Colourists Project New Order

Painting its identity to the world and art connoisseurs through a group art exhibition of abstract pieces had lingered in the colourists for some time now. And at Terra Kulture art Gallery, it was an opportunity to spread that gospel at its just concluded show last month. Rebecca Ejifoma reports

Festival by Okijeni

Titled New Order, the exhibition of paintings and mixed media, ran from September 20 to 30 at the gallery in Victoria Island Lagos. Art aficionados tasted this much of their cocktail on canvas when the artists  Olu Ajayi, Sam Ovraiti, Toni Okujeni and Pita Ohiwerei popped out their arrays.

It was a platform to spur a new phase for the Nigerian art. Three of the artists: Ajayi, Ovraiti and Okujeni are among those that were christened "Colourists" in the 1980s for adding a new texture of colour to Lagos art. Thereafter, Ohiwerei and others of like minds joined the trend.

Prior to the emergence of these artists and others who were trained at Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, the canvas of Lagos art scene, and perhaps by extension, the rest of Nigeria was not – in the argument of a section of observers and critics - as diverse.  The Colourists, so suggest critics, brought more “vibrant colour” onto the canvas. In fact, the Auchi art school seemed to have stressed its identity of producing artists of 'vibrant' application of collours via the influence that Ajayi, Ovraiti, Edwin Debebs, Ikoro Emmanuel, Ekpeni Emmanauel, Okujeni, Osazuwa Osagie, Ben Osaghae,  Ohiwerei, Lessor Jonathan, Alex Nwokolo and others had welded over the Nigerian art scene.

 
Within the scope of the dynamics that has thrown up new and non-traditional medium, appropriating and conceptualising of art and with the aim to strengthen their modernists’ identity, they exuded their over 40 works. However the difference between the 1980s/90s art from the 21st century's visual arts space is being redefined by the energy of contemporary art.

Despite an unprecedented increase in appreciation of Nigerian art in the last six to seven years, the walls of galleries and contents of some sections of the art scenes appear static; laced with repetitive themes and copying as well as subconscious transfer of old styles and techniques from masters to young artists with diminishing creativity. But the 'Colourists' who take a chunk of credit and praises - perhaps knocks too - for the state of a largely conservative art scene in Nigeria are set to inject what they believe would pass as new face. More importantly, its quite cheering that at least, the need to open up the regimented art house and modulate the tone of Nigerian art is coming from a section of those who dominate the third/fourth generation the country's modernists.

"After 30 years, we are coming together to re-present the state of our art," Ovraiti told select guests during a preview of New Order. He went memory lane to the 19th century period of impressionism, comparing the challenges of the pioneers to the emergence of Nigeria's Colourists. Three decades after, they are revisiting the art scene  "to reinstate freedom, purity and quality in the result that shows in our art."

Ajayi was more precise: "New Order is about separating art from picture making." And having received the knocks of critics for being repetitive in their themes, the Colorrists, other artists they have inspired over the past two decades and their followers need to surrender to the reality of change, so suggested the argument of Ajayi. "It's also about self-expression and getting out of the regimented art scene of doing the same thing all over." Being the promoters of impasto and creative application of colour in the Nigerian art scene, "we now want to move beyond this," Okujeni added.

The dynamics of Nigerian art scene in the last two decades or more has excavated quite a number of groups such as professional bodies as well as movements. And the New Order artists appear like another movement in the making. “It’s a consciousness, not a movement,” Ajayi clarified.

Reviewing the past two decades of the Nigerian art, Ovraiti noted that “New truths have been revealed and more colourists have also emerged.” However, it does appear that the line between the modern and contemporary Nigerian art is blurring. For example, all of a sudden the word 'conceptual' which the visual arts world has arrogated to a particular kind of art outside the Renaissance and modernists or Fine Arts terrains is suddenly appearing across the board. Refusing to be shut out of the confined contemporary definition, the New Order artists disclosed that the works for the show are "conceptual." This appears like a total confrontation against the tide of contemporaneity, isn't it? "Art does not have to be performance, installation or some masquerades now known as art to be conceptual." Ovraiti argued. Indeed, in common and ordinary usage, it could be argued that most creative works across the Arts - visual arts, music, film, theatre- are conceptual, anyway. But it takes what looks like the threat of contemporary art or "fad" for other artists of regular and traditional expression in Fine Arts to challenge the confinement of conceptualism to contemporary medium such as installation and performance art.

In the work of Ohiwerei, the change, from repetitive to wider themes and textures is glaring. His works such as Dance Spirit, Chibok Unending Story and Market though appear familiar, the texture and contents are not exactly his usual.

 For Ovraiti and Ajayi, traditions and identity are hard to be swept away so soon, so suggest their works that have traces of fresh breath within the context of conceptuality. In fact, Ovraiti warned that the past cannot be frozen so soon as much as a new dawn is crucial. “This exhibition could witness some recurrent themes. The driving force for looking back if we did is to revisit a previous result from our current level of enlightenment and awareness. After all, artists draw from their inside, foresight and insight. Looking at hindsight sometimes enables a new result.”

And if medium of expression and usage of materials are the key characteristics of contemporary or conceptual art, Okujeni imbibes such in Festival, a mixed media basically rendered in buttons to achieve what looks like pointillism.

Ovraiti has applied his art to outside the art exhibition circle, mostly in the workshops and mentorship sections of art development. In fact, he is currently the director at Nigeria’s most consistent yearly art gathering, the Harmattan Workshop.

Ajayi: has more than 28 years professional experience, and was recently given a Fellow, Society of Nigerian Artist. He is a founding member and Trustee of the Guild of Professional Fine Artist. His bio states in parts: Ajayi’s metaphoric vocabulary is also deeply rooted in the body, his ultimate vehicle in expressing life’s dualities. His sensuous colors, sweeping strokes and narrative content place the human figure on a grand scare, while the dramatic cropping of figures and forms emphasizes the immediacy of the paint. Ajayi has also achieved recognition for his remarkable watercolors in grey scare executed in a broad gestural technique.

In 1993, Ajayi was listed in Who is Who in Art in Nigeria published by the Smithsonian Institute and Libraries. In 2004 he won the best Alumnus Award of Auchi Polytechnic

Okujeni, a former art illustrator at the defunct Guardian Express magazine has been a full time studio artist in the past 25 years. Having taken his art across Africa, he is currently seen as the face of Nigerian art in Senegal.

Okujeni’s past exhibitions included His past exhibitions included Nigerian contemporary cartoons United State Information Center, Lagos 1986; Treasure House Salon-  1989; Treasure house exhibition- 1989; Exhibition of art, Shell Club Warri-  1991; two-men show Leventis Foundation Centre- 1992;  Colour masters, Didi museum, Lagos- 1993; The way we are- NiconNoga Abuja-  1994;  Impastoes something special gallery Lagos -  1995; Valley of decision- National Museum-  1996; Ecole de Dakar exhibition-  GalerieYassine 1998; One man show-GalerieYassine 199;  Assilah Forum Exhibition- Morocco- 1998; Exhibition of painting- Polo Club Lagos 1999; and Three man show National Musuem, Onikan, Lagos 2012.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., Ohiwerei has experimented in a quite a number of techniques and came up with series such as scratchee. His bio states that he has had solo exhibitions across Europe, Africa and U.S “where he has won numerous awards.

Olawunmi Banjo Shows Mind Revolution

Rebecca Ejifoma

 

Banjo in the art

After over a decade of building her career through several group art exhibitions and fulltime studio practice, Olawunmi Banjo takes a step further to share her achievements with arts aficionados through her first solo art exhibition  to hold at the Nike Art Centre in Lekki, Lagos from November 1 to 7 this year. 

 

The exhibition of paintings on canvas, titled “Mind Revolution”, will exude over 20 abstract pieces. According to the artist in an interview in Lagos recently, “Mind Revolution” is tailored towards re-orientating the mindsets of our people towards progressiveness, and how creative minds and ideas in Nigeria and Africa at large can be empowered. She said: “If people start to develop the initiative of thought to invest adequately in creative mind resources and ideas, then attention will be a bit deviated from focusing mainly on natural resources.

 

“From my observation as an artist, I have discovered that many creative talents are discouraged and frustrated in attaining their creative potential due to the lack of adequate structures and sufficient support. Our best export is human resources and capital. On a daily basis, we export our best and finest minds that we sorely need for our overall development,” she said.

 

The artist, who hopes to unveil diverse creativity through her show, explained that Africa should quit being the largest consumer of global innovations, and our ideas should be part of the global market and contribute relevant innovations for global consumption. Many intellectuals and creative minds have left and some are even still leaving the continent due to a lack of appreciation of their creativity in their home countries. In her words, “they are adding enormous value to other continents. People from other continents observe us, create basic solutions to our problems, and then they eventually sell those solutions back to us. We have not taken a step backwards to notice the intellectual decadence we’re swimming in.”

 

One of the artist's pieces

The works depict a child in a failed system but looking beyond the failed system and reaching towards achieving his potential. Regardless of the societal depravity, he still makes conscious efforts to have a positive mindset, which will enable him to make his environs relevant, and eventually to have a ripple effect. The exhibition, Mind Revolution, is to make us see that we are more than a consuming continent, particularly when we stop focusing mainly on natural resources and channel our mental productivity towards creative ideas and innovations that are globally relevant, which is very possible to achieve. “Self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-appreciation, self-support alongside love for our own, needs to be engraved deep in our hearts; I will instill the message in my own little way, but more needs to be done individually and collectively for Africa as a continent to be globally relevant by making a positive impact.”

 

Through her arrays, the artist maintained that “our” minds are the creative centre of our country and continent. Hence, everyone needs a positive, progressive mind revolution to enable him or her to have a collective perception and reasoning to help rise above the tribal mentality, so that we can stop being a self-enslaving entity.

In her Artist Statement, Olawunmi disclosed that “art is my passion and is the medium that I use to create my ideas, add value, and convey messages to the people. I am very optimistic about the development of Africa; in my works, I infuse the mindset needed to achieve this. I have found surrealism and realism useful in depicting my ideas. This enables people who view my works to grasp the embedded message in each piece.”

 

Also, she enthused that she is influenced mostly by things she sees, experiences, and feels; adding that most of her new body of artworks take a mental depiction of the real world and the realities of some aspects of life. Mostly, she talks about the mind, which is one of the most profound mechanisms for either positive change or total destruction of the globe. Seeing that the first thing that can be changed in the world is the mindset of an individual and how he perceives himself and his environment, then the next, his society and the world at large.

 

Therefore, to buttress her quest further to art enthusiasts some of the works to be displayed are “Conscious Break”, “Consciously Thriving”, “Hidden Potential”, “Mind Mechanism”, “Mind Influence”, “Comforter”, “Choice of Freedom 1, 2 and 3”, “The Other Side”, “Transcending Thoughts”, “Illumine 1 & 2”, “Progressivism” and “Awakening” among others.

 

Explaining her piece, Olawunmi stated that “Hidden Potential” speaks to people who do not explore their inner-mind abilities. Due to some circumstances, they have built a barrier around their potential; they have found comfort and solace in this self-built barrier, breeding mediocrity. “They feel limited by their environs and do not bother to explore their inner potential and abilities. People with this mindset find it hard to see this potential waking up to reality. It gets recycled from generation to generation.”

 

According to her, many centuries ago, people learned to summon inventions from within, and from available resources and possibilities for the future without information and technology. They dared to form their ideas and do great things. We are benefiting massively from most of their inventions and innovations. Some of their ideas have evolved into better innovations by likeminded people.

It is paramount to crack the barrier open and unleash your full string of potential. With information and technology at our finger tips, I don’t see why we should not do better, knowing that we have relatively better facilities than they had access to centuries ago. Permanent liberation from self-limiting ideologies can be achieved by purifying the mind—having positively right mindsets towards challenges with critical and problem solving ideas. God has hidden a multitude of treasures in this world. It is left for us to discover them and make proper use of them.

           

For Conscious Mind, she says a conscious mind survives and thrives in seemingly hopeless situations. Some circumstances are there to force the true potential out of an individual. Challenges, if perceived as bedrock for failure, will definitely produce failure unless you think otherwise. If your attitude towards where you live is positive, you will take it as a responsibility to improve it. Visionaries survive in exigent situations.

 

Meanwhile, Olawunmi expressed that Africa is a reflection of the predominant mindset of the people in it. So is any other continent. What you constantly think of is what you will definitely attract. It starts with the individual who has the capacity to make everything around him or her potent, which will definitely have a ripple effect. Emanate from a consciousness to improve, enhance, and make positive contributions to hopeless situations around you. You can achieve this by deploying all resources available within your power and putting them to best use with the right attitude — this will end up reviving what’s around you. Critical advancement will be generated when there is a mental and attitudinal revolution from within.

 

The graduate of Pan African University Lagos State, the creative painter has featured in group exhibitions including “Canopy” By Conoco Philips at the Nike Art Gallery, Lekki Lagos in 2012; 5th International All Female Art Exhibition “Colours & Creativity” at the National Museum, Onikan-Lagos 2012; the female section of the Send forth Exhibition for the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Dr. Robin Renee Sanders at the Nike Art Gallery in 2010; interpreted the logo for 50 @ 50: Nigerian Women, the Journey so far in Abuja in 2010; the Ikoyi Club 1938, Golf Section “Art of Golf” by A.A.R.C. in 2009 and at the 2nd Annual Art Exhibition “Fyne ArtDiction”, Southern Sun Hotel Ikoyi, Lagos 2009 among several others. She also clinched the 2nd prize Award at The Experience Nigeria 2008 Art competition organized by A.A.R.C. Titled "Nigerians at work.

Adeodunfa's Faces and Phases Thrills Audience

Adeodunfa shares his joy of being an artist and collector through his abstract group art exhibition series and his new Oil on lace method held at the Terra Kulture Art Gallery in Victoria Island at the weekend, Rebecca Ejifoma writes…

Adeodunfa

 

"My art depicts my true inner feelings; no matter the theme I work on. That’s why I’ve always had different styles over different periods in my life and different pallet to adorn my different surfaces. These are the element that gives breath to my art life,” says Adeodunfa. His repertoires are appealing to the eyes, as they thrilled the large audience that trooped into the hall at Terra Kulture gallery. With his new, fresh and captivating lace work; the artist adorns his paintings with butterflies, which he calls his taste of beauty. Exuded on the walls of the gallery, his prolific pieces and those aesthetic works he collected sent his message of joy across to art aficionados.

Of course, there is the belief that artists are forces of thoughts and creators of castles; the 35 works displayed throughout the one week, as they leave the viewers’ to muse twice. And with his expressions on large canvases, there is no gainsaying that Adeodunfa is an artist, who knows his onions; hence, has painted his name in the minds’ eyes of art lovers. 

Faces and Phases, the theme song of the group exhibition, which ran from September 6 to 12, was based on the planned – serializing of the exhibition.  For every group of artists shown at a particular time, the focus, he explained “will be on the common stages that the artists have gone through.”

The artist explained that ‘faces’ symbolise the different artists participating in the exhibition while ‘phases’ is their different times, styles and ideas coming together to show what they have. “This is the second running of Faces and Phases. I had the first one during my solo exhibition titled ‘Faces and Phases’. It is a documentation of the lives of artists with our works and stereotype.”

The exhibition brought together a group of young Nigerian artists, whose works covered an array of distinctively diverse insights and styles – aesthetic pieces. The presence of these five incredible artists; Olumide Onadipe, Chinedu Uzoma, Segun Akintoye, Donald Ekpo and Ade Odunfa himself brought out their different techniques, different passions and the reflection of those thought provoking moment in life.

The gift of artists is to help others engage their senses through artistic creations to fully experience the sensory and thrills that surround man. And, according to the artists during the preview each piece showcased creates a peculiar feeling of uniqueness, inspiration and reflection to the viewers. Through the works of a few rare artists, we not only gain knowledge of individuals but also of the broader cultural and social contexts in which they are inserted. But that is not all, looking at the way FACES and PHASES is presented, we can also have an insight into the artists themselves. Because of its focus on the human face and the different phases in a humans' life, this exhibition gives us the opportunity to look at the philosophical ground on which a large section of young Nigerian artists stand. More times than not, artworks tell more than what the artist actually wants to say. They reveal much about the subject, the artist and the social and cultural environment.

Little rascal by Donald Ekpo

Besides these, Adeodunfa started collecting works of other artists, including that of his teachers, as a student studying art. As an artist, his kind of art, perhaps, sometimes also influence his choice of collection. He explained how such personalising of art has become eclectic in his art over the years. “That’s why I’ve always had different styles over different periods in my life and different pallet to adorn my different surfaces. These are the element that gives breath to my art life.”

As audacious artists, whose penchant for paintings and carving bring out their different techniques, different passions and the reflection of those thought-provoking moments in life, speak with one voice – colour and brush. Some of the works were ‘Conversation I’ (36 inches), ‘Mama’s Love’ (28x36), ‘Family Ties’ (20x36)‘Virtuous Woman’ (18x28), ‘Outing for Two’ (48x48), ‘City in my Eyes’ (30x36), ‘Faces and Phases’(12x18), ‘Busy Hands’ (18x30), ‘the Gaze’ (36x48) and ‘Beautiful II’ (36x48) among others.

Odunfa, who has put into his career nearly 15 years of studio practice, had three years ago shown works of close to 20 artists in the exhibition titled Over a Decade Collection of Paintings and Sculptures. He continues the passion of sharing his collection “I have 400 art pieces of other artists in my collection,” Adeodunfa declared during the preview of the exhibition few days ago. And, this exhibition has evolved from solo to group and will grow bigger than this.

A cursory look at Adeodunfa’s ‘Beautiful II’ and ‘The Gaze’ will astound the art enthusiasts into the first thought of the work of camera. His facial make-up, as a side flavour to his works, could pass for bridal finishing and his turban and igele tying concludes him to be vast indeed.

No doubt, many have the vision; a few have got the passion while others have the hunch to get their quests done. Acclaimed as a talented prospect and sort after by art lovers, Uzoma’s drawings charcoal on paper works (Virtuous Woman and Family Ties) captivate one at a glance− looking nothing other than real. While Shiigo deals with abstract in nature, where he interprets in his own aesthetic way with African motifs, are very colourful; Onadipe’s works are very delightful and attention grasping with his painting of leaves to form different figures, faces and structures.

And to review the only sculptor among the exhibitors, whose works, Conversation I and II, provoke laughter at a first glance then a deep thought, Ekpo is noted for his anatomy sculptures. He works from a three-dimension perspective using fibre glass, other found objects and metals.

Meanwhile, artists like Samuel Ajobiewe, Ehiforia Henry, Morakinyo Seye, Akanbi Yusuf, Ogunnusi Dolapo, Bimpe Adebambo, Biodun Badmos, Bunmi Ayaoge,Idorenyin Ogaga Toudinye, Olumide Onadipe, Kehinde Oso, Umeh Bede,Segun Philips, Soji Yoloye, Tayo Olayode, Emeka Ajuwah, OsagieAimufia, Femi Oyewole, Abdurazaq Muhammad and Donald Ekpo weresome of those who exhibited at Adeodunfa's show Over A Decade Collection ofPaintings and Sculptures in 2011.

All these nimble artists were brought on one platform by Adeodunfa, whose name in full is Adekusibe Odunfa. Born in Lagos on May 19, 1973, he graduated with a degree in Fine Artwith a specialisation in painting at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1998.

Adeodunfa is an accomplished painter known for his durbar themes; he is proficient in a variety of medium including oils, acrylics, watercolour, pastels and photography. He loves experimenting pigment on surfaces, plays with charcoal on canvas, oil on lace and oil on wood. His brilliantly executed canvases depict the female form, portraits, durbars and recently stylised forms.

“I had the interest to paint. So, I went to school. I love to experiment with materials and colours though I paint more,” he enthused.

This is not his first group art exhibition. From 1998 till date, he has participated in several exhibitions, which include three solos and 22 group shows or thereabouts in Nigeria and abroad. Adeodunfa's works include installation of carnival floats and effigies for the Lagos State Carnival Floats 2010 till date, The Calabar Carnival (Seagull band Float) 2012, The Eyo Festival Effigies from 2010 to 2011 and The National Sports Festival Opening Ceremony held in Lagos State in 2012.

With the dream of enlarging and growing his collection, Adeodunfa said he once had his gallery in Lagos called ‘Tents’. “I want to grow my collection and then promote younger artists.”

An indigene of Imala, Ogun State, southwest Nigeria, he has won numerous awards including: Mydrim Pastel Exhibition (2007), Guinness Art Award (2004), Xerox National Art Competition (2000) and Best Final Year Painting Student (1998).

Some of his art exhibitions include a 2007-Miniature Show at Terra Kulture VI, Lagos; 2008- Instinct, National Museum, Lagos; 2009- Art of Friendship,Abuja;2010- Colours & Carnival 1, Calabar; 2010- Lagos Black Heritage;2010- SICA, Cotonou; 2011- Colours & Carnival II, Calabar; 2012-Colours & carnival III, Calabar; 2012- Firebrand, Nimbus Art Center,Lagos;2014- The defining Moment, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

So, art connoisseur Nita-Nkese Ephraim, CEO of Makadel Design and Style School enthused Adeodunfa’s lace work as new, fresh and captivating; adding that the mixes the universal use of lace and African arts to give his paintings an unmistakable character.

In all, the artists created pieces that appeal to and nourishes the mind through their various styles like paintings, drawings and sculptures that are blended in for sheer visual delight, some art lover had said. So, you might want to agree with Daniel Birnbaum, who says, an art work is more than a commodity. It represents a vision of the world and if taken seriously must be seen as a way of “making a world”.

His Silver Lining

Rebecca Ejifoma

 

When it is argued that wisdom has nothing to do with size or age, young Olatunde Chidera Obafemi is a case in point. The 17-year old, student of English Language at Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State was the centre-stage attraction, last weekend, where his new literary effort, a 275-page book, Silver Palm Frond, was presented at a launch held at the Silver Bird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos.

 

Bold and daring, Olatunde stood before his audience and began to satisfy the curiosity of those who wanted to know how he took to writing when his contemporaries are mostly glued to the social media and video games. For starters, writing poetry was his forte. But his travels in recent years formed a source of inspiration that compelled him to consider another literary genre.

 

“Shortly before I turned 15, we started living in Accra, Ghana. Since my parents are missionaries, we travelled a lot – from Ghana to Lagos and vice versa on land and by air. These trips, to my teenage fantasies, were thrills of adventure and inspiration for creativity.”

 

That experience gave birth to Silver Palm Frond. He recalled that he encountered some “under-privileged children” and it finally dawned on him that he was privileged. Those children had to survive by running around travellers, begging for food and alms. To his surprise, travellers didn’t give heed to their pleas.

“It certainly wasn’t a new thing for them to beg, at least in that area, but I was stunned because they were children below the age of 10 and some as little as five. That wasn’t all, I had seen students returning from school, walking under the sun, perspiring,” he recounted.

 

For the author, it was heart-breaking. It was not the kind of life he was used to. He decided to write about it in the best possible way that it would convey the intended meaning and emotions; moving the readers to empathise with the characters. 

“Silver Palm Frond is interesting, thought-provoking and inspiring. The book is written in a simple everyday diction but rich in striking coinages and expressions that will hold the reader by the jugular right from the first page to the last page of the novel,” said the reviewer who is lecturer at the Department of English and Literature, Babcock University, Mr. Solomon Iguanre. He added that the plot moves from the family house to the school and back to the family house, where the narrator, in a bid to express some air of freedom while unwittingly exhibiting his family’s opulence, falls into the hands of the abductors.

 

The anxiety, the intrigues and the desperation that ensue form the content of the piece. Leaning on the subject matters of torture, anguish, desperation and loneliness, his succinct and imaginative description of the plight of the abducted young ones inevitably reminds the reader of the predicament of the Chibok girls which attracted global outcry.

 

The story ends with the abducted subject re-uniting with his family. Sadly, the lid of a can of worms opens, and he discovers, a little too late, that the woman he had grown to regard as his biological mother is an impostor, who is the brain behind his abduction.

 

Other issues addressed in the work include bullying among school children and siblings; parental favoritism as well as social consciousness. It also probes into the challenges of inter-tribal marriage, kidnapping, corruption and other myriads of seemingly intractable problems bedeviling this country. Other aspects deftly treated in this very engaging novel are the aspects of self-discovery, forgiveness and philanthropy.

 

“The descriptive prowess of this young writer, Olatunde, must have been informed by his early exposure to literature and his precocious artistic sensibility to the written words,” said the reviewer.

 

Olatunde, who wrote Diary of a Dormitory War, also launched his Silver Palm Frond Initiative to help educate the under-privileged in the society. He vowed to use the proceeds from the sales of his book to fund the foundation.

“It is built along with a belief system that there are no ‘less privileged’ children. They are privileged with endowments that can take them through God’s will while on earth,” he said.

 

His book leaves a food of thought: “You don’t have to own the whole world to save at least a life.”  The work is expected to be the silver lining for the clouds of the “down-trodden” whose lives preoccupy the plot.