A Cocktail of Elders Cling to Ebenezer Obey at 74

A cocktail of refined elders from the Association of Friends splattered six million dollars accolades on highlife-juju musician, Ebenezer Obey, to celebrate him at 74 while lauding him for his unrelenting contribution to the nation.

The elders grappled the opportunity at their Elders’ forum held at the weekend in Lagos state to reel their token of love to him. And while the rave of words went on, Obey reciprocated every word with gratitude.

Having given him a blazing gift richly packaged, the septuagenarian enthused monosyllabically, “I can’t thank you enough. What more can I say than thank you? I am grateful for this exhibition of love. I thank God for this club and its love to me.”

The juju artiste orchestrated the hall with very vibrating songs from the 80s and 90s to lift everyone’s spirit. There, men stood up and made the batter dance happily. Jubilation rented the silence and individuals had solo and group dance at various scenes.

Meanwhile, according to the Life Chairman of the Association, Alhaji Suleiman Onabiyi, this event marks the beginning of a new dawn in the history of the club. “I am, particularly, happy to be alive to witness today’s occasion tagged, ‘Association Elders Forum Inaugural Party’.”

Established 38 years ago, the club was moulded by eight persons. They include: the Chairman, Otunba Adeleke Adeshina, Mr. Akin Abiola, Oba Fatai Irawo Ogunsi of Odi-Olowo, Prince Gabriel Yadua, Otunba Kunle Adesanya, Apostle Kola Sanyaolu and the late Prince Ayinde Adesiyan.

Onabiyi explained, “During the formation of this club, we were all below age 40. Ever since, we have done our best for the club in more than 35 years; hence, we have now retired to the status of Elders.”

Speaking on the essence of the get-together, he said that it is to enable the older ones guide and advice the younger members, who are now running the club and are of course very promising. “They are not only promising but also have passion for the efficient running of our club to greater heights.”

According to him, since they are very passionate about style and cherish family links, “We have continued without involvements with all the activities of the club to preserve our culture of openness, discipline and true friendship in all its ramifications.”

Association of Friends is detribalised and cuts across borders relating to politics, religion and social status. The Chairman had boldly noted.

Now, Onabiyi alongside the elders received the warm homage the younger members paid them. They sang the world’s prayer, ‘He is a Journey Good Fellow!’ twice and echoed it with hooray!

Following quickly on the heels of this, everyone stood at attention in mannered silence for the repose of their departed members with a unanimous echo from the hall. “This respect is for the souls of the departed, who during their lives on earth contributed immensely to the development of this club. May their souls rest in peace.”

All sprucely dressed in blue and white dashiki and Yoruba buba, the men had their stunning wives clinging closer to their banquets. All men present raised their glasses and made toast to their wives.

There was time for reminiscing and networking among colleagues, even as the music went on with talking drums. It was, indeed, a blend of many dignified personnel with astute profiles. 

Lagos Biggest Art Auction Kicks off with 104 Pieces

Rebecca Ejifoma

Terra Kulture Mydrim Gallery (TKMG) Auction House is all set to sail its 6^th edition of the annual Lagos art auction with a preview and cocktail slated for Sunday April 24 at the Terra Kulture Art Gallery in Victory Island Lagos at 4p.m.

While the auction will be held on Friday 29 April at the Intercontinental hotel at 6p.m., art aficionados are assured of a sophisticated platform that celebrates Nigeria’s cultural heritage through creative artistry and a blend of artworks from other great West African artists.

This year, there will be a pool of 104 pieces cutting across various media and artists from both Nigeria and West Africa (Ghana, Togo and Benin Republic). There are paintings on canvases, photographs and sculptures.

Interestingly, the walls of Terra Kulture will be splattered with exquisite works ranging from very affordable to pricey artists – both masters and emerging ones. Some of the masters include Bruce Onobrakepya, Kolade Oshinowo, Dele Jegede, Ablade Glover. Emerging artists like Ndidi Emefiele, Dipo Doherty and Makata Obinna.

They include: ‘Market Queens’, ‘Collaboration’, ‘Old Man Face’, ‘Lagos State of Mind (Shine Your Eye), ‘Vintage’, ‘Morning’, ‘How Do I Look’, ‘Man and Machine (Synergy 3), ‘Lady in Thought’, ‘Chief’, ‘Busy Hand’, ‘Afternoon’s Warmth’, ‘Thoughtful Feelings’, ‘ Untitled’, ‘Ebute Meta.’

Others are: ‘Bond’, ‘Owanbe’, ‘Discussion’, ‘Abuja Landscape’, ‘Ogolo Na Emangini’, ‘Friends for Life’, ‘Ekpen Ghamue’ We Ebudezi’, ‘Hustle and Bustle of Lagos’, ‘Female Torso’, ‘Figurative Interogation’ and ‘New Home’.

Unlike the erstwhile years, the Proprietor of Mydrim Gallery, Mrs. Simidele Adesanya expounded that the 2016 edition would offer collectors, art connoisseurs alongside enthusiasts the satiating opportunity to taste and own exceptional works this time. “Although some of the works are from collectors, others are from individuals. We have put in a bit of contemporary works and interesting ones, too.”

Speaking on the low turnout of art lovers at expos and auction, she enthused that the visual art is not like music, drama or theatre arts. “Visual art doesn’t easily arrest attention. It’s an intellectual and discerning eye combined with passion and taste. The number of attendants at music shows and that of art expos are incomparable.   

To buffer even a lengthier solution, the all-time heavyweight curator, Ronke Akinleye, added that while the 2016 Auction will be conducted by seasoned auctioneer, Mr. Yinka Akinkugbe, there will be piece for everyone. “We need young people collecting pieces, too. So, for them to begin to collect, we need to look into their income and consider them.”

Now, despite the economy meltdown, the art auction will still pull through. Akinleye concludes that art has got nothing to do with the downturn. Art is passion. A true art enthusiast will always get a piece.” Adding, she said there would be privilege to network, meet minds, socialise and share views on art; hence, daring on art lovers to stop by for the show.

The preview and cocktail coupled with the auction promise to be much fun than ever with more stunning and interesting arrays hanging on the spaces of the gallery. But most importantly, there will be more pieces hanging on the bridges of all their minds’.

Kosofe Constituency Takes 200 Youths Fishing

Rebecca Ejifoma

In a bid to pluck the lingering unemployment in the country, Prince Rotimi Agunsoye of the Kosofe Federal Constituency trained 200 unemployed individuals in Kosofe community in various skills; thereby, fostering entrepreneurship and reducing the spate of crime of crime .

The empowerment programme aimed to join hands with the Federal Government’s effort in ensuring the plague of unemployment is exported from the society into thin air.

The Honourable, who dared invited the unemployed, enthused that the initiative is simply to yank youths of restiveness, teach them to fish, ensure graduates are not idle, help those willing to use their heads find a better place in the society and reduce the appalling spate of crime drastically.

According to Mr. Sina Odugbemi, “This is a special programme organised by Honorable Agunsoye of Kosofe. It has been on for more than a month now. He the plan is to make this set of unemployed people from the constituency self-employed individuals or create opportunities to get jobs for them in both private and public sectors.”

Indeed, Agunsoye has used his political and social networks to reach out to the needy. “There was screening it is not an all comer affair, in screening we try to see the seriousness of those that will be involved because it is a little bit different from the other empowerment programme, it is informed by need and once we identify the need it helps us in knowing where to help the people.”

Interestingly, beneficiaries included unemployed varsity graduates, school cert holders and full-time housewives among several others. They were various segments for Graphics and Printing, Fashion Designing, Interior Decoration and Solar Energy while others were assisted in job hunting.

He explained that some of the experts were imported from Abuja. "We have some that everybody wants a scoop from. Dr. Williams has been of serious assistance to this programme and we have also tapped from her experience.”

Swiftly on the heels of this, one of the facilitators, Mrs. Sybel Williams, Rotimi’s initiative as a service to God and humanity as he is making extra effort for each participant to learn a skill, start up a business with it and learn to manage it.

From her words: “It is not about starting a business. Everyone who starts a business will have a mentor that will support him. The structure is set by him because he has seen people give hundreds of thousands to set up a business and after three months they are back to the street.

She continued, “The first week was assessing them as individuals where are they coming from? Who are they? How can they be helped? So many of them are going into apprentice that will enable them learn the practical aspect when they are done a business plan can be put together for them and they we start their business which makes the training unique."

Sadly, Odugbemi decried that the concept of empowerment had been muddled in the past. "Some believe that to empower people all you just need is to give out free money. But here we are going out of that circle we are empowering people by giving them skills, we want them to exchange their skills for money."

He, therefore, encouraged other leaders to emulate Rotimi. “We have about 360 members of House of Representative representing the 360 constituencies in Nigeria. If each of them threads this path, we will have 200 multiplied by 360 people immediately rescued from the unemployment log; thereby, tackling the problem of unemployment to a certain level."

Meanwhile, one of the beneficiaries, Akinleye Hannah, who is trained in photography and event planning, expressed satiation and gratitude. "I'm here because Hon. Rotimi is passionate about youths and improving Nigeria. He is creating opportunities for us to be skilled and offering opportunities to those that already have established businesses to explore. I say a boundless thank you to him."

South-Korean Traditional Drum Speaks to Nigeria

Rebecca Ejifoma

Jang-Gu Drum

 

In his quest to harvest a healthy cultural exchange between Nigeria and South-korea, Nigeria's finest theatre artiste, Isioma Williams has imported the Korean traditional culture of Jang-Gu in Lagos. 

 

His love for traditional drums gave him an insight into envisaging and fostering international relationship between the two countries with the project tagged 'Journey of the Jang-Gu Drum to Africa'. 

 

At a press briefing held at the NCAC National Theatre in Lagos, Isioma noted that the project would be in four segments including: a workshop, Jang-Gu Drumming Competition, Jang-Gu meets Bata and the introduction and teaching the Jang-Gu drum in neighbouring countries around Africa.

The traditional drum aficionado enthused that the workshop will help Nigerian drummers learn to play the Jang-Gu drum for three months, the contest will be for those who have perfected the act of the drumming. They will compete for a grand prize, which is the Jang-Gu drum.

While the traditional drum artiste enthused his experience in South-Korea and how her traditional drum spoke to him in the dew of the day.

“In my experience as a traditional drum musician, I have vast knowledge of the Nigerian traditional drum as well as some international traditional instruments. As a result of his participation in several cultural exchanges like the national theatre of South-Korea CPI 2013, I experienced the brilliant, amazing and eclectic Jang-Gu drum.”

Isioma expounded that the voice of the drum grappled his attention. “This drum and its drumming technique appealed to me so much so that it painted a semblance of my love for the Bata drums of the Yoruba culture.

According to him, he couldn’t conceal the influx of such sensation and reminiscences coupled with experience; hence, he decided to embark on the project. “This is simply to spread the vibes, connect not only to the African culture but also have a trans-cultural feel of music. ‘Journey of the Jang-GU Drum to Africa’ will aid traditional musicians from Lagos, Nigeria and across Africa to have the drum experience.”

The enthusiastic drummer upholds that the drum experience will expose young artists to various cultural, religious, geographic and socio-economic backgrounds.

The artist, who has organised and participated in several international cultural exchange programmes with countries like Ghana, South-Africa, Madagascar, Togo and Japan among others, lauded the SK government for the scholarship to visit and study in Korea.

Swiftly on the heel of this, the former Director of the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria, Mr. Kwon Yong IK alongside his Assistant, Madam Meeyoun Jee, embraced the concept of cultural exchange, saying Nigeria has got a rich culture.

"Nigeria is a strong cultural nation with many ethnic group. Isioma is your country's strong cultural man. He is a proper cultural theatre artiste. It is hard to learn Jang-Gu in six months, but he did," he expressed.

Our cultural centre opened in Abuja in 2010. We shall continue to promote cultural exchange between Korea and Nigeria. This multicultural exchange is very vital. And I hope Nigerians will embrace the Korean culture."

He enthused that the exchange between he duo nations will help Nigeria as well as Korea economically. "Since Korea is a developed nation and Nigeria is developing, this move will increase the countries to be efficient."

Satiated with his arrival to Nigeria, Kwon said, "I arrived in Nigeria two months ago. I am happy to be here." Having listened to the prelude of Isioma's student's in the native drum ad songs, the Korean guests urged every youth present at the briefing to join in the Jang-Gu drum and feel the experience.