Mama Nike for October 1 exhibition
Renowned visual artists and adire queen, Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye, will be exhibiting over 100 pieces of her art works and those in her Nike Art Gallery collection.
The event which will take place at the The Whitehouse of Heritage Africa Village Square (HAVIS) is part of the art centre’s celebration of Nigeria-Chinese culture on Independence Day.
A release by Jerry Adesewo, HAVIS programme director, said, the vibrant cultural and artistic endowments of Nigeria and China will shape conversations and performances on October 1, 2018 as HAVIS Abuja, marks the independence anniversaries of the two respective giants of the African and Asian continents.
He said, “The event themed China-Nigeria: Shared Legacy of Culture and Humanity, top-rated performers, troupes, visual artists and craftsmen will treat art lovers, culture patrons, members of the diplomatic circle and the general public in the nation’s capital to exquisite African and Chinese dance, music, poetry and drama performances.
“The culture fest will also feature poetry readings, moonlight-like storytelling and an African-themed fashion runway featuring designs by The Silhouette.”
Headlining the programme is a lecture, ‘Global Diffusion of Chinese Culture: Case Study of the Confucius Institute in Africa (Nigeria)’ to be delivered by Professor Duro Oni, former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, and founding director of the Confucius Institute at the university.
To be chaired by Professor David Ker, a culture scholar and former Vice Chancellor of Benue State University, the lecture will lead to a panel discussion featuring eminent scholars and experts on the blossoming Africa-China relationship. They will explore possible influence of the legendary Chinese philosopher, Confucius’ philosophical thoughts on the socio-cultural development of Africa.
There will also be the screening of ‘Africans in Yiwu,’ a film themed around the shared humanistic values and virtues between Nigerians and Chinese, produced by the Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang University China, which last June in Abuja, signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on cultural and educational exchange programmes with the Heritage Africa and the University of Abuja.