monuments and cultural practices.

    “We will have a large portion of land where a good number of artists will come and do, sell and teach their crafts.

    “The carvers, sculptors, tie and dye makers, bead stringers, weaver and more will be accommodated,’’ he said.

    Anikwe disclosed that there would be nights of memories when clips of Festac 77 would be played to bring back memories from the monumental celebration of blacks and African cultural heritage.

    “The nights of memories will be done at different locations in the country.

    “We want to re-enact Festac 77 and encourage young artists to take up opportunities provided by Festac.

    “The events promise to educate Nigerians of the happenings then and the nights of memories would do justice to that,’’ Anikwe said.