Sustaining Wenger’s sacred art
Even in death, Susanne Wenger, the Adunni Olorisa, and her phenomenal contributions to art in Nigeria continue to open fresher windows of appreciation and relevance of contemporary Nigerian arts to the globe. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME writes on New Sacred Art, an on-going group art exhibition featuring her works and those of her disciples.
“On a personal note, during my time in Nigeria and my tenure as managing director of Guinness Nigeria, I have come to appreciate the great talent that resides in this country and the richness and variety of the culture. All of these factors come to play in our decision to support the documentation and cataloguing of the work of Susanne Wenger and the New Sacred Arts Movement. She has given her special talent for many years, almost a lifetime, to demonstrate how arts can be borne out of the culture of their environment. Anyone who has visited the site will appreciate the magical qualities it possesses. Although there are many fascinating and historical places throughout this heritage-rich country, I know of no other, in contemporary times, that has given birth to such a rich vein of artwork.”
These were the remarks of the former managing director of Guinness Nigeria, Mr. Keith T. Richard in the foreword to Susanne Wenger: Her House And Her Art Collection, which capture the cultural depth and relevance of the on-going group art exhibition, New Sacred Art at Quintessence Falomo Shopping Complex, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Leading the pack of exhibiting artists is Sangodare Gbadegesin Ajala, a batik artist and high priest. Other artists for the exhibition include, Buraimoh Gbadamosi, a stone and wood carver, Ojewale Amoo, sculptor in cement and wood, Kasali Akangbe Ogun, a wood carver, Rabiu Abesu, a wood carver and Adebisi Akanji, a sculptor in cement. These artists according to the organizers of the exhibition are distinct and separate from the popular Osogbo art school that comprises of contemporary artists.
Sangodare is a representative of traditional Yoruba culture and the last son of a Sango priest who was later raised by Susanne Wenger after the death of his father. He did not only filled the role of Wenger’s eldest son, but has many different vocations: highest initiated Sango priest, traditional herbalist and healer and batik artist. His batik paintings are concerned with his religious experience, as his art builds a bridge between traditional Yoruba wisdom and the ever changing world of today.
Sangodare though worked with Wenger on batik, but his art is being described as ‘most inventive and successful.’ Interestingly, his work is always perceived as keeping the spirit and quality of batik at alive. As an Osogbo-based artist, his exhibitions have not been restricted to the local circuit as he has exhibited across Europe, North America, Brazil, and Cuba. In Wenger’s words, “The art of Sangodare embodies and radiates that quality which makes and keeps him a Sango priest.”
Gbadamosi is one of Wenger’s closest friends (‘soul brother’) and artistic collaborators who along with Akangbe and Abesu created most of the wooden carvings in the Osun Groves. He is best known for his magnificent stone sculptures, which are displayed throughout the Sacred Groves as well as inside and outside of Wenger’s house at Ibokun road, Osogbo. On his artistic expression and inspiration, Gbadamosi said: “My mind, heart and soul are the secret of the inspiration to produce my work. They are working together to tell me what to do at the right time just immediately I handle a stone.” Like Sangodare, he is equally widely exhibited in Europe, North America and Canada.
For Akangbe Ogun, a carpenter by training later joined Wenger erecting scaffolding and iron reinforcements for her large scale sculptures in Osun Groves. But Wenger soon recognized and encouraged his talent as a wood carver and sculptor. Along with Abesu and Gbadamosi, his distinctive carved pillars and large wooden sculptors are a dominant feature of the New Sacred Art in the Osun Groves. He is also responsible for erecting magnificent roofs, many shaped like birds with parted wings, which protect the shrines.
The artists of the New Sacred Art Movement are without exception, non-academic artists who work mainly in batik, wood and cement. Although form and style are largely flexible in the works, techniques are generally those of Yoruba tradition, thus making most of their artistic representations exclusively those of the orisa, or gods. Also dominant are the human or animal figurative sculptures.
The exhibition will run till October 24 at Quintessence Falomo Shopping Complex, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Adunni Olorisa Trust
Susanne Wenger, who was born in 1915 in Graz, Austria and dedicated her life to traditional Yoruba religious practice for over four decades, died on January 12, this year. Until her death, she has collected many works of art by the artists of the New Sacred Art Movement and other collectible pieces of traditional art at her residence on Ibokun Road, Osogbo, Osun State. As part of efforts to immortalize the name of Wenger as well as preserve her legacies, the National Commission for Museums and Monuments in collaboration with the Adunn Olorisa Trust (AOT), embarked on the documentation of the collection for posterity.
The first stage of the documentation began with the numbering of the works, mapping of their locations, and photographic documentation. Over four hundred items were listed. The outcome of this is the publication of a book, Susanne Wenger: Her House And Her Art Collection, edited by Nichola Saunders and Augustine Mrezeder-Taylor. Last April, Osogbo was alive with various activities to mark the final burial of the late Susanne Adunni Olorisa Wenger. The people of Osogbo led by the Ataoja, Oba Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi III, in collaboration with the Osun State government, have dedicated the period to commemorate her. There were other artistic and cultural exhibitions to celebrate her legacies. The week-long event witnessed a lecture titled Culture and Development: The Role of Mama Susanne Wenger in the Development of Osogbo delivered by Ambassador Segun Olusola and Dr. Oyeronke Olademo of the University of Ilorin. It climaxed with an art exhibition tagged: Susanne Wenger, Her House and Her Art, and the launch of a book by Adunni Olorisa Trust (A O T) at WOCDIF Centre.
SPAN raises alarm over uncertified dance instructors
By Ozolua Uhakheme
Assistant Editor (Arts)
Worried by the inherent risks children are exposed to when taught by uncertified dance instructors the founder and president of the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria, Mrs. Sarah Boulos has called for an effective standardization in the teaching and practice of contemporary dance in the country. She said many of the dance instructors operating in schools and communities across the country do not have the training and skills necessary to teach Nigerian children the dance foundations they require to build on for a future profession of international standard in the art of dance. She noted that certification in various genres of dance is an avenue to help theses instructors empower the children in the right way.
Mrs. Boulos who spoke on the Risks, Opportunities and the Right Move at a media briefing in Lagos, explained such deficiency in instructor could affect the bones development of children because ballet dance requires the expansion of muscles and bones unlike traditional African dances.
She however assured that SPAN in collaboration with Dance Dynamics, Nameless Dance Academy of the Middle East and Dance Guild of Nigeria is committed to empower and train the dance instructors that desire to become successful in their careers by certifying them with two programmes. She therefore charged potential dance instructors to sign up with SPAN’s certification programmes in order to enrich the children for better professional performances. “From our environmental analysis and experiences over the last three years, we have realized the need and importance to address the community on the short-comings rampant in the at education programmes of our schools especially in the art genre of dance,” she added.
Mrs. Boulos stressed that the essence of the association’s programmes is to bring dialogue together between traditional Nigerian dance and contemporary dance in order to make Nigerian children richer in dances. Nigeria dances, she said, are well known to the globe but ‘all we need is to expose Nigerians to the level where they can appreciate all the ramifications of dance without forgetting their roots.’
One of the recently certified ballet dance instructors with the SPAN is Academy, Lebanon. SPAN is a non-governmental organization that aims to set a world-class standard for performing art education and services in Nigeria, and to offer opportunities in dance, music, theatre and visual arts to talented Nigerians. As part of its activities to discover talent, the association is embarking on a special project to raise a selected team of instrumentalist and vocalist who will be groomed to become one of the best in Nigeria by renowned personalities in the arts industry. Audition is October 23, by 12 noon at Guiding Light Assembly, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Again, Uniben art school in fresh rebirth
After two major unsuccessful attempts at regrouping as disciples of an art school, some fine arts graduates of University of Benin are back on the block. This time, they are emerging as the University of Benin Trained Artists (UBTA), a platform for the sharing of artistic productivity of its members. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME writes on the group’s maiden art exhibition, Treasures of Benin opening at the National Museum, Lagos on October 31
Unlike other art schools (Zaria, Osogbo, Auchi, Ife and Nsukka), the Benin art school has been unable to bring its graduates together under one formidable and broad based forum to project their artistic skills despite several attempts in the past. Yet, the Uniben art school is no doubt, a distinct and unique school, which has produced many great artists. But the non-existence of such group can be traced to the elasticity of freedom and openness granted arts students by its founding father, the late Prof. Solomon Irein Wangboje who believed strongly that artistic endeavours must not be boxed up by stylistic tendencies.
Today, that liberal approach of Prof. Wangboje is seemingly being reviewed by a group of arts graduates of the school, University of Benin Trained Artists (UBTA), who is reawakening the consciousness to carve a place for Benin art school among other existing art schools. To this end, a maiden a group art exhibition, Treasures of Benin, is being organized by the group to announce its entry into the art exhibition circuit. Treasures of Benin will open at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos on October 31 and runs till November 6 featuring 20 artists who are expected to present either three paintings or five sculptures each depending on area of specialisation.
At a preview session in Lagos, the chairman of the group, Kenneth Njoku said the art exhibition is aimed at showcasing the artists’ views on burning issues of the day ranging from politics, to social, religion, economic and cultural. He explained that at the close of the exhibition, Uniben art school would have gotten a formidable group that would regularly share her views through exhibitions.
“Due to non-existence of a well articulated forum to project their artistic voices collectively, the University of Benin Trained Artists was formed by well meaning graduates of the great Benin art school. It was initiated by Kenneth Njoku, Ekwueme Edison, Ejeh Louis, Evans Imafidon, Edozie George and Ifeoma Anyaeji,” he said. Njoku explained that the emerging group would stand the test of time because the structures are on ground to forestall collapse. He noted that UBTA is an answer to yearning of studio practicing artists of the Benin art school, who saw the need for a formidable and broad based forum to share their artistic productivity. He added that UBTA is a group of artists who obtained their first degrees from the University of Benin and who have remained steadfast and dedicated to their chosen career. On the membership of the group, he stressed that any intending member must have five years post graduation studio practice.
Akin Onipede, a member of the group observed that though there were groups like Ekenwan art grads and AWANSCA, that went under, the latest attempt is a reawakening to carve a place for Uniben art school not with the intent of forming of stylistic traits but to make strong statement. Ames ofong exhibiting artists are Bolaji Ogunwo, Akin Onipede, Evans Imafidon, Kenneth Njoku, Okezie Okafor, George Edozie and Olojo….
The group’s aims include the promotion of research and innovation in studio practice, to contribute to knowledge and encourage upcoming artists on the gains of studio practice and to protect and promote the ideologies of her alma matter.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
A day in time
Mirror The Master: Stimulating artistic skills of youths
Aina Onabolu, Akinola Lasekan, Ben Enwonwu, Solomon Wangboje and
Bruce Onobrakpeya are among early generations of top Nigerian artists. But for every passing year, there is an increasing gap between them and young Nigerians, especially within the visual art circle. This gap is what Access Bank Plc is closing with Mirror The Master, a holistic package aimed at developing young masters of tomorrow, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME
Determined to fill the widening gap between Nigerian master artists and younger generation artists, Access Bank Plc has initiated the celebration of masters of today by developing the young masters of tomorrow through creative workshop and exhibition across the country.
The programme, Mirror the Master, which will be implemented by Kambari Arts, a UK based NGO, is a model structure in which young Nigerians are challenged to create piece of art works inspired by a renowned master artist, the late Ben Enwonwu. About 150 young artists between the ages of 9 and 16, will engage in creative art workshops and focus on the art work of the master, learn from them and use the experience to inspire their own creative art-piece. The pilot programme will flag off on Wednesday, October 14 through 16, at Osogbo, Osun State with renowned artist, Jimoh Buraimoh as facilitator for the zone. Textile artist, Nike Davis, is expected to man the Zaria zone between January 25 and 27, 2010, while El Dragg Okwoju facilitates the Benin zone from October 26 to 28 2009. Prof. of Sculpture, El Anatsui will be in charge of the Nsukka zone from January 18 till 20, 2010.
Briefing art writers in Lagos, the head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Access Bank Plc, Bolanle Babatunde said the bank came up with the programme because of the increasing gap between art masters and younger generation Nigerians adding that it would be focusing on exposing younger ones while celebrating the masters. “We have a strong vision to make a difference by developing the art masters of tomorrow. These young ones will be exposed to the Masters and gain inspiration from the works of the Masters who are celebrated from time to time,” she assured, disclosing that the bank has enlisted the advice, guidance and support of the Ben Enwonwu Foundation. Enwonwu’s son Oliver, CEO of the foundation said: “We are pleased to support the programme and we have no doubt that this initiative would go far in encouraging creativity in our youth and ensuring that they become the true Masters of tomorrow.”
The director, Kambari Arts, Chima Ezeilo, explained that the final art competition and exhibition would be conducted at the national level, though Access Bank aimed at implementing the pilot model in all of the bank’s countries of operation in Africa.
“The aim is for the programme to run on a year by year basis. Each year, a renowned living master artist or representative will be selected for study. The selected artist’s work will be reviewed and young participants will visit the artist’s gallery/ studio workspace and interact with the artist/ representative to get a better understanding of the motivation that inspires his/her work. Participants will then endeavour to create their own work, inspired by the master,” Ezeilo said.
He stressed that at the zonal workshops, participants would take part in sessions that would inspire their creative abilities and that selected master/ representative of the master would participate in these workshops in order to enable the students have direct contact with the artist that is being studied.
According to him, the two days intensive workshops would provide opportunities for participants to portray their artistic expression and express the knowledge gained by creating an art piece based on their experience. He explained that at the end of the workshops in all zones, the best artworks would be selected for a national exhibition and competition. The concept, he said, is for zonal winners to have their art works displayed side by side with that of the master at the exhibition. Also, participants would be required to come with their parents or guardian for the national exhibition in Lagos.
A panel of judges will be selected from the art community to assess the various art works and select a winner from each of the six geo-political zones. Zonal winners will each receive prizes. A national winner will then be chosen from amongst the zonal winners. The Lagos exhibition of the winners’ works will hold between March 1 and 6, 2010 at Nike Art Centre, Lekki, Lagos. But announcement of the overall winner will be made on March 6.
The wider aim is for national winners from all international locations to compete for the African Upcoming Artist of the Year award at the continental level,” he added.
The overall winner in company of the guardian will be sponsored to visit
Marlborough House between March 29 and April 3, 2010 to view Ben Enwonwu and Chinwe Roy’s commissioned sculpture and painting of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Ben Enwonwu exemplifies artistic talent and Mirror the Master is keen to celebrate him in style and use him as a beacon of hope for the future generation of master artists.
‘Closure of African Writers Series lured me into publishing’
For 12 years, Ghanaian born Nana Ayebia Clarke, worked at the highly acclaimed Heinemann Publishers, (African and Caribbean Writers Series) UK as Submissions Editor, publishing and promoting prominent writers and Nobel Prize winning authors. In 2003, she founded Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited with her husband, David, to publish books that will open new spaces and bring fresh insights into African Caribbean life, culture and literature in a way that will enlighten, stimulate and entertain.
Ayebia who was guest at the recently concluded Garden City Literary Festival, Port Harcourt, spoke with Assistant Editor (Arts), OZOLUA UHAKHEME on the politics of publishing Black writers in the UK, the collapse of African Writers Series, the need to connect with African Diaspora among other topical issues affecting African languages.
How strategic is UK for a fresh insight into African Caribbean literature?
We put ourselves out there to tell the world what we have contributed to world knowledge. Nobody is going to do it for us and I can’t think of a better place to do it than from the interior capital of the United Kingdom.
How will you describe your years at Heinemann UK?
It was a very good finishing school. At least, it was one of the best finishing schools in the world. I mean Heinemann publishes high quality of works. Primarily, the world goes into education, as you know anybody who studies African literature any where in the world would have to read. I don’t know what to say, usually there are other ready upper secondary school, the Universities on the litearature courses, so we cant put anything out there without high quality but I think secondly, I was trained to look for work that have timeless quality because the African writer series is a Canon and just as Shakespeare and Dickens are the canons of English literature. So you find the Wole Soyinkas, China Achebes, Buchi Emecheta, J P Clark, all these people have been published in a series. Then recently you have the new writers coming like Okey Ndibe.
Learnt African Writers Series closed its door in 2002. What is the present position?
I heard they have sold the series to Penguin in South Africa. But they are not really doing anything new. That is why I started the idea of publishing because at the time the series closed I realised I had so many manuscripts. I asked my self what these writers would do when big publishing houses in UK don’t really invest in our writers.
What is your invention?
My intention is devoted to writing for Africa and the Caribbean. In fact, what I hope to do is to expand to the Black world so that we connect with our African Diasporas. If Africa is going to develop and take off we need the help, the connections of the African Diasporas. I don’t need to tell you what the presidency of Barrack Obama in US has done for the Black world. We feel proud even though we don’t live in America. We feel proud because a black man is now in the White House and now we need to connect with the African Diasporas as we have them in China, South America, and they are huge.
We all know the US is the biggest democracy and they are doing some fantastic works. So, we need to connect to that Diasporas to create power and also to have an intervention creation. And one of the most vital parts of that we have to do with education. That is, educating our people about their own awareness, roots and culture. You know the children we saw here were reading and as soon as they finished reading they want to go to work. They have been reading books made by Western authors from different cultures. And they believe every thing good comes from the West but those of us who have been educated believe that what we need is here and so we can take what we want from the West especially the good things.
I have benefited from most of the education and they put several pips on my shoulders. I read my way through the English practice and it was when I started reading my own writers that I felt it was like intravenous injection. I read English classics and I didn’t feel that connection. I appreciated it but they were describing words that were not familiar to me. But when I started reading my own African literature it was like they were giving me intravenous injection of knowledge. It was like this is what you want, where you come from, and you come from greatness so you mustn’t let any body put you down. As long as you believe that you come from greatness even the way you work and the way you handle yourself it will become the part and parcel of yourself
What is responsible for the apathy of publishers in the West against African writers?
You have to be aware and awake to the way western society has been educated to see us. You know it is in history books and we are slowly trying to change that tide. If you read Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s works, it is all around in his works. If you read How Europe Under-develop Africa, by Walter Rodney, you know why we are devalued in the eyes of the west. They see Africa as place where they come and take resources, not a place where they find talents. So, it is a historical thing, which we need to deal with and it takes a long time. What they do is that they take one writer and celebrate him everywhere as a trophy. For instance, there is Chimamanda Adichie, a brilliant writer. But they can’t love more than one of us at a time. They will be saying, ‘look at us we are celebrating African writer.’ Apart from that one writer, a hundred of Chimamandas are out there. They don’t really bother and that is what I am correcting with Ayebia.
I am not just interested in celebrating only one writer. I want to celebrate old good writers and who are making contributions to our knowledge base and this is because knowledge is power. If we don’t know about our own knowledge and we go out there to learn about somebody else knowledge, we are short changing ourselves because we have a lot to offer to the rest of the world.
So far, who are the writers on your stable?
I have published a collection of short stories and African lost stories, which was edited by Amata Edu. I have also published Ken Saro Wiwa’s book among others. We updated it and I am looking at three brand new writers at the moment. As I speak, am always looking for new talent because if we don’t nature the next generations of the Achebes and Soyinkas and the J.P Clark today, we will be sorry tomorrow. Specifically, my role is to bring to you new voices in Africa and the happening voices in Africa. I am very passionate about the fact that Africa needs to work for Africa and we need to connect to other African countries. That is why I am looking at having partnership with other publishers even though I am based in the West. I want to connect with African publishers who will publish and circulate in Africa while I will take it to the rest of the world.
When will these works be published?
They will be published early next year. From the reviews of the Zimbabwean writer that I have seen, people are saying it would be unbeatable because it is that good.
What kind of writings are you working on?
We are working on fiction, literature, autobiography. We have done our first collection of poetry and I want to talk to Professor J.P Clark. I don’t think you can call yourself a publisher until you publish poetry, short stories because the oral aspect of our languages is our strength.
Fiction and novel are European inventions and we have picked them and used. But we should show them that we can actually do better on a good day but I think we need to go back to our story telling traditions and use our modern tongues to get stories and poetries involve in that respect. In poetry, you have to be brief, you can’t just write because you want to write. Plays too are important and they are very important to our lives
I want to publish African books, make enough contributions of our younger generations so that we too have people who have achieved things. The West is not really going to celebrate them.
We have the first man in Kofi Annah as former secretary general of Commonwealth and we have Barrack Obama as US president. Next year Ayebia is starting a children programme. I write for children and I think that is the biggest challenge we have and I hope we can catch children young. And I wish we turn their minds to read about us and also have prized heritage. If you don’t do any thing now, when they are in primary and kindergarten, by the time they get to secondary school, it is probably too late. In secondary school, they are young and they are thinking of what to do, catch them long, teach them about the environment.
Do you pay advance to authors before publishing their books?
I do pay advance but then what kind of book? I can tell you it depends on the book. Every book is different, if I am publishing fiction it is different from poetry and it is different from autobiography and it is different from plays. Each book will have its own strategy and status so it is not possible for me to say I pay.
But when publishers take your money and publish your book, they won’t do any thing but leave your book on the shelves. We all see publishing as a business and a business is there to make profits. If you are not running it properly as a business that means the business is bound to fail. So, apart from doing a creative work, you also have business acumen. When you pick up a manuscript you are already thinking what it is the market value? How am I going to sell it? How many copies can I sell? Is it a kind of book that I intend to sell? So what I do as a publisher is to send manuscripts to lecturers for their opinion if it is the kind of book they are likely to recommend for literature classes. If they come back and say it is okay, I will publish it.
How can we improve publishing?
If you need to compete with the rest of the world, you need to raise the standard. It is as simple as that. If you have a story that is badly edited and badly typeset and the binding when you open it falls apart how can you sell the book , that is publishing in the world, if a book is not as good as yours that can still sell and that is the main criticism that is being said about us that our book is a substandard not just the book the editing, the typesetting, one of my biggest dream is to among the biggest publishing company in this continent no matter where it comes from, it might be my home town in Ghana. I have got to the stage which I don’t really care what I want to do is to be among the publishing house and train editors, typesetters, designers, all the processes that goes with publishing incidentally are also creating publishers I pay outside people I pay typesetter, I pay printers, I pay designers I paid editors, if I can train people here who can do it, it means I can employ people, am passing under the expertise, it took me twelve years to learn it and I was telling them in one of my sections yesterday if I was trained to be a doctor , I would have being twice a doctor. Twelve years is a long time but it takes time. Be prepared to undergo apprenticeship. It is not for a year or two. Something is happening because I see a lot of writers who are writing from the West. The world is now a global village, the world has become smaller because of the internet and all the new technologies that have been introduced. So, whether we like it or not western way of life is going to scale through.
What is your take on quality of language in manuscripts you have worked on?
I think this is where I come in. I am a stickler because I have been trained by Heinemann Publishers. When I was in Heinemann I published books that won prizes. So, how can you come down from there to publish something that is not good? And our new writers just want to make it because maybe they need money. But I think they have to be told they need to rely on African publishers who are working on very difficult situations.
We all know that Oxford is a place for publishers and all the publishers are there. Apparently, I am the only black publisher. Why not? If you can do it why can’t I? And that is what I am doing. I can do better than the foreign publishers can because I know the writers, I can identify with them and I have an affinity with them. And I know where they are coming from. So we need the support of the new writers and the need to understand that they don’t need to write to please the west. This is the main problem that I have. Their target audience is here and they are still writing for the West.
A day in time…and the people won
Political analysts, social scientists and historians will find the visual documentation of demonstrations that heralded the ruling of Appeal Court, Benin City, declaring Comrade Adams Oshiomhole Governor of Edo State on November 11, 2008, very useful reference materials. Ebiware Dotimi Okiy’s photo exhibition, A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade, tells the complete story in black and white, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports
‘November 11, 2008 will forever remain one of the most incredible days in the history of the great Benin kingdom. On that monumental day, the presumed passive people of Benin City, the elite included, took to the streets in unprecedented fashion and style, reawakening the glorious return of the mighty gallant and prestigious people of Benin.’
Indeed, it was an unusual celebration that trailed the Appeal Court ruling that declared Comrade Adams Oshiomhole winner of the governorship election in Edo state. Thousands of broom-carrying demonstrators, motor-bike riders, market women, acrobats, students and horn blaring motorists over-ran major streets of Benin City, chanting victory songs.
All of these actions on the streets of the ancient Benin City did not go unrecorded. Amidst the madness, a graduate of Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Ebiware Dotimi Okiy (one of the students of the famous Don Barber School in Lagos), dared the rampaging celebrants and the tight security to take vantage photographs that will be on exhibition at the Vichi Gate Hotel, Ihama Road, Benin City on October 24. Through his lens, the photographer captures variety of the scenes in black and white photographs for the solo exhibition, tagged; A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade.
The exhibits are in seven major segments namely; In the beginning, Brooms, Obama? Okada!, Ecstasy, Police Bomb Squad and The Comrade. Central to the elements of most of the photographs are people, vehicles, posters, banners and brooms. Sarcastically, there is a photograph in the collection that shows two men holding a torn and collapsed umbrella tucked under a huge broom, which speaks volume of the rivalry between the two major political opponents in the state. Also striking in the collection are posters and banners that carry messages like Comrade Governor: Yes we Can, and Edo State Obama.
However, the photographer does not see the collection in the main, as statement about politics but about the Edo State people and their culture of celebration. “I saw for the first time elites on the streets as everybody moves to town to join in the celebration with their big cars and jeeps. It was sheer madness. But everybody seems to be expressing their feelings from inside with little regards to political inclination. In fact, it was a strong message; victory for the people,” he said.
Ordinarily, one will expect that security officials will constitute obstacles to the expression of the peoples’ feelings. According to the photographer, though there was tight security, everybody had enough space to express themselves. ‘There was a shot I took standing on top of the police van,” he recalled.
Unlike most photo exhibitions, no work in this show will be for sale because it is an opportunity for other Nigerians to see what happened in Benin City on November 11, 2008. “I feel very fulfill holding the show and I am not going to sell any of the photographs. I chose the ancient city of Benin to host the exhibition because it is where the actions took place. Also, I want to use this show to encourage documentary photography in the city, according to Okiy, who runs a digital photography studio in Benin.
-
Aina Onabolu, Akinola Lasekan, Ben Enwonwu, Solomon Wangboje and
Bruce Onobrakpeya are among early generations of top Nigerian artists. But for every passing year, there is an increasing gap between them and young Nigerians, especially within the visual art circle. This gap is what Access Bank Plc is closing with Mirror The Master, a holistic package aimed at developing young masters of tomorrow, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME
Determined to fill the widening gap between Nigerian master artists and younger generation artists, Access Bank Plc has initiated the celebration of masters of today by developing the young masters of tomorrow through creative workshop and exhibition across the country.
The programme, Mirror the Master, which will be implemented by Kambari Arts, a UK based NGO, is a model structure in which young Nigerians are challenged to create piece of art works inspired by a renowned master artist, the late Ben Enwonwu. About 150 young artists between the ages of 9 and 16, will engage in creative art workshops and focus on the art work of the master, learn from them and use the experience to inspire their own creative art-piece. The pilot programme will flag off on Wednesday, October 14 through 16, at Osogbo, Osun State with renowned artist, Jimoh Buraimoh as facilitator for the zone. Textile artist, Nike Davis, is expected to man the Zaria zone between January 25 and 27, 2010, while El Dragg Okwoju facilitates the Benin zone from October 26 to 28 2009. Prof. of Sculpture, El Anatsui will be in charge of the Nsukka zone from January 18 till 20, 2010.
Briefing art writers in Lagos, the head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Access Bank Plc, Bolanle Babatunde said the bank came up with the programme because of the increasing gap between art masters and younger generation Nigerians adding that it would be focusing on exposing younger ones while celebrating the masters. “We have a strong vision to make a difference by developing the art masters of tomorrow. These young ones will be exposed to the Masters and gain inspiration from the works of the Masters who are celebrated from time to time,” she assured, disclosing that the bank has enlisted the advice, guidance and support of the Ben Enwonwu Foundation. Enwonwu’s son Oliver, CEO of the foundation said: “We are pleased to support the programme and we have no doubt that this initiative would go far in encouraging creativity in our youth and ensuring that they become the true Masters of tomorrow.”
The director, Kambari Arts, Chima Ezeilo, explained that the final art competition and exhibition would be conducted at the national level, though Access Bank aimed at implementing the pilot model in all of the bank’s countries of operation in Africa.
“The aim is for the programme to run on a year by year basis. Each year, a renowned living master artist or representative will be selected for study. The selected artist’s work will be reviewed and young participants will visit the artist’s gallery/ studio workspace and interact with the artist/ representative to get a better understanding of the motivation that inspires his/her work. Participants will then endeavour to create their own work, inspired by the master,” Ezeilo said.
He stressed that at the zonal workshops, participants would take part in sessions that would inspire their creative abilities and that selected master/ representative of the master would participate in these workshops in order to enable the students have direct contact with the artist that is being studied.
According to him, the two days intensive workshops would provide opportunities for participants to portray their artistic expression and express the knowledge gained by creating an art piece based on their experience. He explained that at the end of the workshops in all zones, the best artworks would be selected for a national exhibition and competition. The concept, he said, is for zonal winners to have their art works displayed side by side with that of the master at the exhibition. Also, participants would be required to come with their parents or guardian for the national exhibition in Lagos.
A panel of judges will be selected from the art community to assess the various art works and select a winner from each of the six geo-political zones. Zonal winners will each receive prizes. A national winner will then be chosen from amongst the zonal winners. The Lagos exhibition of the winners’ works will hold between March 1 and 6, 2010 at Nike Art Centre, Lekki, Lagos. But announcement of the overall winner will be made on March 6.
The wider aim is for national winners from all international locations to compete for the African Upcoming Artist of the Year award at the continental level,” he added.
The overall winner in company of the guardian will be sponsored to visit
Marlborough House between March 29 and April 3, 2010 to view Ben Enwonwu and Chinwe Roy’s commissioned sculpture and painting of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Ben Enwonwu exemplifies artistic talent and Mirror the Master is keen to celebrate him in style and use him as a beacon of hope for the future generation of master artists.
‘Closure of African Writers Series lured me into publishing’
For 12 years, Ghanaian born Nana Ayebia Clarke, worked at the highly acclaimed Heinemann Publishers, (African and Caribbean Writers Series) UK as Submissions Editor, publishing and promoting prominent writers and Nobel Prize winning authors. In 2003, she founded Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited with her husband, David, to publish books that will open new spaces and bring fresh insights into African Caribbean life, culture and literature in a way that will enlighten, stimulate and entertain.
Ayebia who was guest at the recently concluded Garden City Literary Festival, Port Harcourt, spoke with Assistant Editor (Arts), OZOLUA UHAKHEME on the politics of publishing Black writers in the UK, the collapse of African Writers Series, the need to connect with African Diaspora among other topical issues affecting African languages.
How strategic is UK for a fresh insight into African Caribbean literature?
We put ourselves out there to tell the world what we have contributed to world knowledge. Nobody is going to do it for us and I can’t think of a better place to do it than from the interior capital of the United Kingdom.
How will you describe your years at Heinemann UK?
It was a very good finishing school. At least, it was one of the best finishing schools in the world. I mean Heinemann publishes high quality of works. Primarily, the world goes into education, as you know anybody who studies African literature any where in the world would have to read. I don’t know what to say, usually there are other ready upper secondary school, the Universities on the litearature courses, so we cant put anything out there without high quality but I think secondly, I was trained to look for work that have timeless quality because the African writer series is a Canon and just as Shakespeare and Dickens are the canons of English literature. So you find the Wole Soyinkas, China Achebes, Buchi Emecheta, J P Clark, all these people have been published in a series. Then recently you have the new writers coming like Okey Ndibe.
Learnt African Writers Series closed its door in 2002. What is the present position?
I heard they have sold the series to Penguin in South Africa. But they are not really doing anything new. That is why I started the idea of publishing because at the time the series closed I realised I had so many manuscripts. I asked my self what these writers would do when big publishing houses in UK don’t really invest in our writers.
What is your invention?
My intention is devoted to writing for Africa and the Caribbean. In fact, what I hope to do is to expand to the Black world so that we connect with our African Diasporas. If Africa is going to develop and take off we need the help, the connections of the African Diasporas. I don’t need to tell you what the presidency of Barrack Obama in US has done for the Black world. We feel proud even though we don’t live in America. We feel proud because a black man is now in the White House and now we need to connect with the African Diasporas as we have them in China, South America, and they are huge.
We all know the US is the biggest democracy and they are doing some fantastic works. So, we need to connect to that Diasporas to create power and also to have an intervention creation. And one of the most vital parts of that we have to do with education. That is, educating our people about their own awareness, roots and culture. You know the children we saw here were reading and as soon as they finished reading they want to go to work. They have been reading books made by Western authors from different cultures. And they believe every thing good comes from the West but those of us who have been educated believe that what we need is here and so we can take what we want from the West especially the good things.
I have benefited from most of the education and they put several pips on my shoulders. I read my way through the English practice and it was when I started reading my own writers that I felt it was like intravenous injection. I read English classics and I didn’t feel that connection. I appreciated it but they were describing words that were not familiar to me. But when I started reading my own African literature it was like they were giving me intravenous injection of knowledge. It was like this is what you want, where you come from, and you come from greatness so you mustn’t let any body put you down. As long as you believe that you come from greatness even the way you work and the way you handle yourself it will become the part and parcel of yourself
What is responsible for the apathy of publishers in the West against African writers?
You have to be aware and awake to the way western society has been educated to see us. You know it is in history books and we are slowly trying to change that tide. If you read Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s works, it is all around in his works. If you read How Europe Under-develop Africa, by Walter Rodney, you know why we are devalued in the eyes of the west. They see Africa as place where they come and take resources, not a place where they find talents. So, it is a historical thing, which we need to deal with and it takes a long time. What they do is that they take one writer and celebrate him everywhere as a trophy. For instance, there is Chimamanda Adichie, a brilliant writer. But they can’t love more than one of us at a time. They will be saying, ‘look at us we are celebrating African writer.’ Apart from that one writer, a hundred of Chimamandas are out there. They don’t really bother and that is what I am correcting with Ayebia.
I am not just interested in celebrating only one writer. I want to celebrate old good writers and who are making contributions to our knowledge base and this is because knowledge is power. If we don’t know about our own knowledge and we go out there to learn about somebody else knowledge, we are short changing ourselves because we have a lot to offer to the rest of the world.
So far, who are the writers on your stable?
I have published a collection of short stories and African lost stories, which was edited by Amata Edu. I have also published Ken Saro Wiwa’s book among others. We updated it and I am looking at three brand new writers at the moment. As I speak, am always looking for new talent because if we don’t nature the next generations of the Achebes and Soyinkas and the J.P Clark today, we will be sorry tomorrow. Specifically, my role is to bring to you new voices in Africa and the happening voices in Africa. I am very passionate about the fact that Africa needs to work for Africa and we need to connect to other African countries. That is why I am looking at having partnership with other publishers even though I am based in the West. I want to connect with African publishers who will publish and circulate in Africa while I will take it to the rest of the world.
When will these works be published?
They will be published early next year. From the reviews of the Zimbabwean writer that I have seen, people are saying it would be unbeatable because it is that good.
What kind of writings are you working on?
We are working on fiction, literature, autobiography. We have done our first collection of poetry and I want to talk to Professor J.P Clark. I don’t think you can call yourself a publisher until you publish poetry, short stories because the oral aspect of our languages is our strength.
Fiction and novel are European inventions and we have picked them and used. But we should show them that we can actually do better on a good day but I think we need to go back to our story telling traditions and use our modern tongues to get stories and poetries involve in that respect. In poetry, you have to be brief, you can’t just write because you want to write. Plays too are important and they are very important to our lives
I want to publish African books, make enough contributions of our younger generations so that we too have people who have achieved things. The West is not really going to celebrate them.
We have the first man in Kofi Annah as former secretary general of Commonwealth and we have Barrack Obama as US president. Next year Ayebia is starting a children programme. I write for children and I think that is the biggest challenge we have and I hope we can catch children young. And I wish we turn their minds to read about us and also have prized heritage. If you don’t do any thing now, when they are in primary and kindergarten, by the time they get to secondary school, it is probably too late. In secondary school, they are young and they are thinking of what to do, catch them long, teach them about the environment.
Do you pay advance to authors before publishing their books?
I do pay advance but then what kind of book? I can tell you it depends on the book. Every book is different, if I am publishing fiction it is different from poetry and it is different from autobiography and it is different from plays. Each book will have its own strategy and status so it is not possible for me to say I pay.
But when publishers take your money and publish your book, they won’t do any thing but leave your book on the shelves. We all see publishing as a business and a business is there to make profits. If you are not running it properly as a business that means the business is bound to fail. So, apart from doing a creative work, you also have business acumen. When you pick up a manuscript you are already thinking what it is the market value? How am I going to sell it? How many copies can I sell? Is it a kind of book that I intend to sell? So what I do as a publisher is to send manuscripts to lecturers for their opinion if it is the kind of book they are likely to recommend for literature classes. If they come back and say it is okay, I will publish it.
How can we improve publishing?
If you need to compete with the rest of the world, you need to raise the standard. It is as simple as that. If you have a story that is badly edited and badly typeset and the binding when you open it falls apart how can you sell the book , that is publishing in the world, if a book is not as good as yours that can still sell and that is the main criticism that is being said about us that our book is a substandard not just the book the editing, the typesetting, one of my biggest dream is to among the biggest publishing company in this continent no matter where it comes from, it might be my home town in Ghana. I have got to the stage which I don’t really care what I want to do is to be among the publishing house and train editors, typesetters, designers, all the processes that goes with publishing incidentally are also creating publishers I pay outside people I pay typesetter, I pay printers, I pay designers I paid editors, if I can train people here who can do it, it means I can employ people, am passing under the expertise, it took me twelve years to learn it and I was telling them in one of my sections yesterday if I was trained to be a doctor , I would have being twice a doctor. Twelve years is a long time but it takes time. Be prepared to undergo apprenticeship. It is not for a year or two. Something is happening because I see a lot of writers who are writing from the West. The world is now a global village, the world has become smaller because of the internet and all the new technologies that have been introduced. So, whether we like it or not western way of life is going to scale through.
What is your take on quality of language in manuscripts you have worked on?
I think this is where I come in. I am a stickler because I have been trained by Heinemann Publishers. When I was in Heinemann I published books that won prizes. So, how can you come down from there to publish something that is not good? And our new writers just want to make it because maybe they need money. But I think they have to be told they need to rely on African publishers who are working on very difficult situations.
We all know that Oxford is a place for publishers and all the publishers are there. Apparently, I am the only black publisher. Why not? If you can do it why can’t I? And that is what I am doing. I can do better than the foreign publishers can because I know the writers, I can identify with them and I have an affinity with them. And I know where they are coming from. So we need the support of the new writers and the need to understand that they don’t need to write to please the west. This is the main problem that I have. Their target audience is here and they are still writing for the West.
A day in time…and the people won
Political analysts, social scientists and historians will find the visual documentation of demonstrations that heralded the ruling of Appeal Court, Benin City, declaring Comrade Adams Oshiomhole Governor of Edo State on November 11, 2008, very useful reference materials. Ebiware Dotimi Okiy’s photo exhibition, A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade, tells the complete story in black and white, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports
‘November 11, 2008 will forever remain one of the most incredible days in the history of the great Benin kingdom. On that monumental day, the presumed passive people of Benin City, the elite included, took to the streets in unprecedented fashion and style, reawakening the glorious return of the mighty gallant and prestigious people of Benin.’
Indeed, it was an unusual celebration that trailed the Appeal Court ruling that declared Comrade Adams Oshiomhole winner of the governorship election in Edo state. Thousands of broom-carrying demonstrators, motor-bike riders, market women, acrobats, students and horn blaring motorists over-ran major streets of Benin City, chanting victory songs.
All of these actions on the streets of the ancient Benin City did not go unrecorded. Amidst the madness, a graduate of Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Ebiware Dotimi Okiy (one of the students of the famous Don Barber School in Lagos), dared the rampaging celebrants and the tight security to take vantage photographs that will be on exhibition at the Vichi Gate Hotel, Ihama Road, Benin City on October 24. Through his lens, the photographer captures variety of the scenes in black and white photographs for the solo exhibition, tagged; A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade.
The exhibits are in seven major segments namely; In the beginning, Brooms, Obama? Okada!, Ecstasy, Police Bomb Squad and The Comrade. Central to the elements of most of the photographs are people, vehicles, posters, banners and brooms. Sarcastically, there is a photograph in the collection that shows two men holding a torn and collapsed umbrella tucked under a huge broom, which speaks volume of the rivalry between the two major political opponents in the state. Also striking in the collection are posters and banners that carry messages like Comrade Governor: Yes we Can, and Edo State Obama.
However, the photographer does not see the collection in the main, as statement about politics but about the Edo State people and their culture of celebration. “I saw for the first time elites on the streets as everybody moves to town to join in the celebration with their big cars and jeeps. It was sheer madness. But everybody seems to be expressing their feelings from inside with little regards to political inclination. In fact, it was a strong message; victory for the people,” he said.
Ordinarily, one will expect that security officials will constitute obstacles to the expression of the peoples’ feelings. According to the photographer, though there was tight security, everybody had enough space to express themselves. ‘There was a shot I took standing on top of the police van,” he recalled.
Unlike most photo exhibitions, no work in this show will be for sale because it is an opportunity for other Nigerians to see what happened in Benin City on November 11, 2008. “I feel very fulfill holding the show and I am not going to sell any of the photographs. I chose the ancient city of Benin to host the exhibition because it is where the actions took place. Also, I want to use this show to encourage documentary photography in the city, according to Okiy, who runs a digital photography studio in Benin.
-
Mirror The Master: Stimulating artistic skills of youths
Aina Onabolu, Akinola Lasekan, Ben Enwonwu, Solomon Wangboje and
Bruce Onobrakpeya are among early generations of top Nigerian artists. But for every passing year, there is an increasing gap between them and young Nigerians, especially within the visual art circle. This gap is what Access Bank Plc is closing with Mirror The Master, a holistic package aimed at developing young masters of tomorrow, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME
Determined to fill the widening gap between Nigerian master artists and younger generation artists, Access Bank Plc has initiated the celebration of masters of today by developing the young masters of tomorrow through creative workshop and exhibition across the country.
The programme, Mirror the Master, which will be implemented by Kambari Arts, a UK based NGO, is a model structure in which young Nigerians are challenged to create piece of art works inspired by a renowned master artist, the late Ben Enwonwu. About 150 young artists between the ages of 9 and 16, will engage in creative art workshops and focus on the art work of the master, learn from them and use the experience to inspire their own creative art-piece. The pilot programme will flag off on Wednesday, October 14 through 16, at Osogbo, Osun State with renowned artist, Jimoh Buraimoh as facilitator for the zone. Textile artist, Nike Davis, is expected to man the Zaria zone between January 25 and 27, 2010, while El Dragg Okwoju facilitates the Benin zone from October 26 to 28 2009. Prof. of Sculpture, El Anatsui will be in charge of the Nsukka zone from January 18 till 20, 2010.
Briefing art writers in Lagos, the head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Access Bank Plc, Bolanle Babatunde said the bank came up with the programme because of the increasing gap between art masters and younger generation Nigerians adding that it would be focusing on exposing younger ones while celebrating the masters. “We have a strong vision to make a difference by developing the art masters of tomorrow. These young ones will be exposed to the Masters and gain inspiration from the works of the Masters who are celebrated from time to time,” she assured, disclosing that the bank has enlisted the advice, guidance and support of the Ben Enwonwu Foundation. Enwonwu’s son Oliver, CEO of the foundation said: “We are pleased to support the programme and we have no doubt that this initiative would go far in encouraging creativity in our youth and ensuring that they become the true Masters of tomorrow.”
The director, Kambari Arts, Chima Ezeilo, explained that the final art competition and exhibition would be conducted at the national level, though Access Bank aimed at implementing the pilot model in all of the bank’s countries of operation in Africa.
“The aim is for the programme to run on a year by year basis. Each year, a renowned living master artist or representative will be selected for study. The selected artist’s work will be reviewed and young participants will visit the artist’s gallery/ studio workspace and interact with the artist/ representative to get a better understanding of the motivation that inspires his/her work. Participants will then endeavour to create their own work, inspired by the master,” Ezeilo said.
He stressed that at the zonal workshops, participants would take part in sessions that would inspire their creative abilities and that selected master/ representative of the master would participate in these workshops in order to enable the students have direct contact with the artist that is being studied.
According to him, the two days intensive workshops would provide opportunities for participants to portray their artistic expression and express the knowledge gained by creating an art piece based on their experience. He explained that at the end of the workshops in all zones, the best artworks would be selected for a national exhibition and competition. The concept, he said, is for zonal winners to have their art works displayed side by side with that of the master at the exhibition. Also, participants would be required to come with their parents or guardian for the national exhibition in Lagos.
A panel of judges will be selected from the art community to assess the various art works and select a winner from each of the six geo-political zones. Zonal winners will each receive prizes. A national winner will then be chosen from amongst the zonal winners. The Lagos exhibition of the winners’ works will hold between March 1 and 6, 2010 at Nike Art Centre, Lekki, Lagos. But announcement of the overall winner will be made on March 6.
The wider aim is for national winners from all international locations to compete for the African Upcoming Artist of the Year award at the continental level,” he added.
The overall winner in company of the guardian will be sponsored to visit
Marlborough House between March 29 and April 3, 2010 to view Ben Enwonwu and Chinwe Roy’s commissioned sculpture and painting of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Ben Enwonwu exemplifies artistic talent and Mirror the Master is keen to celebrate him in style and use him as a beacon of hope for the future generation of master artists.
‘Closure of African Writers Series lured me into publishing’
For 12 years, Ghanaian born Nana Ayebia Clarke, worked at the highly acclaimed Heinemann Publishers, (African and Caribbean Writers Series) UK as Submissions Editor, publishing and promoting prominent writers and Nobel Prize winning authors. In 2003, she founded Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited with her husband, David, to publish books that will open new spaces and bring fresh insights into African Caribbean life, culture and literature in a way that will enlighten, stimulate and entertain.
Ayebia who was guest at the recently concluded Garden City Literary Festival, Port Harcourt, spoke with Assistant Editor (Arts), OZOLUA UHAKHEME on the politics of publishing Black writers in the UK, the collapse of African Writers Series, the need to connect with African Diaspora among other topical issues affecting African languages.
How strategic is UK for a fresh insight into African Caribbean literature?
We put ourselves out there to tell the world what we have contributed to world knowledge. Nobody is going to do it for us and I can’t think of a better place to do it than from the interior capital of the United Kingdom.
How will you describe your years at Heinemann UK?
It was a very good finishing school. At least, it was one of the best finishing schools in the world. I mean Heinemann publishes high quality of works. Primarily, the world goes into education, as you know anybody who studies African literature any where in the world would have to read. I don’t know what to say, usually there are other ready upper secondary school, the Universities on the litearature courses, so we cant put anything out there without high quality but I think secondly, I was trained to look for work that have timeless quality because the African writer series is a Canon and just as Shakespeare and Dickens are the canons of English literature. So you find the Wole Soyinkas, China Achebes, Buchi Emecheta, J P Clark, all these people have been published in a series. Then recently you have the new writers coming like Okey Ndibe.
Learnt African Writers Series closed its door in 2002. What is the present position?
I heard they have sold the series to Penguin in South Africa. But they are not really doing anything new. That is why I started the idea of publishing because at the time the series closed I realised I had so many manuscripts. I asked my self what these writers would do when big publishing houses in UK don’t really invest in our writers.
What is your invention?
My intention is devoted to writing for Africa and the Caribbean. In fact, what I hope to do is to expand to the Black world so that we connect with our African Diasporas. If Africa is going to develop and take off we need the help, the connections of the African Diasporas. I don’t need to tell you what the presidency of Barrack Obama in US has done for the Black world. We feel proud even though we don’t live in America. We feel proud because a black man is now in the White House and now we need to connect with the African Diasporas as we have them in China, South America, and they are huge.
We all know the US is the biggest democracy and they are doing some fantastic works. So, we need to connect to that Diasporas to create power and also to have an intervention creation. And one of the most vital parts of that we have to do with education. That is, educating our people about their own awareness, roots and culture. You know the children we saw here were reading and as soon as they finished reading they want to go to work. They have been reading books made by Western authors from different cultures. And they believe every thing good comes from the West but those of us who have been educated believe that what we need is here and so we can take what we want from the West especially the good things.
I have benefited from most of the education and they put several pips on my shoulders. I read my way through the English practice and it was when I started reading my own writers that I felt it was like intravenous injection. I read English classics and I didn’t feel that connection. I appreciated it but they were describing words that were not familiar to me. But when I started reading my own African literature it was like they were giving me intravenous injection of knowledge. It was like this is what you want, where you come from, and you come from greatness so you mustn’t let any body put you down. As long as you believe that you come from greatness even the way you work and the way you handle yourself it will become the part and parcel of yourself
What is responsible for the apathy of publishers in the West against African writers?
You have to be aware and awake to the way western society has been educated to see us. You know it is in history books and we are slowly trying to change that tide. If you read Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s works, it is all around in his works. If you read How Europe Under-develop Africa, by Walter Rodney, you know why we are devalued in the eyes of the west. They see Africa as place where they come and take resources, not a place where they find talents. So, it is a historical thing, which we need to deal with and it takes a long time. What they do is that they take one writer and celebrate him everywhere as a trophy. For instance, there is Chimamanda Adichie, a brilliant writer. But they can’t love more than one of us at a time. They will be saying, ‘look at us we are celebrating African writer.’ Apart from that one writer, a hundred of Chimamandas are out there. They don’t really bother and that is what I am correcting with Ayebia.
I am not just interested in celebrating only one writer. I want to celebrate old good writers and who are making contributions to our knowledge base and this is because knowledge is power. If we don’t know about our own knowledge and we go out there to learn about somebody else knowledge, we are short changing ourselves because we have a lot to offer to the rest of the world.
So far, who are the writers on your stable?
I have published a collection of short stories and African lost stories, which was edited by Amata Edu. I have also published Ken Saro Wiwa’s book among others. We updated it and I am looking at three brand new writers at the moment. As I speak, am always looking for new talent because if we don’t nature the next generations of the Achebes and Soyinkas and the J.P Clark today, we will be sorry tomorrow. Specifically, my role is to bring to you new voices in Africa and the happening voices in Africa. I am very passionate about the fact that Africa needs to work for Africa and we need to connect to other African countries. That is why I am looking at having partnership with other publishers even though I am based in the West. I want to connect with African publishers who will publish and circulate in Africa while I will take it to the rest of the world.
When will these works be published?
They will be published early next year. From the reviews of the Zimbabwean writer that I have seen, people are saying it would be unbeatable because it is that good.
What kind of writings are you working on?
We are working on fiction, literature, autobiography. We have done our first collection of poetry and I want to talk to Professor J.P Clark. I don’t think you can call yourself a publisher until you publish poetry, short stories because the oral aspect of our languages is our strength.
Fiction and novel are European inventions and we have picked them and used. But we should show them that we can actually do better on a good day but I think we need to go back to our story telling traditions and use our modern tongues to get stories and poetries involve in that respect. In poetry, you have to be brief, you can’t just write because you want to write. Plays too are important and they are very important to our lives
I want to publish African books, make enough contributions of our younger generations so that we too have people who have achieved things. The West is not really going to celebrate them.
We have the first man in Kofi Annah as former secretary general of Commonwealth and we have Barrack Obama as US president. Next year Ayebia is starting a children programme. I write for children and I think that is the biggest challenge we have and I hope we can catch children young. And I wish we turn their minds to read about us and also have prized heritage. If you don’t do any thing now, when they are in primary and kindergarten, by the time they get to secondary school, it is probably too late. In secondary school, they are young and they are thinking of what to do, catch them long, teach them about the environment.
Do you pay advance to authors before publishing their books?
I do pay advance but then what kind of book? I can tell you it depends on the book. Every book is different, if I am publishing fiction it is different from poetry and it is different from autobiography and it is different from plays. Each book will have its own strategy and status so it is not possible for me to say I pay.
But when publishers take your money and publish your book, they won’t do any thing but leave your book on the shelves. We all see publishing as a business and a business is there to make profits. If you are not running it properly as a business that means the business is bound to fail. So, apart from doing a creative work, you also have business acumen. When you pick up a manuscript you are already thinking what it is the market value? How am I going to sell it? How many copies can I sell? Is it a kind of book that I intend to sell? So what I do as a publisher is to send manuscripts to lecturers for their opinion if it is the kind of book they are likely to recommend for literature classes. If they come back and say it is okay, I will publish it.
How can we improve publishing?
If you need to compete with the rest of the world, you need to raise the standard. It is as simple as that. If you have a story that is badly edited and badly typeset and the binding when you open it falls apart how can you sell the book , that is publishing in the world, if a book is not as good as yours that can still sell and that is the main criticism that is being said about us that our book is a substandard not just the book the editing, the typesetting, one of my biggest dream is to among the biggest publishing company in this continent no matter where it comes from, it might be my home town in Ghana. I have got to the stage which I don’t really care what I want to do is to be among the publishing house and train editors, typesetters, designers, all the processes that goes with publishing incidentally are also creating publishers I pay outside people I pay typesetter, I pay printers, I pay designers I paid editors, if I can train people here who can do it, it means I can employ people, am passing under the expertise, it took me twelve years to learn it and I was telling them in one of my sections yesterday if I was trained to be a doctor , I would have being twice a doctor. Twelve years is a long time but it takes time. Be prepared to undergo apprenticeship. It is not for a year or two. Something is happening because I see a lot of writers who are writing from the West. The world is now a global village, the world has become smaller because of the internet and all the new technologies that have been introduced. So, whether we like it or not western way of life is going to scale through.
What is your take on quality of language in manuscripts you have worked on?
I think this is where I come in. I am a stickler because I have been trained by Heinemann Publishers. When I was in Heinemann I published books that won prizes. So, how can you come down from there to publish something that is not good? And our new writers just want to make it because maybe they need money. But I think they have to be told they need to rely on African publishers who are working on very difficult situations.
We all know that Oxford is a place for publishers and all the publishers are there. Apparently, I am the only black publisher. Why not? If you can do it why can’t I? And that is what I am doing. I can do better than the foreign publishers can because I know the writers, I can identify with them and I have an affinity with them. And I know where they are coming from. So we need the support of the new writers and the need to understand that they don’t need to write to please the west. This is the main problem that I have. Their target audience is here and they are still writing for the West.
A day in time…and the people won
Political analysts, social scientists and historians will find the visual documentation of demonstrations that heralded the ruling of Appeal Court, Benin City, declaring Comrade Adams Oshiomhole Governor of Edo State on November 11, 2008, very useful reference materials. Ebiware Dotimi Okiy’s photo exhibition, A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade, tells the complete story in black and white, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports
‘November 11, 2008 will forever remain one of the most incredible days in the history of the great Benin kingdom. On that monumental day, the presumed passive people of Benin City, the elite included, took to the streets in unprecedented fashion and style, reawakening the glorious return of the mighty gallant and prestigious people of Benin.’
Indeed, it was an unusual celebration that trailed the Appeal Court ruling that declared Comrade Adams Oshiomhole winner of the governorship election in Edo state. Thousands of broom-carrying demonstrators, motor-bike riders, market women, acrobats, students and horn blaring motorists over-ran major streets of Benin City, chanting victory songs.
All of these actions on the streets of the ancient Benin City did not go unrecorded. Amidst the madness, a graduate of Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Ebiware Dotimi Okiy (one of the students of the famous Don Barber School in Lagos), dared the rampaging celebrants and the tight security to take vantage photographs that will be on exhibition at the Vichi Gate Hotel, Ihama Road, Benin City on October 24. Through his lens, the photographer captures variety of the scenes in black and white photographs for the solo exhibition, tagged; A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade.
The exhibits are in seven major segments namely; In the beginning, Brooms, Obama? Okada!, Ecstasy, Police Bomb Squad and The Comrade. Central to the elements of most of the photographs are people, vehicles, posters, banners and brooms. Sarcastically, there is a photograph in the collection that shows two men holding a torn and collapsed umbrella tucked under a huge broom, which speaks volume of the rivalry between the two major political opponents in the state. Also striking in the collection are posters and banners that carry messages like Comrade Governor: Yes we Can, and Edo State Obama.
However, the photographer does not see the collection in the main, as statement about politics but about the Edo State people and their culture of celebration. “I saw for the first time elites on the streets as everybody moves to town to join in the celebration with their big cars and jeeps. It was sheer madness. But everybody seems to be expressing their feelings from inside with little regards to political inclination. In fact, it was a strong message; victory for the people,” he said.
Ordinarily, one will expect that security officials will constitute obstacles to the expression of the peoples’ feelings. According to the photographer, though there was tight security, everybody had enough space to express themselves. ‘There was a shot I took standing on top of the police van,” he recalled.
Unlike most photo exhibitions, no work in this show will be for sale because it is an opportunity for other Nigerians to see what happened in Benin City on November 11, 2008. “I feel very fulfill holding the show and I am not going to sell any of the photographs. I chose the ancient city of Benin to host the exhibition because it is where the actions took place. Also, I want to use this show to encourage documentary photography in the city, according to Okiy, who runs a digital photography studio in Benin.
-
Aina Onabolu, Akinola Lasekan, Ben Enwonwu, Solomon Wangboje and
Bruce Onobrakpeya are among early generations of top Nigerian artists. But for every passing year, there is an increasing gap between them and young Nigerians, especially within the visual art circle. This gap is what Access Bank Plc is closing with Mirror The Master, a holistic package aimed at developing young masters of tomorrow, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME
Determined to fill the widening gap between Nigerian master artists and younger generation artists, Access Bank Plc has initiated the celebration of masters of today by developing the young masters of tomorrow through creative workshop and exhibition across the country.
The programme, Mirror the Master, which will be implemented by Kambari Arts, a UK based NGO, is a model structure in which young Nigerians are challenged to create piece of art works inspired by a renowned master artist, the late Ben Enwonwu. About 150 young artists between the ages of 9 and 16, will engage in creative art workshops and focus on the art work of the master, learn from them and use the experience to inspire their own creative art-piece. The pilot programme will flag off on Wednesday, October 14 through 16, at Osogbo, Osun State with renowned artist, Jimoh Buraimoh as facilitator for the zone. Textile artist, Nike Davis, is expected to man the Zaria zone between January 25 and 27, 2010, while El Dragg Okwoju facilitates the Benin zone from October 26 to 28 2009. Prof. of Sculpture, El Anatsui will be in charge of the Nsukka zone from January 18 till 20, 2010.
Briefing art writers in Lagos, the head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Access Bank Plc, Bolanle Babatunde said the bank came up with the programme because of the increasing gap between art masters and younger generation Nigerians adding that it would be focusing on exposing younger ones while celebrating the masters. “We have a strong vision to make a difference by developing the art masters of tomorrow. These young ones will be exposed to the Masters and gain inspiration from the works of the Masters who are celebrated from time to time,” she assured, disclosing that the bank has enlisted the advice, guidance and support of the Ben Enwonwu Foundation. Enwonwu’s son Oliver, CEO of the foundation said: “We are pleased to support the programme and we have no doubt that this initiative would go far in encouraging creativity in our youth and ensuring that they become the true Masters of tomorrow.”
The director, Kambari Arts, Chima Ezeilo, explained that the final art competition and exhibition would be conducted at the national level, though Access Bank aimed at implementing the pilot model in all of the bank’s countries of operation in Africa.
“The aim is for the programme to run on a year by year basis. Each year, a renowned living master artist or representative will be selected for study. The selected artist’s work will be reviewed and young participants will visit the artist’s gallery/ studio workspace and interact with the artist/ representative to get a better understanding of the motivation that inspires his/her work. Participants will then endeavour to create their own work, inspired by the master,” Ezeilo said.
He stressed that at the zonal workshops, participants would take part in sessions that would inspire their creative abilities and that selected master/ representative of the master would participate in these workshops in order to enable the students have direct contact with the artist that is being studied.
According to him, the two days intensive workshops would provide opportunities for participants to portray their artistic expression and express the knowledge gained by creating an art piece based on their experience. He explained that at the end of the workshops in all zones, the best artworks would be selected for a national exhibition and competition. The concept, he said, is for zonal winners to have their art works displayed side by side with that of the master at the exhibition. Also, participants would be required to come with their parents or guardian for the national exhibition in Lagos.
A panel of judges will be selected from the art community to assess the various art works and select a winner from each of the six geo-political zones. Zonal winners will each receive prizes. A national winner will then be chosen from amongst the zonal winners. The Lagos exhibition of the winners’ works will hold between March 1 and 6, 2010 at Nike Art Centre, Lekki, Lagos. But announcement of the overall winner will be made on March 6.
The wider aim is for national winners from all international locations to compete for the African Upcoming Artist of the Year award at the continental level,” he added.
The overall winner in company of the guardian will be sponsored to visit
Marlborough House between March 29 and April 3, 2010 to view Ben Enwonwu and Chinwe Roy’s commissioned sculpture and painting of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Ben Enwonwu exemplifies artistic talent and Mirror the Master is keen to celebrate him in style and use him as a beacon of hope for the future generation of master artists.
‘Closure of African Writers Series lured me into publishing’
For 12 years, Ghanaian born Nana Ayebia Clarke, worked at the highly acclaimed Heinemann Publishers, (African and Caribbean Writers Series) UK as Submissions Editor, publishing and promoting prominent writers and Nobel Prize winning authors. In 2003, she founded Ayebia Clarke Publishing Limited with her husband, David, to publish books that will open new spaces and bring fresh insights into African Caribbean life, culture and literature in a way that will enlighten, stimulate and entertain.
Ayebia who was guest at the recently concluded Garden City Literary Festival, Port Harcourt, spoke with Assistant Editor (Arts), OZOLUA UHAKHEME on the politics of publishing Black writers in the UK, the collapse of African Writers Series, the need to connect with African Diaspora among other topical issues affecting African languages.
How strategic is UK for a fresh insight into African Caribbean literature?
We put ourselves out there to tell the world what we have contributed to world knowledge. Nobody is going to do it for us and I can’t think of a better place to do it than from the interior capital of the United Kingdom.
How will you describe your years at Heinemann UK?
It was a very good finishing school. At least, it was one of the best finishing schools in the world. I mean Heinemann publishes high quality of works. Primarily, the world goes into education, as you know anybody who studies African literature any where in the world would have to read. I don’t know what to say, usually there are other ready upper secondary school, the Universities on the litearature courses, so we cant put anything out there without high quality but I think secondly, I was trained to look for work that have timeless quality because the African writer series is a Canon and just as Shakespeare and Dickens are the canons of English literature. So you find the Wole Soyinkas, China Achebes, Buchi Emecheta, J P Clark, all these people have been published in a series. Then recently you have the new writers coming like Okey Ndibe.
Learnt African Writers Series closed its door in 2002. What is the present position?
I heard they have sold the series to Penguin in South Africa. But they are not really doing anything new. That is why I started the idea of publishing because at the time the series closed I realised I had so many manuscripts. I asked my self what these writers would do when big publishing houses in UK don’t really invest in our writers.
What is your invention?
My intention is devoted to writing for Africa and the Caribbean. In fact, what I hope to do is to expand to the Black world so that we connect with our African Diasporas. If Africa is going to develop and take off we need the help, the connections of the African Diasporas. I don’t need to tell you what the presidency of Barrack Obama in US has done for the Black world. We feel proud even though we don’t live in America. We feel proud because a black man is now in the White House and now we need to connect with the African Diasporas as we have them in China, South America, and they are huge.
We all know the US is the biggest democracy and they are doing some fantastic works. So, we need to connect to that Diasporas to create power and also to have an intervention creation. And one of the most vital parts of that we have to do with education. That is, educating our people about their own awareness, roots and culture. You know the children we saw here were reading and as soon as they finished reading they want to go to work. They have been reading books made by Western authors from different cultures. And they believe every thing good comes from the West but those of us who have been educated believe that what we need is here and so we can take what we want from the West especially the good things.
I have benefited from most of the education and they put several pips on my shoulders. I read my way through the English practice and it was when I started reading my own writers that I felt it was like intravenous injection. I read English classics and I didn’t feel that connection. I appreciated it but they were describing words that were not familiar to me. But when I started reading my own African literature it was like they were giving me intravenous injection of knowledge. It was like this is what you want, where you come from, and you come from greatness so you mustn’t let any body put you down. As long as you believe that you come from greatness even the way you work and the way you handle yourself it will become the part and parcel of yourself
What is responsible for the apathy of publishers in the West against African writers?
You have to be aware and awake to the way western society has been educated to see us. You know it is in history books and we are slowly trying to change that tide. If you read Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s works, it is all around in his works. If you read How Europe Under-develop Africa, by Walter Rodney, you know why we are devalued in the eyes of the west. They see Africa as place where they come and take resources, not a place where they find talents. So, it is a historical thing, which we need to deal with and it takes a long time. What they do is that they take one writer and celebrate him everywhere as a trophy. For instance, there is Chimamanda Adichie, a brilliant writer. But they can’t love more than one of us at a time. They will be saying, ‘look at us we are celebrating African writer.’ Apart from that one writer, a hundred of Chimamandas are out there. They don’t really bother and that is what I am correcting with Ayebia.
I am not just interested in celebrating only one writer. I want to celebrate old good writers and who are making contributions to our knowledge base and this is because knowledge is power. If we don’t know about our own knowledge and we go out there to learn about somebody else knowledge, we are short changing ourselves because we have a lot to offer to the rest of the world.
So far, who are the writers on your stable?
I have published a collection of short stories and African lost stories, which was edited by Amata Edu. I have also published Ken Saro Wiwa’s book among others. We updated it and I am looking at three brand new writers at the moment. As I speak, am always looking for new talent because if we don’t nature the next generations of the Achebes and Soyinkas and the J.P Clark today, we will be sorry tomorrow. Specifically, my role is to bring to you new voices in Africa and the happening voices in Africa. I am very passionate about the fact that Africa needs to work for Africa and we need to connect to other African countries. That is why I am looking at having partnership with other publishers even though I am based in the West. I want to connect with African publishers who will publish and circulate in Africa while I will take it to the rest of the world.
When will these works be published?
They will be published early next year. From the reviews of the Zimbabwean writer that I have seen, people are saying it would be unbeatable because it is that good.
What kind of writings are you working on?
We are working on fiction, literature, autobiography. We have done our first collection of poetry and I want to talk to Professor J.P Clark. I don’t think you can call yourself a publisher until you publish poetry, short stories because the oral aspect of our languages is our strength.
Fiction and novel are European inventions and we have picked them and used. But we should show them that we can actually do better on a good day but I think we need to go back to our story telling traditions and use our modern tongues to get stories and poetries involve in that respect. In poetry, you have to be brief, you can’t just write because you want to write. Plays too are important and they are very important to our lives
I want to publish African books, make enough contributions of our younger generations so that we too have people who have achieved things. The West is not really going to celebrate them.
We have the first man in Kofi Annah as former secretary general of Commonwealth and we have Barrack Obama as US president. Next year Ayebia is starting a children programme. I write for children and I think that is the biggest challenge we have and I hope we can catch children young. And I wish we turn their minds to read about us and also have prized heritage. If you don’t do any thing now, when they are in primary and kindergarten, by the time they get to secondary school, it is probably too late. In secondary school, they are young and they are thinking of what to do, catch them long, teach them about the environment.
Do you pay advance to authors before publishing their books?
I do pay advance but then what kind of book? I can tell you it depends on the book. Every book is different, if I am publishing fiction it is different from poetry and it is different from autobiography and it is different from plays. Each book will have its own strategy and status so it is not possible for me to say I pay.
But when publishers take your money and publish your book, they won’t do any thing but leave your book on the shelves. We all see publishing as a business and a business is there to make profits. If you are not running it properly as a business that means the business is bound to fail. So, apart from doing a creative work, you also have business acumen. When you pick up a manuscript you are already thinking what it is the market value? How am I going to sell it? How many copies can I sell? Is it a kind of book that I intend to sell? So what I do as a publisher is to send manuscripts to lecturers for their opinion if it is the kind of book they are likely to recommend for literature classes. If they come back and say it is okay, I will publish it.
How can we improve publishing?
If you need to compete with the rest of the world, you need to raise the standard. It is as simple as that. If you have a story that is badly edited and badly typeset and the binding when you open it falls apart how can you sell the book , that is publishing in the world, if a book is not as good as yours that can still sell and that is the main criticism that is being said about us that our book is a substandard not just the book the editing, the typesetting, one of my biggest dream is to among the biggest publishing company in this continent no matter where it comes from, it might be my home town in Ghana. I have got to the stage which I don’t really care what I want to do is to be among the publishing house and train editors, typesetters, designers, all the processes that goes with publishing incidentally are also creating publishers I pay outside people I pay typesetter, I pay printers, I pay designers I paid editors, if I can train people here who can do it, it means I can employ people, am passing under the expertise, it took me twelve years to learn it and I was telling them in one of my sections yesterday if I was trained to be a doctor , I would have being twice a doctor. Twelve years is a long time but it takes time. Be prepared to undergo apprenticeship. It is not for a year or two. Something is happening because I see a lot of writers who are writing from the West. The world is now a global village, the world has become smaller because of the internet and all the new technologies that have been introduced. So, whether we like it or not western way of life is going to scale through.
What is your take on quality of language in manuscripts you have worked on?
I think this is where I come in. I am a stickler because I have been trained by Heinemann Publishers. When I was in Heinemann I published books that won prizes. So, how can you come down from there to publish something that is not good? And our new writers just want to make it because maybe they need money. But I think they have to be told they need to rely on African publishers who are working on very difficult situations.
We all know that Oxford is a place for publishers and all the publishers are there. Apparently, I am the only black publisher. Why not? If you can do it why can’t I? And that is what I am doing. I can do better than the foreign publishers can because I know the writers, I can identify with them and I have an affinity with them. And I know where they are coming from. So we need the support of the new writers and the need to understand that they don’t need to write to please the west. This is the main problem that I have. Their target audience is here and they are still writing for the West.
A day in time…and the people won
Political analysts, social scientists and historians will find the visual documentation of demonstrations that heralded the ruling of Appeal Court, Benin City, declaring Comrade Adams Oshiomhole Governor of Edo State on November 11, 2008, very useful reference materials. Ebiware Dotimi Okiy’s photo exhibition, A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade, tells the complete story in black and white, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME reports
‘November 11, 2008 will forever remain one of the most incredible days in the history of the great Benin kingdom. On that monumental day, the presumed passive people of Benin City, the elite included, took to the streets in unprecedented fashion and style, reawakening the glorious return of the mighty gallant and prestigious people of Benin.’
Indeed, it was an unusual celebration that trailed the Appeal Court ruling that declared Comrade Adams Oshiomhole winner of the governorship election in Edo state. Thousands of broom-carrying demonstrators, motor-bike riders, market women, acrobats, students and horn blaring motorists over-ran major streets of Benin City, chanting victory songs.
All of these actions on the streets of the ancient Benin City did not go unrecorded. Amidst the madness, a graduate of Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Ebiware Dotimi Okiy (one of the students of the famous Don Barber School in Lagos), dared the rampaging celebrants and the tight security to take vantage photographs that will be on exhibition at the Vichi Gate Hotel, Ihama Road, Benin City on October 24. Through his lens, the photographer captures variety of the scenes in black and white photographs for the solo exhibition, tagged; A Day In Time: The People, The Comrade.
The exhibits are in seven major segments namely; In the beginning, Brooms, Obama? Okada!, Ecstasy, Police Bomb Squad and The Comrade. Central to the elements of most of the photographs are people, vehicles, posters, banners and brooms. Sarcastically, there is a photograph in the collection that shows two men holding a torn and collapsed umbrella tucked under a huge broom, which speaks volume of the rivalry between the two major political opponents in the state. Also striking in the collection are posters and banners that carry messages like Comrade Governor: Yes we Can, and Edo State Obama.
However, the photographer does not see the collection in the main, as statement about politics but about the Edo State people and their culture of celebration. “I saw for the first time elites on the streets as everybody moves to town to join in the celebration with their big cars and jeeps. It was sheer madness. But everybody seems to be expressing their feelings from inside with little regards to political inclination. In fact, it was a strong message; victory for the people,” he said.
Ordinarily, one will expect that security officials will constitute obstacles to the expression of the peoples’ feelings. According to the photographer, though there was tight security, everybody had enough space to express themselves. ‘There was a shot I took standing on top of the police van,” he recalled.
Unlike most photo exhibitions, no work in this show will be for sale because it is an opportunity for other Nigerians to see what happened in Benin City on November 11, 2008. “I feel very fulfill holding the show and I am not going to sell any of the photographs. I chose the ancient city of Benin to host the exhibition because it is where the actions took place. Also, I want to use this show to encourage documentary photography in the city, according to Okiy, who runs a digital photography studio in Benin.
-
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
osahenye, Nafest, Indian hospital, art expo etc
Osahenye raises the bar with TRASH-ING
In no distant future, Kainebi Osahenye’s art works will become part of the cannons for appraising Nigerian artists’ transformation from regular paintings to digital credible forms of conceptual art and global acceptance. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME previews his TRASH-ING, a solo art exhibition opening on September 12, at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos.
For every exhibition, it is one step ahead of many. His bright colourful figurative and giant size canvasses are some of the characteristics of his ever evolving approach to art. And for many of his outings (Crosses of Life, The cross took me for a walk and Erasures), he focused on issues inherent in cruciform, (crosses) and crossroads, which are commentaries on salvation and survival in a country of plenty.
With the current exhibition, TRASH-ING, Osahenye has left no one in doubt of his direction- credible forms of contextual art- at a period most of his colleagues are not hungry for global validation.
Over the past few years, Osahenye, has gradually raised the bar of contemporary art from the regular bright and bold colourful paintings to installation works that interrogate the system using local contents, especially discarded found items. As a deliberate approach, he offers few large size paintings to pass his strong messages.
Expectedly, the artist will be showing only seven installation works, which the host gallery, Bisi Silva’s CCA, Lagos is noted for since it opened to public in December 2007. All the seven works are large scale installations made from empty plastic water bottles, flattened paint tubes, patches of papers and empty soft drink cans to create different pieces.
Osahenye uses Casualty, a collection of empty soft drink cans laced together to form a contain-like objects that overflow from the ceiling downward to the floor. This reminds viewers of the many calamities of war, famine, pollution and pains people go through in life. Below these cans is a heap of other cans spreading on floor. In between the stringed cans are flags of some countries regarded as hotspots where genocide and mass killings of people are everyday occurrence. Beyond war, Casualty is a strong commentary on environmental protection and global warming issues. For aesthetics, the multiple colours that arose from the burning effect will be better appreciated in a well-lit gallery space, which of course, CCA, Lagos can boast of.
But in Reservoir, Osahenye simply reveals the poor state of Nigeria’s infrastructures, especially pipe borne water, which is almost non- available in most cities and rural communities. He strings together cuts of empty water bottles and stocks them on top of one another into eight-foot cubes measuring about 8ft 4ins high. The lower bottles carry bright colours while the top are without colours, indicating the state of reservoirs including the nation’s foreign reserves.
Another striking work that every painter will give a second look is Crossing, a collection of 34 panels of empty flattened paint tubes nailed to the board. The panels because of its rectangular shape reveal the boundary and border issues addressed in the artist’s past shows while at the same time capturing the cruciform. Significantly, Crossing is a reminder to other artists that what they consider as wastes are items of beauty and capable of provoking thoughts that will shape people’s views. According to Prof. Sylvester Ogbechie, Osahenye’s works deal with humanity’s struggle against subjection and project the artist into definable contexts of conflict.
"The more resolutely anti-commercialism an art work is, the more easily it is integrated into a discourse of art in which its commercialist stance becomes precisely the selling point of the artwork, thus making it more marketable, at least for the cadre of globe-trotting artists represented at the major international biennales and contemporary art fairs," Ogbechie said, adding that the artist’s work is as sophisticated as any piece in any biennale in recent time. Other installations for showing include Crowd and Black out.
The Delta state born fine artist, who runs a private studio in Auchi, said the installation works would be exhibited without prices, but are for sale. He explained that his desire to experiment and know influenced his current direction. "I have always wanted to challenge myself and see how much I can do. Sometime, I ask myself what am I looking for? Now, I have started thinking of a single installation work that will stun viewers. In fact, I am just looking for new ways to express myself…Even if many artists are comfortable, some will still not do crazy works like these. What matters is exposure, not the pressure to provide bread on the table. Right now, I find it difficult to mix oil in a regular palette. I still paint but I am exploring many media while the traditional medium will gradually take the back seat," Osahenye said. TRASH-ING will run till October 10 at CCA, Lagos.
Religious crisis no threat to NAFEST
By Ozolua Uhakheme
The Niger State government has allayed fears of insecurity at the forth-coming National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) despite recent upheavals in the northern part of the country. The state assured that the aftermath of the Boko Haram religious crisis would not hinder the smooth hosting of the festival as adequate provision for security of lives and property has been made; especially that since 1976, Niger State has not experienced any chaos or melee of any kind, which is a good sign that it will not occur now.
Enugu State hosted the festival last year at the Presidential Hotel, Enugu. In a bid to host a hitch-free NAFEST in October, Niger State has commenced strategic planning in collaboration with all stakeholders in the art and culture sector. Tomorrow, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, it will host a dinner/fund raising and logo unveiling ceremony. The event is expected to bring together key players in the culture and tourism industry, both locally and internationally.
The Director General the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Maigwi Maidugu has scored the hosting state above 85 per cent in terms of preparation. The D G affirmed the readiness of Niger State to host the annual festival, saying he is very satisfied about its preparation. Already, a befitting secretariat for the festival has been commissioned. It is a modern building located in the centre of Minna, the state capital. The secretariat has full Internet access with other communication devices to allow maximisation and dissemination of information regarding NAFEST 2009. It is equipped with modern information technology gadgets, computers, laptops, etc. In addition to this, support from private individuals in the form of branded cars has been provided to augment transportation and create awareness for the event. The secretariat was opened on August 6, this year, while the preparation of events venues, the renovation of state road network, the renovation of tourist centre and the awareness campaign are on-going. Interestingly, prior to the convening of the 32
nd meeting of the executives of culture in Nigeria, Maidugu said the meeting of the executives was sequel to the decision reached by the council to consolidate arrangements that would ensure a hitch-free event. He said with this year’s theme: Culture and the Challenges of Our Time: Cultural Industries and Wealth Creation, NAFEST 2009 is redesigned to reawaken our consciousness on the need to look inwards with a view to harness and develop our cultural industries; toward addressing the nation’s present predicament of unemployment, crime and youth restiveness. He said major events for the festival would include moonlight games, exhibitions on Nigerian dress culture, indigenous music and dance, indigenous circus, traditional wrestling, colloquium, book fair, crafts market, food fair, ayo game, film show etc.
According to Governor Babangida Aliyu, the state is ensuring proper accessibility, improving the road network in the state capital as well as those in neighbouring towns and roads leading to tourists’ attractions in the state. Some of the roads are undergoing renovation while others that are under construction are expected to be completed so as to enhance free movement of vehicles and human traffic. He assured that the 10-day event would bring together the various ethnic groups that make up the federation. Being one of the most promising sectors of the economy in Niger State and Nigeria, the state’s Tourism and Culture Commissioner, Umar Mohammed Nasko has stressed the unifying role the event would play in promoting the cultural potentials and assets of the state and Nigeria. He added that a cultural event like NAFEST is an integral part of tourism which draws people from within and outside the country. It equally brings about peaceful co-existence irrespective of the heterogeneous social and religious nature of the country.
Security is equally another aspect of preparation being carried out as the event date draws closer. With the recent upheavals in the north, the state has assured that this would in no way hinder the smooth and safe running of the event as provision for security of lives and property has been beefed up. He also added that since 1976, Niger State has not experienced any chaos or melee of any kind which is a good sign as it will not occur now.
Apart from the NAFEST events, Niger State is also prepared to give first time visitors and tourists an additional value for their visit. The state has various tourist sites like the Gurara waterfalls, Kainji National Park, Ladi Kwali Potters, Zuma Rock, Bida Brass works among others.
Indian hospital saved my child
By Ozolua Uhakheme
After undergoing successful surgery to correct congenital heart defect (VSD Mono) in an Indian children hospital, Baby Emmanuel Akinde is back on his feet and full of life. He was flown to India where he had an eight-hour surgery over hole in the heart and lungs defects. Before he went for the operation at Lotus Hospital, Hadrabad, India on May 8, 2009, Baby Emmanuel was almost becoming a source of pain and burden to the parents whose income and savings were expended on series of medical treatments in many hospitals in Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan, South West Nigeria.
Today, four months after the operation, Baby Emmanuel has not only become a bundle of joy to the parents but a shining testimony of the grace of God and support from well meaning Nigerians who assisted in raising about two million naira for the operation in India. Since his return 30 days after the operation, the child has recovered fast and exhibiting the characters of a normal healthy child.
This was made possible following a report on March 11 in LIFE Magazine of The Nation newspaper calling on well meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies to help save the life of the little child. A Skye Bank account opened in the name of the child was used to raise fund from public spirited Nigerians to undertake the operation in India.
Emmanuel’s mother, Mrs. Mary Akinde’s heart is now full of joy as she happily watches him jumping up and running all over her. In fact, she is short of words to show appreciation to all Nigerians who came to her assistance, especially her Catholic Church members in Ondo town as well as management and staff of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo. According to her, the Governor Segun Mimiko-led administration in Ondo State also provided some financial assistance after returning from the operation.
Recalling the trauma they went through as parents, Mrs. Akinde said but for the timely intervention of her Catholic Church members in Ondo and other well- meaning Nigerians who responded quickly to The Nation’s article in March, Baby Emmanuel’s life would have been in critical danger if not lost.
"My husband and I exhausted all our earnings and savings on saving Emmanuel. But the situation of his health did not improve. So, we had to explore foreign expertise. After establishing a link with the Indian hospital, they responded to the child’s medical history we sent to them. The hospital said if we cannot bring the child in the next two weeks, we should forget the treatment because the child, according to their findings based on what we sent, has been surviving on only 20 per cent of his strength and that the remaining 80 per cent has been lost to the illness. When it was becoming difficult to raise the two million naira total cost of the trip, the hospital advised we should raise about N950,000 being cost of operation and the flight ticket money in order to save the child’s life. That exactly we did before I left for India on May 8 and stayed for 30 days," she stated amidst broad smiles that eluded her during the trying period.
"The report of the first medical examination carried out on Baby Emmanuel shocked me. The doctor in charge, Dr. Darga who has had 46 years of medical practice said my child’s lung is defective too and that I might come back to India next year to correct it. But by the grace of God, the surgeon closed the hole in the heart as well as the defective lung during the operation, which he confessed he has never done as a surgeon in all his years of practice."
To Mrs. Akinde, a clerk at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, it was disheartening that it took an Indian hospital to diagnose his child’s defective lung, after series of medical tests in Nigeria could not discover it. She observed that her Indian experience revealed the poor state of basic health care in the country, especially that for children under five; wondering if the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals could be attained by Nigeria.
"There is no room to compare the health delivery system of India with that of Nigeria. In India, they don’t take any health matter for granted. At the Lotus hospital, which is primarily for children, every child at the operation theatre is provided with eight life-saving devices for some days after operation. I pray one day, our children hospital wards will have at least one of such units if not the eight for a child in Nigeria," she said of the wide disparity between Nigeria and India in health care system.
Art expo Nigeria 2009: Repositioning the economies of nations
By Ozolua Uhakheme
Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Minister Senator Bello Jibrin Gada has described the International Art Expo as a major respite which is capable, if properly harnessed, of repositioning the economies of African nations from stagnation to growth.
The minister noted that with oil as a political and economic tool in the hands of great nations and with constant upward and downward swing of the oil price pendulum, it is necessary for African nations to look back at the reality of their cultural backbone (visual art) as a panacea for economic and social revival.
Senator Gada, in the foreword to this year’s international art expo, which opened last Saturday at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos urged stakeholders in the visual art sector to work harder in ‘unraveling the diverse techniques, styles and methods of generating funds through art, especially to meet the yearnings of the annual budgets of African countries, Nigeria in particular’.
The International Art Expo Nigeria, now in its second edition, is a collaboration between the National Gallery of Art and the Art Galleries Association of Nigeria (AGAN). Thirty seven art galleries are participating in the event that will run till August 30. Among art collectors and connoisseurs that attended the opening are the Secretary to Lagos State Government (SSG) Adenrele Ogunsanya; former Minister of National Planning, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi; Mr. Sam Olagbaju, and Mr. Seinde Odimayo,
The Director-General of National Gallery of Art, Joe Musa, assured that the International Art Expo Nigeria, which received continental endorsement on its first outing, cannot go down, but up. He said the event has opened a new road map for visual art in Nigeria and Africa, thus creating a platform for over 1000 Nigerian artists to showcase and market their art. "With 34 private art galleries from different parts of the country brought together to exhibit creative works of some professional Nigerian artists, Art expo 2008 became one of the largest ever art business in Nigeria in recent times. It has become an international event for art galleries not only in Africa but beyond the African continent for professional artists to showcase their works," he added. Musa recalled that all through the ages, African artists have borne the challenge of cultural preservation, inspired the imaginations of their society and driven the dream of cultural trepidation to the boundary of civilization.
President of AGAN, Chief Frank Okonta, who commended the support of NGA, urged corporate bodies to assist in the promotion and growth of visual art. He cited the promise by the telecommunication giant, MTN to sponsor the expo for the next 10 years as encouraging. He disclosed that by next year more artists from African countries would be part of the event, but regretted that many Nigerian photographers are yet to tap into the opportunities provided by the expo.
"We cannot hold any artist or photographer by the throat to show interest in the event. I am happy Tam Fiofori, a seasoned photographer, is participating in the show," he said.
Commenting on the curating aspect of the expo, the Society of Nigerian Artists president, Uwa Usen, observed that the display of the works and the low level of noise in terms of colours are of great improvement. He admitted that despite the seeming hindrance, the organisers kept the dream alive saying it would have been worse if the expo did not hold this year. "If the show did not hold, artists would have been disappointed and it would have taken years to restore the confidence. For the future editions, we should hold a post-mortem to appraise the event".
Benin Republic artist Midahuen Yves, who took a stand at the expo expressed satisfaction to be part of it all; saying: "As an artist, you must move around to see what is going on in Africa. I am impressed with the event and for an international show like this, I am happy to be here. I have been to Dak’art biennale, but I am convinced it would grow faster than Dak’art. Next year, I must be here."
Midahuen, the proprietor of Midy-Art is featuring 26 works which include three other Beninoise artists’ works at the on-going expo. They are Gratien Anagossi (Grek), Fahoyo and Gigot.
With the successful hosting of two editions of the expo, AGAN should improve its marketing strategies in order to attract major sponsors that will provide adequate funds for the sustenance of the project.
When local design is winning ace
By Ozolua Uhakheme
The rate of unemployment and lack of self-employment among artists in the country evidence their lack of creative skills and low patronage of the arts. The training curricula for artists, particularlytertiary institutions, are yet to deal sufficiently with entrepreneurial skills and art business skills. These make the dream of many artists wishing to set up on their own unrealisable. These were part of factors militating against high patronage of Nigerian art, according to the former head, department of fine and applied art, Delta State University, Abraka, Dr. Grace Ojie.
Speaking at a recent art festival, Life In My City 2009, organised by Rocana Nigeria Limited in collaboration with Alliance Francaise, in Enugu, she identified the difficulty in acquiring space for production and exhibition of art as another obstacle to real appreciation and patronage of art. She explained that lack of adequate facilities and materials for production of art works, which affects quality and durability of art works, could also account for low level of appreciation of art works. This, she said, is a consequence of low level of educational training of the larger populace of the Nigerian society.
Dr. Ojie observed that many Nigerians do not seem to know the value of acquiring and keeping art works, which could be used as collateral, even for obtaining bank loans to meet up with various economic demands.
In a paper, Utilising Indigenous designs to Impure art pratronage in Nigeria;presented at the conference, she noted that the poverty level of majority of Nigerians lowers the capacity to purchase art work; and that individuals have several other pressing demands like payment of their children’s school fees, feeding of their families and rent payments to contend with. According to her, the negative influence of allied products in terms of utility and aesthetics on the patronage of art products - mostly products of ceramics, textiles and sculpture - is one setback because there are several alternatives to these products made from rubber, wood, glass and metal.
"The inadequate and epileptic electricity supply in Nigeria disturbs the quick and neat finishing of some art products, leading to increase in the cost of production. Take the case of ceramic production which requires the use of an electric kiln which should produce the best of result at the end of the production exercise. The ceramic artist is forced to rely on alternative source of firing, which may not give the best result and may increase the cost of production.
“Poor means of disseminating information on art exhibition (past and future) due to poor knowledge of application of latest e-media and inability to acquire computers also make it impossible for the curators, gallery owners, art collectors and the general public who serve as the clients of the artists to be aware of what is going on," she said.
Dr. Ojie, who also identified inadequate documentation of materials and methods of production on the part of artists for comprehension and ease of understanding by clients, observed that opportunities for masters to expose younger artists to materials and methods are often not created. The poverty level of some artists, she added, sometimes, forces them to use alternative materials which might not create room for durability of products or get the best of expression from the artists.
Continuing, she said: "Expensive nature of art materials sometimes lead to increase in the cost of production and eventually forces the artists to sell at expensive rate. Some artists have also been accused of over-pricing of their art works which sometimes affect patronage. Lack of trust on the part of both the artists and their clients-collectors and gallery owners also inhibits patronage as most business transactions are called off even before they materialise.
"Copy right laws concerning the purchase or acquisition of art works are not clearly defined or practiced in Nigeria. This, therefore, does not give the artists the impetus to go into large scale transactions for fear that they may be denied the financial rewards for their effort on the long run."
On the gains of creative use of indigenous designs, Dr. Ojie assured that it could improve patronage tremendously because of the reduced basis for comparing art products with foreign ones. She noted that both the foreign and indigenous products would therefore be distinct from each other and appreciated individually.
She also said that this could contribute to a long term gain of improving the economy and creating a cultural identity for Nigeria as tourists are more likely to increase the interest on these works and buy more copies which they also send abroad. "Creative use of indigenous designs improves perceptual abilities of artist(s) for better artistic visuals to be created because they are usually forced to take a closer look at the designs or symbols that they might wish to use. Creative use of indigenous designs can improve organization of concepts or themes for the purpose of creating better art works or art works that will be appreciated," she stressed.
But for the artists to make significant difference in raising their socio-economic life, she recommended that governments at the three levels should encourage greater art creativity through provision of soft loans to fresh tertiary institution graduates so as to help them establish their own studios and galleries.
Ensuring strict regulation of importation of allied products into the country and improving the art curricula right from the primary and secondary schools to include active and actual creative exercises as well as including entrepreneurial skill or art business training in the art curricula at the tertiary level, she said, would go a long way in redressing the situation.
In no distant future, Kainebi Osahenye’s art works will become part of the cannons for appraising Nigerian artists’ transformation from regular paintings to digital credible forms of conceptual art and global acceptance. Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME previews his TRASH-ING, a solo art exhibition opening on September 12, at the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos.
For every exhibition, it is one step ahead of many. His bright colourful figurative and giant size canvasses are some of the characteristics of his ever evolving approach to art. And for many of his outings (Crosses of Life, The cross took me for a walk and Erasures), he focused on issues inherent in cruciform, (crosses) and crossroads, which are commentaries on salvation and survival in a country of plenty.
With the current exhibition, TRASH-ING, Osahenye has left no one in doubt of his direction- credible forms of contextual art- at a period most of his colleagues are not hungry for global validation.
Over the past few years, Osahenye, has gradually raised the bar of contemporary art from the regular bright and bold colourful paintings to installation works that interrogate the system using local contents, especially discarded found items. As a deliberate approach, he offers few large size paintings to pass his strong messages.
Expectedly, the artist will be showing only seven installation works, which the host gallery, Bisi Silva’s CCA, Lagos is noted for since it opened to public in December 2007. All the seven works are large scale installations made from empty plastic water bottles, flattened paint tubes, patches of papers and empty soft drink cans to create different pieces.
Osahenye uses Casualty, a collection of empty soft drink cans laced together to form a contain-like objects that overflow from the ceiling downward to the floor. This reminds viewers of the many calamities of war, famine, pollution and pains people go through in life. Below these cans is a heap of other cans spreading on floor. In between the stringed cans are flags of some countries regarded as hotspots where genocide and mass killings of people are everyday occurrence. Beyond war, Casualty is a strong commentary on environmental protection and global warming issues. For aesthetics, the multiple colours that arose from the burning effect will be better appreciated in a well-lit gallery space, which of course, CCA, Lagos can boast of.
But in Reservoir, Osahenye simply reveals the poor state of Nigeria’s infrastructures, especially pipe borne water, which is almost non- available in most cities and rural communities. He strings together cuts of empty water bottles and stocks them on top of one another into eight-foot cubes measuring about 8ft 4ins high. The lower bottles carry bright colours while the top are without colours, indicating the state of reservoirs including the nation’s foreign reserves.
Another striking work that every painter will give a second look is Crossing, a collection of 34 panels of empty flattened paint tubes nailed to the board. The panels because of its rectangular shape reveal the boundary and border issues addressed in the artist’s past shows while at the same time capturing the cruciform. Significantly, Crossing is a reminder to other artists that what they consider as wastes are items of beauty and capable of provoking thoughts that will shape people’s views. According to Prof. Sylvester Ogbechie, Osahenye’s works deal with humanity’s struggle against subjection and project the artist into definable contexts of conflict.
"The more resolutely anti-commercialism an art work is, the more easily it is integrated into a discourse of art in which its commercialist stance becomes precisely the selling point of the artwork, thus making it more marketable, at least for the cadre of globe-trotting artists represented at the major international biennales and contemporary art fairs," Ogbechie said, adding that the artist’s work is as sophisticated as any piece in any biennale in recent time. Other installations for showing include Crowd and Black out.
The Delta state born fine artist, who runs a private studio in Auchi, said the installation works would be exhibited without prices, but are for sale. He explained that his desire to experiment and know influenced his current direction. "I have always wanted to challenge myself and see how much I can do. Sometime, I ask myself what am I looking for? Now, I have started thinking of a single installation work that will stun viewers. In fact, I am just looking for new ways to express myself…Even if many artists are comfortable, some will still not do crazy works like these. What matters is exposure, not the pressure to provide bread on the table. Right now, I find it difficult to mix oil in a regular palette. I still paint but I am exploring many media while the traditional medium will gradually take the back seat," Osahenye said. TRASH-ING will run till October 10 at CCA, Lagos.
Religious crisis no threat to NAFEST
By Ozolua Uhakheme
The Niger State government has allayed fears of insecurity at the forth-coming National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) despite recent upheavals in the northern part of the country. The state assured that the aftermath of the Boko Haram religious crisis would not hinder the smooth hosting of the festival as adequate provision for security of lives and property has been made; especially that since 1976, Niger State has not experienced any chaos or melee of any kind, which is a good sign that it will not occur now.
Enugu State hosted the festival last year at the Presidential Hotel, Enugu. In a bid to host a hitch-free NAFEST in October, Niger State has commenced strategic planning in collaboration with all stakeholders in the art and culture sector. Tomorrow, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, it will host a dinner/fund raising and logo unveiling ceremony. The event is expected to bring together key players in the culture and tourism industry, both locally and internationally.
The Director General the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mr. Maigwi Maidugu has scored the hosting state above 85 per cent in terms of preparation. The D G affirmed the readiness of Niger State to host the annual festival, saying he is very satisfied about its preparation. Already, a befitting secretariat for the festival has been commissioned. It is a modern building located in the centre of Minna, the state capital. The secretariat has full Internet access with other communication devices to allow maximisation and dissemination of information regarding NAFEST 2009. It is equipped with modern information technology gadgets, computers, laptops, etc. In addition to this, support from private individuals in the form of branded cars has been provided to augment transportation and create awareness for the event. The secretariat was opened on August 6, this year, while the preparation of events venues, the renovation of state road network, the renovation of tourist centre and the awareness campaign are on-going. Interestingly, prior to the convening of the 32
nd meeting of the executives of culture in Nigeria, Maidugu said the meeting of the executives was sequel to the decision reached by the council to consolidate arrangements that would ensure a hitch-free event. He said with this year’s theme: Culture and the Challenges of Our Time: Cultural Industries and Wealth Creation, NAFEST 2009 is redesigned to reawaken our consciousness on the need to look inwards with a view to harness and develop our cultural industries; toward addressing the nation’s present predicament of unemployment, crime and youth restiveness. He said major events for the festival would include moonlight games, exhibitions on Nigerian dress culture, indigenous music and dance, indigenous circus, traditional wrestling, colloquium, book fair, crafts market, food fair, ayo game, film show etc.
According to Governor Babangida Aliyu, the state is ensuring proper accessibility, improving the road network in the state capital as well as those in neighbouring towns and roads leading to tourists’ attractions in the state. Some of the roads are undergoing renovation while others that are under construction are expected to be completed so as to enhance free movement of vehicles and human traffic. He assured that the 10-day event would bring together the various ethnic groups that make up the federation. Being one of the most promising sectors of the economy in Niger State and Nigeria, the state’s Tourism and Culture Commissioner, Umar Mohammed Nasko has stressed the unifying role the event would play in promoting the cultural potentials and assets of the state and Nigeria. He added that a cultural event like NAFEST is an integral part of tourism which draws people from within and outside the country. It equally brings about peaceful co-existence irrespective of the heterogeneous social and religious nature of the country.
Security is equally another aspect of preparation being carried out as the event date draws closer. With the recent upheavals in the north, the state has assured that this would in no way hinder the smooth and safe running of the event as provision for security of lives and property has been beefed up. He also added that since 1976, Niger State has not experienced any chaos or melee of any kind which is a good sign as it will not occur now.
Apart from the NAFEST events, Niger State is also prepared to give first time visitors and tourists an additional value for their visit. The state has various tourist sites like the Gurara waterfalls, Kainji National Park, Ladi Kwali Potters, Zuma Rock, Bida Brass works among others.
Indian hospital saved my child
By Ozolua Uhakheme
After undergoing successful surgery to correct congenital heart defect (VSD Mono) in an Indian children hospital, Baby Emmanuel Akinde is back on his feet and full of life. He was flown to India where he had an eight-hour surgery over hole in the heart and lungs defects. Before he went for the operation at Lotus Hospital, Hadrabad, India on May 8, 2009, Baby Emmanuel was almost becoming a source of pain and burden to the parents whose income and savings were expended on series of medical treatments in many hospitals in Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan, South West Nigeria.
Today, four months after the operation, Baby Emmanuel has not only become a bundle of joy to the parents but a shining testimony of the grace of God and support from well meaning Nigerians who assisted in raising about two million naira for the operation in India. Since his return 30 days after the operation, the child has recovered fast and exhibiting the characters of a normal healthy child.
This was made possible following a report on March 11 in LIFE Magazine of The Nation newspaper calling on well meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies to help save the life of the little child. A Skye Bank account opened in the name of the child was used to raise fund from public spirited Nigerians to undertake the operation in India.
Emmanuel’s mother, Mrs. Mary Akinde’s heart is now full of joy as she happily watches him jumping up and running all over her. In fact, she is short of words to show appreciation to all Nigerians who came to her assistance, especially her Catholic Church members in Ondo town as well as management and staff of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo. According to her, the Governor Segun Mimiko-led administration in Ondo State also provided some financial assistance after returning from the operation.
Recalling the trauma they went through as parents, Mrs. Akinde said but for the timely intervention of her Catholic Church members in Ondo and other well- meaning Nigerians who responded quickly to The Nation’s article in March, Baby Emmanuel’s life would have been in critical danger if not lost.
"My husband and I exhausted all our earnings and savings on saving Emmanuel. But the situation of his health did not improve. So, we had to explore foreign expertise. After establishing a link with the Indian hospital, they responded to the child’s medical history we sent to them. The hospital said if we cannot bring the child in the next two weeks, we should forget the treatment because the child, according to their findings based on what we sent, has been surviving on only 20 per cent of his strength and that the remaining 80 per cent has been lost to the illness. When it was becoming difficult to raise the two million naira total cost of the trip, the hospital advised we should raise about N950,000 being cost of operation and the flight ticket money in order to save the child’s life. That exactly we did before I left for India on May 8 and stayed for 30 days," she stated amidst broad smiles that eluded her during the trying period.
"The report of the first medical examination carried out on Baby Emmanuel shocked me. The doctor in charge, Dr. Darga who has had 46 years of medical practice said my child’s lung is defective too and that I might come back to India next year to correct it. But by the grace of God, the surgeon closed the hole in the heart as well as the defective lung during the operation, which he confessed he has never done as a surgeon in all his years of practice."
To Mrs. Akinde, a clerk at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, it was disheartening that it took an Indian hospital to diagnose his child’s defective lung, after series of medical tests in Nigeria could not discover it. She observed that her Indian experience revealed the poor state of basic health care in the country, especially that for children under five; wondering if the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals could be attained by Nigeria.
"There is no room to compare the health delivery system of India with that of Nigeria. In India, they don’t take any health matter for granted. At the Lotus hospital, which is primarily for children, every child at the operation theatre is provided with eight life-saving devices for some days after operation. I pray one day, our children hospital wards will have at least one of such units if not the eight for a child in Nigeria," she said of the wide disparity between Nigeria and India in health care system.
Art expo Nigeria 2009: Repositioning the economies of nations
By Ozolua Uhakheme
Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Minister Senator Bello Jibrin Gada has described the International Art Expo as a major respite which is capable, if properly harnessed, of repositioning the economies of African nations from stagnation to growth.
The minister noted that with oil as a political and economic tool in the hands of great nations and with constant upward and downward swing of the oil price pendulum, it is necessary for African nations to look back at the reality of their cultural backbone (visual art) as a panacea for economic and social revival.
Senator Gada, in the foreword to this year’s international art expo, which opened last Saturday at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos urged stakeholders in the visual art sector to work harder in ‘unraveling the diverse techniques, styles and methods of generating funds through art, especially to meet the yearnings of the annual budgets of African countries, Nigeria in particular’.
The International Art Expo Nigeria, now in its second edition, is a collaboration between the National Gallery of Art and the Art Galleries Association of Nigeria (AGAN). Thirty seven art galleries are participating in the event that will run till August 30. Among art collectors and connoisseurs that attended the opening are the Secretary to Lagos State Government (SSG) Adenrele Ogunsanya; former Minister of National Planning, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi; Mr. Sam Olagbaju, and Mr. Seinde Odimayo,
The Director-General of National Gallery of Art, Joe Musa, assured that the International Art Expo Nigeria, which received continental endorsement on its first outing, cannot go down, but up. He said the event has opened a new road map for visual art in Nigeria and Africa, thus creating a platform for over 1000 Nigerian artists to showcase and market their art. "With 34 private art galleries from different parts of the country brought together to exhibit creative works of some professional Nigerian artists, Art expo 2008 became one of the largest ever art business in Nigeria in recent times. It has become an international event for art galleries not only in Africa but beyond the African continent for professional artists to showcase their works," he added. Musa recalled that all through the ages, African artists have borne the challenge of cultural preservation, inspired the imaginations of their society and driven the dream of cultural trepidation to the boundary of civilization.
President of AGAN, Chief Frank Okonta, who commended the support of NGA, urged corporate bodies to assist in the promotion and growth of visual art. He cited the promise by the telecommunication giant, MTN to sponsor the expo for the next 10 years as encouraging. He disclosed that by next year more artists from African countries would be part of the event, but regretted that many Nigerian photographers are yet to tap into the opportunities provided by the expo.
"We cannot hold any artist or photographer by the throat to show interest in the event. I am happy Tam Fiofori, a seasoned photographer, is participating in the show," he said.
Commenting on the curating aspect of the expo, the Society of Nigerian Artists president, Uwa Usen, observed that the display of the works and the low level of noise in terms of colours are of great improvement. He admitted that despite the seeming hindrance, the organisers kept the dream alive saying it would have been worse if the expo did not hold this year. "If the show did not hold, artists would have been disappointed and it would have taken years to restore the confidence. For the future editions, we should hold a post-mortem to appraise the event".
Benin Republic artist Midahuen Yves, who took a stand at the expo expressed satisfaction to be part of it all; saying: "As an artist, you must move around to see what is going on in Africa. I am impressed with the event and for an international show like this, I am happy to be here. I have been to Dak’art biennale, but I am convinced it would grow faster than Dak’art. Next year, I must be here."
Midahuen, the proprietor of Midy-Art is featuring 26 works which include three other Beninoise artists’ works at the on-going expo. They are Gratien Anagossi (Grek), Fahoyo and Gigot.
With the successful hosting of two editions of the expo, AGAN should improve its marketing strategies in order to attract major sponsors that will provide adequate funds for the sustenance of the project.
When local design is winning ace
By Ozolua Uhakheme
The rate of unemployment and lack of self-employment among artists in the country evidence their lack of creative skills and low patronage of the arts. The training curricula for artists, particularlytertiary institutions, are yet to deal sufficiently with entrepreneurial skills and art business skills. These make the dream of many artists wishing to set up on their own unrealisable. These were part of factors militating against high patronage of Nigerian art, according to the former head, department of fine and applied art, Delta State University, Abraka, Dr. Grace Ojie.
Speaking at a recent art festival, Life In My City 2009, organised by Rocana Nigeria Limited in collaboration with Alliance Francaise, in Enugu, she identified the difficulty in acquiring space for production and exhibition of art as another obstacle to real appreciation and patronage of art. She explained that lack of adequate facilities and materials for production of art works, which affects quality and durability of art works, could also account for low level of appreciation of art works. This, she said, is a consequence of low level of educational training of the larger populace of the Nigerian society.
Dr. Ojie observed that many Nigerians do not seem to know the value of acquiring and keeping art works, which could be used as collateral, even for obtaining bank loans to meet up with various economic demands.
In a paper, Utilising Indigenous designs to Impure art pratronage in Nigeria;presented at the conference, she noted that the poverty level of majority of Nigerians lowers the capacity to purchase art work; and that individuals have several other pressing demands like payment of their children’s school fees, feeding of their families and rent payments to contend with. According to her, the negative influence of allied products in terms of utility and aesthetics on the patronage of art products - mostly products of ceramics, textiles and sculpture - is one setback because there are several alternatives to these products made from rubber, wood, glass and metal.
"The inadequate and epileptic electricity supply in Nigeria disturbs the quick and neat finishing of some art products, leading to increase in the cost of production. Take the case of ceramic production which requires the use of an electric kiln which should produce the best of result at the end of the production exercise. The ceramic artist is forced to rely on alternative source of firing, which may not give the best result and may increase the cost of production.
“Poor means of disseminating information on art exhibition (past and future) due to poor knowledge of application of latest e-media and inability to acquire computers also make it impossible for the curators, gallery owners, art collectors and the general public who serve as the clients of the artists to be aware of what is going on," she said.
Dr. Ojie, who also identified inadequate documentation of materials and methods of production on the part of artists for comprehension and ease of understanding by clients, observed that opportunities for masters to expose younger artists to materials and methods are often not created. The poverty level of some artists, she added, sometimes, forces them to use alternative materials which might not create room for durability of products or get the best of expression from the artists.
Continuing, she said: "Expensive nature of art materials sometimes lead to increase in the cost of production and eventually forces the artists to sell at expensive rate. Some artists have also been accused of over-pricing of their art works which sometimes affect patronage. Lack of trust on the part of both the artists and their clients-collectors and gallery owners also inhibits patronage as most business transactions are called off even before they materialise.
"Copy right laws concerning the purchase or acquisition of art works are not clearly defined or practiced in Nigeria. This, therefore, does not give the artists the impetus to go into large scale transactions for fear that they may be denied the financial rewards for their effort on the long run."
On the gains of creative use of indigenous designs, Dr. Ojie assured that it could improve patronage tremendously because of the reduced basis for comparing art products with foreign ones. She noted that both the foreign and indigenous products would therefore be distinct from each other and appreciated individually.
She also said that this could contribute to a long term gain of improving the economy and creating a cultural identity for Nigeria as tourists are more likely to increase the interest on these works and buy more copies which they also send abroad. "Creative use of indigenous designs improves perceptual abilities of artist(s) for better artistic visuals to be created because they are usually forced to take a closer look at the designs or symbols that they might wish to use. Creative use of indigenous designs can improve organization of concepts or themes for the purpose of creating better art works or art works that will be appreciated," she stressed.
But for the artists to make significant difference in raising their socio-economic life, she recommended that governments at the three levels should encourage greater art creativity through provision of soft loans to fresh tertiary institution graduates so as to help them establish their own studios and galleries.
Ensuring strict regulation of importation of allied products into the country and improving the art curricula right from the primary and secondary schools to include active and actual creative exercises as well as including entrepreneurial skill or art business training in the art curricula at the tertiary level, she said, would go a long way in redressing the situation.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
media turf
Why media regulatory turf needs reform
By Ozolua Uhakeme
Assistant Editor (Arts)
THE need for the review of the media regulatory frameworks is not in doubt. Even government functionaries have mouthed it at several fora, except that the talk is yet to be marched with action. In fact, at a one-day policy dialogue on Community Radio Development in Nigeria held recently in Abuja, Information and Communications Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili raised the hope of having those obstacles to efficient media performance removed with immediate effect.
Represented at the function by the Director-General, National Film and Video Censors Board, Mr. Emeka Mba, Akunyili said: “I am aware that we require action on our regulatory frameworks to enable us address grey areas of our activities and take pluralism to a higher level. A little misunderstanding among stakeholders has affected the operations of the Nigerian Press Council for some years. A media sector policy reform process, which involved the review of the 1990 National Media Policy and the design of a Communication Radio Policy has not been completed. A legal reform process affecting the establishment laws of agencies in the Information and Communication sector has also slowed down.
“I am confident that in this new dispensation, the government in collaboration with other stakeholders, including us that are gathered here today, should be able to address these issues and produce worthwhile results in good time. Like other stakeholders, the government wants appropriate and up-to-date policies, law and regulations in place to guide implementation of programmes.
“The completion of the two policy processes will provide a solid platform for our activities in the sector. The community radio policy, for example, will guide us in licensing stations in conformity with international standards and best practices. Putting in place a well-functioning Press Council will strengthen media professionalism.”
With the re-opening of debate at the two chambers of the National Assembly on the review of the 1999 Constitution, stakeholders in the media are optimistic that those cobwebs in the statute book that affect the media (including broadcasting sector) will also engage the attention of the federal legislators.
The issues, which have continuously been raised by media sector practitioners and watchers include the fact that the 1999 Constitution prescribed obligations/duties for the media in Section 22 (to hold government accountable to the people), without providing the corresponding framework of freedoms as stipulated in Section 39 which deals with media issues. The section, it has been argued, should provide, in addition to the general freedom of expression for all citizens, a freedom of the media. Stakeholders have been canvassing that the provision should also be extended to specifically provide for a clear right of access to information for all citizens, including journalists.
Another critical point is the realisation that the Section 39 vests the power of authorization/approval of private broadcasting licences in the President of the country. But the global and standard practice today is to vest full regulatory powers (which include licence authorisation) in an independent regulatory body.
Also, the fourth schedule of the 1999 Constitution vests the power to collect fees on ownership of radio and television sets in local government councils, while the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act 38 of 1992 (as amended by NBC Act 55 of 1999) gives this power to the NBC as stipulated in Section 7 of the 1999 NBC amendment Act No 55.
But because the constitutional provision is superior to the NBC Act, the local governments have been collecting these fees and spending them without making them available for the development of the broadcasting stations.
In fact, a fresh twist has been introduced to the collection of these fees, especially in some parts of Lagos. The situation is degenerating as some overzealous revenue task forces from local government areas in the state have embarked on harassing and mounting pressure on proprietors of private schools in Lagos to pay the radio and television license tax.
Stakeholders in the media, especially the professional groups such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) have not only canvassed for the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, but also the review of certain regulatory frameworks that obstruct free flow of information and Nigerian right to free expression.
This campaign has been emboldened by the support from media NGOs such as Institute for Media and Society (IMS); Media Rights Agenda (MRA); International Press Centre (IPC); Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER) and others.
The synergy among these stakeholders arose from the realization that information sector is probably the only sector in Nigeria without an up-to-date National Mass Communication Policy as well as National Community Radio Policy. This review process has dragged for too long, they argued and urged the Federal government to see to its urgent completion and issue a new policy.
In mid-2004, the Federal Government started a media policy reform process when it instituted a 24-member committee to review the 1990 National Mass Communication Policy.
The 1990 policy became obsolete: most of its recommendations had been implemented while others were out of tune with new developments in information and communication technologies. Against the letter and spirit of global trends and good practices, the policy retained government monopoly in ownership and operation of broadcasting. The policy said: “The time is not yet ripe for private ownership of the broadcast media.”
In its report submitted in November 2004, the review committee recommended such policy objectives as that the broadcast media should be made accessible and affordable to all Nigerians, and that the development of public and private broadcasting should be promoted. It also recommended implementation strategies which include, that “there shall be an equitable spread of the categories of licence to ensure that no community or segment of the population is denied access to information through electronic (broadcast) media” and that “the development of community broadcasting shall be promoted.”
Government solicited and took further inputs from its agencies and public before subjecting the document to a series of internal reviews. In their contributions into strengthening the report, community radio stakeholders made submissions such as:
• The Policy should provide for a clear recognition of a three-tier structure of broadcasting in line with African Charter on Broadcasting: Pub1ic Service, Commercial and Community.
• The development of community broadcasting shall be promoted as distinct from decentralised state broadcasting.
•Broadcasters in all tiers' should be required to promote and develop local content.
•The NBC and NCC should be merged into an independent regulatory body.
•Broadcast station licensing should be fair, transparent and based on clear criteria.
•Media concentration should be discouraged.
•Community radio should be allowed to derive funding from sources, which include specific community-related commercial activities, community contributions, grants and an independent Community Radio Trust Fund.
In 2006, government undertook similar exercise as regards National Community Radio Policy when a 17-member committee was set up to produce a draft Community Radio Policy. The committee presented its report to the government in December 2006. The report made recommendations on key issues, which include:
• Access, participation and ownership: community groups and individuals should be involved in financial/other contributions and represented in the control, management and operations of community radio stations.
• Licencing: The broadcasting licence should be free, without prejudice to reasonable processing fees; application and processing should be simple, transparent and community-friendly.
• Programming, content and language: broadcasting will be in language(s) of the community served as much as possible will reflect the socio-linguistic realities of its environment; content, planning and production will be participatory, involving representatives of the audience.
• Governance and management: of the community radio should be community driven, accountable, transparent and responsive, based on efficient practices and appropriate tools; prior to establishment, the participatory methodology should be deployed in creating awareness and sensitising the people on community radio.
•Technical arrangement: The regulator should prepare a frequency plan which ensures sufficient frequencies for community radios throughout the country 10 to 15 percent of FM broadcast frequency spectrum for community radio stations; stations should be granted transmission power of 1 00 watts, although higher levels where justified.
•Sustainability and funding: Community radio licences should be registered as not-for-profit entities with at least 60 per cent local ownership; there should be no regulatory restrictions on source of revenue other than to encourage sustainability through diversity of financing and to avoid dependence on anyone source, they shall raise funds through advertising, sponsorship and other diverse sources, although no single source should account for more than 50 percent.
•Research and capacity-building: The regulator and other stakeholders shall encourage and promote research and training into the sustainability, social and development impact of community radio.
•Monitoring and evaluation: both the regulatory body and community members should be involved in monitoring and evaluation activities.
Lawmakers are urged to fast track the completion of work on these policies while other regulatory frameworks in the statute book that are due for review are also accommodated in their renewed efforts to bequeath a functional Constitution to the country.
By Ozolua Uhakeme
Assistant Editor (Arts)
THE need for the review of the media regulatory frameworks is not in doubt. Even government functionaries have mouthed it at several fora, except that the talk is yet to be marched with action. In fact, at a one-day policy dialogue on Community Radio Development in Nigeria held recently in Abuja, Information and Communications Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili raised the hope of having those obstacles to efficient media performance removed with immediate effect.
Represented at the function by the Director-General, National Film and Video Censors Board, Mr. Emeka Mba, Akunyili said: “I am aware that we require action on our regulatory frameworks to enable us address grey areas of our activities and take pluralism to a higher level. A little misunderstanding among stakeholders has affected the operations of the Nigerian Press Council for some years. A media sector policy reform process, which involved the review of the 1990 National Media Policy and the design of a Communication Radio Policy has not been completed. A legal reform process affecting the establishment laws of agencies in the Information and Communication sector has also slowed down.
“I am confident that in this new dispensation, the government in collaboration with other stakeholders, including us that are gathered here today, should be able to address these issues and produce worthwhile results in good time. Like other stakeholders, the government wants appropriate and up-to-date policies, law and regulations in place to guide implementation of programmes.
“The completion of the two policy processes will provide a solid platform for our activities in the sector. The community radio policy, for example, will guide us in licensing stations in conformity with international standards and best practices. Putting in place a well-functioning Press Council will strengthen media professionalism.”
With the re-opening of debate at the two chambers of the National Assembly on the review of the 1999 Constitution, stakeholders in the media are optimistic that those cobwebs in the statute book that affect the media (including broadcasting sector) will also engage the attention of the federal legislators.
The issues, which have continuously been raised by media sector practitioners and watchers include the fact that the 1999 Constitution prescribed obligations/duties for the media in Section 22 (to hold government accountable to the people), without providing the corresponding framework of freedoms as stipulated in Section 39 which deals with media issues. The section, it has been argued, should provide, in addition to the general freedom of expression for all citizens, a freedom of the media. Stakeholders have been canvassing that the provision should also be extended to specifically provide for a clear right of access to information for all citizens, including journalists.
Another critical point is the realisation that the Section 39 vests the power of authorization/approval of private broadcasting licences in the President of the country. But the global and standard practice today is to vest full regulatory powers (which include licence authorisation) in an independent regulatory body.
Also, the fourth schedule of the 1999 Constitution vests the power to collect fees on ownership of radio and television sets in local government councils, while the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act 38 of 1992 (as amended by NBC Act 55 of 1999) gives this power to the NBC as stipulated in Section 7 of the 1999 NBC amendment Act No 55.
But because the constitutional provision is superior to the NBC Act, the local governments have been collecting these fees and spending them without making them available for the development of the broadcasting stations.
In fact, a fresh twist has been introduced to the collection of these fees, especially in some parts of Lagos. The situation is degenerating as some overzealous revenue task forces from local government areas in the state have embarked on harassing and mounting pressure on proprietors of private schools in Lagos to pay the radio and television license tax.
Stakeholders in the media, especially the professional groups such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) have not only canvassed for the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, but also the review of certain regulatory frameworks that obstruct free flow of information and Nigerian right to free expression.
This campaign has been emboldened by the support from media NGOs such as Institute for Media and Society (IMS); Media Rights Agenda (MRA); International Press Centre (IPC); Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER) and others.
The synergy among these stakeholders arose from the realization that information sector is probably the only sector in Nigeria without an up-to-date National Mass Communication Policy as well as National Community Radio Policy. This review process has dragged for too long, they argued and urged the Federal government to see to its urgent completion and issue a new policy.
In mid-2004, the Federal Government started a media policy reform process when it instituted a 24-member committee to review the 1990 National Mass Communication Policy.
The 1990 policy became obsolete: most of its recommendations had been implemented while others were out of tune with new developments in information and communication technologies. Against the letter and spirit of global trends and good practices, the policy retained government monopoly in ownership and operation of broadcasting. The policy said: “The time is not yet ripe for private ownership of the broadcast media.”
In its report submitted in November 2004, the review committee recommended such policy objectives as that the broadcast media should be made accessible and affordable to all Nigerians, and that the development of public and private broadcasting should be promoted. It also recommended implementation strategies which include, that “there shall be an equitable spread of the categories of licence to ensure that no community or segment of the population is denied access to information through electronic (broadcast) media” and that “the development of community broadcasting shall be promoted.”
Government solicited and took further inputs from its agencies and public before subjecting the document to a series of internal reviews. In their contributions into strengthening the report, community radio stakeholders made submissions such as:
• The Policy should provide for a clear recognition of a three-tier structure of broadcasting in line with African Charter on Broadcasting: Pub1ic Service, Commercial and Community.
• The development of community broadcasting shall be promoted as distinct from decentralised state broadcasting.
•Broadcasters in all tiers' should be required to promote and develop local content.
•The NBC and NCC should be merged into an independent regulatory body.
•Broadcast station licensing should be fair, transparent and based on clear criteria.
•Media concentration should be discouraged.
•Community radio should be allowed to derive funding from sources, which include specific community-related commercial activities, community contributions, grants and an independent Community Radio Trust Fund.
In 2006, government undertook similar exercise as regards National Community Radio Policy when a 17-member committee was set up to produce a draft Community Radio Policy. The committee presented its report to the government in December 2006. The report made recommendations on key issues, which include:
• Access, participation and ownership: community groups and individuals should be involved in financial/other contributions and represented in the control, management and operations of community radio stations.
• Licencing: The broadcasting licence should be free, without prejudice to reasonable processing fees; application and processing should be simple, transparent and community-friendly.
• Programming, content and language: broadcasting will be in language(s) of the community served as much as possible will reflect the socio-linguistic realities of its environment; content, planning and production will be participatory, involving representatives of the audience.
• Governance and management: of the community radio should be community driven, accountable, transparent and responsive, based on efficient practices and appropriate tools; prior to establishment, the participatory methodology should be deployed in creating awareness and sensitising the people on community radio.
•Technical arrangement: The regulator should prepare a frequency plan which ensures sufficient frequencies for community radios throughout the country 10 to 15 percent of FM broadcast frequency spectrum for community radio stations; stations should be granted transmission power of 1 00 watts, although higher levels where justified.
•Sustainability and funding: Community radio licences should be registered as not-for-profit entities with at least 60 per cent local ownership; there should be no regulatory restrictions on source of revenue other than to encourage sustainability through diversity of financing and to avoid dependence on anyone source, they shall raise funds through advertising, sponsorship and other diverse sources, although no single source should account for more than 50 percent.
•Research and capacity-building: The regulator and other stakeholders shall encourage and promote research and training into the sustainability, social and development impact of community radio.
•Monitoring and evaluation: both the regulatory body and community members should be involved in monitoring and evaluation activities.
Lawmakers are urged to fast track the completion of work on these policies while other regulatory frameworks in the statute book that are due for review are also accommodated in their renewed efforts to bequeath a functional Constitution to the country.
times of life
Times of life open at Yabatech
By Ozolua Uhakheme
Assistant Editor (Arts)
In most art schools across the country, not many art teachers will readily accept to hold a joint art exhibition with his students. The closest of such opportunity has been the curating of graduating students’ art exhibition by teachers of the department. Also, the Goethe Institut, Lagos organized group exhibitions for the best final year students in some art schools curated by renowned art scholars like Prof. EL Anatsui of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1999 is one such platform. That initiative saw the emergence of the likes of Uche Edoche, Nwosu Igbo and Blaise Gbadem all from the Nsukka School.
Perhaps inspired by that gesture, an art teacher at the School of Art Design, and Printing, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Mr. Aladegbongbe Aderinsoye has offered one of his students, Fashakin Michael, the rare privilege of holding a joint art exhibition at the school’s gallery. The show titled Times Of Life, which was curated by Adeola Balogun opened last Saturday at the school gallery. It is featuring about 50 paintings from both artists.
Apart from highlighting different happenings over a period on canvas, papers and metal foil, the collection provides space for the duo to refresh viewers on their evolving approaches to art. For Aderinsoye, the joint show is a tip of the iceberg for his next solo exhibition later in the year. In fact, it is a dress rehearsal of a sort. He pledged that he would hold the joint exhibition every year with one of his students as part of his efforts at lifting the up and coming artists. “I am not influenced by what collectors want to buy. So, I paint what my heart directs me to do. Again, for the miniature, I have lots of them in my collection because I do paint in my bedroom. And since space is a constraint, I chose small size canvass to express myself while in my bedroom painting,” according to the art teacher.
His Forest At Home, is a satirical comment on the state of the power sector, which has literarily been thrown into total darkness in spite of the billions of naira pumped successive administrations to revamp it.
In order to reach more collectors, Aderinsoye presented a good number of miniature paintings that can be purchased at relatively affordable prices. Unlike his teacher, Fashakin presented works mainly in metal foil that address varied issues in the society. Among the works on show are The stroke of persistence, In search of green, Wonders on the sea, Time flies and Fusion. The joint show will run till august 15.
By Ozolua Uhakheme
Assistant Editor (Arts)
In most art schools across the country, not many art teachers will readily accept to hold a joint art exhibition with his students. The closest of such opportunity has been the curating of graduating students’ art exhibition by teachers of the department. Also, the Goethe Institut, Lagos organized group exhibitions for the best final year students in some art schools curated by renowned art scholars like Prof. EL Anatsui of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1999 is one such platform. That initiative saw the emergence of the likes of Uche Edoche, Nwosu Igbo and Blaise Gbadem all from the Nsukka School.
Perhaps inspired by that gesture, an art teacher at the School of Art Design, and Printing, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Mr. Aladegbongbe Aderinsoye has offered one of his students, Fashakin Michael, the rare privilege of holding a joint art exhibition at the school’s gallery. The show titled Times Of Life, which was curated by Adeola Balogun opened last Saturday at the school gallery. It is featuring about 50 paintings from both artists.
Apart from highlighting different happenings over a period on canvas, papers and metal foil, the collection provides space for the duo to refresh viewers on their evolving approaches to art. For Aderinsoye, the joint show is a tip of the iceberg for his next solo exhibition later in the year. In fact, it is a dress rehearsal of a sort. He pledged that he would hold the joint exhibition every year with one of his students as part of his efforts at lifting the up and coming artists. “I am not influenced by what collectors want to buy. So, I paint what my heart directs me to do. Again, for the miniature, I have lots of them in my collection because I do paint in my bedroom. And since space is a constraint, I chose small size canvass to express myself while in my bedroom painting,” according to the art teacher.
His Forest At Home, is a satirical comment on the state of the power sector, which has literarily been thrown into total darkness in spite of the billions of naira pumped successive administrations to revamp it.
In order to reach more collectors, Aderinsoye presented a good number of miniature paintings that can be purchased at relatively affordable prices. Unlike his teacher, Fashakin presented works mainly in metal foil that address varied issues in the society. Among the works on show are The stroke of persistence, In search of green, Wonders on the sea, Time flies and Fusion. The joint show will run till august 15.
niger delta through aperture
Niger Delta through the aperture
A glance at some of these photographs will give you insight to what most communities in Niger Delta have been facing since black gold was struck in the region over 50 years ago: environmental pollution, erosion, underdevelopment and poverty, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME spoke with Eremina Jan Jumbo, a photographer who spent 50 days documenting some communities in Bonny Local Government Area.
After over 50 years of oil exploration in Niger Delta, the disturbing state of neglect and environmental degradation of the region still appear inconsequential in the reckoning of many Nigerians, especially the elite who form the core of leaders at various levels of governance. But today, the attendant crises of kidnapping of people and bombing of oil pipelines by militants are matters for serious concern, even to the global community.
Worried by the increasing spate of criminal activities in Niger Delta, PHOTOLENSE, an outfit managed by Bonny born environmentalist and photographer, Eremina Jane Jumbo undertook a recent photographic documentation of some communities in the region. In a chat with The Nation, Jumbo revealed that the level of neglect, degradation and poverty she saw during the documentary that lasted 50 days were very serious issues compared to the manner the militants are going about the agitations in the region. Jumbo who traversed the creeks on small canoes and sometimes on motor cycle, disclosed that most of the communities are threatened by erosion and armed robbers who continually invade the helpless villagers. According to her, Nunabie, one of the communities has been sacked by robbers leaving only a family behind. “Almost every resident of Nunabie has vacated the village. For so long the villagers have been under siege from armed robbers but learnt that the men of the Joint Task Force visited the place after series of reports,” she said.
Also, she visited Mumakiri (aka Ajegunle), which is reported to be populated by the Ilaje, and found that it has been devastated by erosion. Apat from erosion menace, the community’s only primary school is without a teacher and pupils travelled two hours on the creek to Ogoni to attend school and take medical care. When she asked the community head, Mr. Sam Ayodele of the contributions of elected politicians, he answered “The politicians only come here during electioneering campaign. After the election, you don’t see anybody again. Mumakiri used to be the largest community with an expansive waterfront, but today, erosion from the ocean surge has overrun half of the land. And because of this, residents are relocating to other villages.” Another community documented is Agaja, where there are lots of oil pipelines but which is overwhelmed by poverty.
Asked why she undertook the exercise at a period insecurity in he region is high, Jumbo explained that it is to draw attention of well meaning Nigerians to the needs of the people, especially women and children in area of primary health care and education. “I wanted to see for myself why young men are into kidnapping, and to also see with the eyes of my camera how justifying their cause is. But the overall objective of the programmme is to engender development in the region, especially in the provision of portable water, health care and even mosquito nets to the people. ” She noted that unfortunately, there are oil companies like Chevron, Mobil, Shell and the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas facilities in Bonny.
A glance at some of these photographs will give you insight to what most communities in Niger Delta have been facing since black gold was struck in the region over 50 years ago: environmental pollution, erosion, underdevelopment and poverty, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME spoke with Eremina Jan Jumbo, a photographer who spent 50 days documenting some communities in Bonny Local Government Area.
After over 50 years of oil exploration in Niger Delta, the disturbing state of neglect and environmental degradation of the region still appear inconsequential in the reckoning of many Nigerians, especially the elite who form the core of leaders at various levels of governance. But today, the attendant crises of kidnapping of people and bombing of oil pipelines by militants are matters for serious concern, even to the global community.
Worried by the increasing spate of criminal activities in Niger Delta, PHOTOLENSE, an outfit managed by Bonny born environmentalist and photographer, Eremina Jane Jumbo undertook a recent photographic documentation of some communities in the region. In a chat with The Nation, Jumbo revealed that the level of neglect, degradation and poverty she saw during the documentary that lasted 50 days were very serious issues compared to the manner the militants are going about the agitations in the region. Jumbo who traversed the creeks on small canoes and sometimes on motor cycle, disclosed that most of the communities are threatened by erosion and armed robbers who continually invade the helpless villagers. According to her, Nunabie, one of the communities has been sacked by robbers leaving only a family behind. “Almost every resident of Nunabie has vacated the village. For so long the villagers have been under siege from armed robbers but learnt that the men of the Joint Task Force visited the place after series of reports,” she said.
Also, she visited Mumakiri (aka Ajegunle), which is reported to be populated by the Ilaje, and found that it has been devastated by erosion. Apat from erosion menace, the community’s only primary school is without a teacher and pupils travelled two hours on the creek to Ogoni to attend school and take medical care. When she asked the community head, Mr. Sam Ayodele of the contributions of elected politicians, he answered “The politicians only come here during electioneering campaign. After the election, you don’t see anybody again. Mumakiri used to be the largest community with an expansive waterfront, but today, erosion from the ocean surge has overrun half of the land. And because of this, residents are relocating to other villages.” Another community documented is Agaja, where there are lots of oil pipelines but which is overwhelmed by poverty.
Asked why she undertook the exercise at a period insecurity in he region is high, Jumbo explained that it is to draw attention of well meaning Nigerians to the needs of the people, especially women and children in area of primary health care and education. “I wanted to see for myself why young men are into kidnapping, and to also see with the eyes of my camera how justifying their cause is. But the overall objective of the programmme is to engender development in the region, especially in the provision of portable water, health care and even mosquito nets to the people. ” She noted that unfortunately, there are oil companies like Chevron, Mobil, Shell and the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas facilities in Bonny.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)