New Cultural Appointees as Elixir for Nigeria's Creative Economy Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com
The recent appointments of seasoned actors in the cultural space position Nigeria’s creative economy for a significant transformation. Yinka Olatunbosun reports
T he cultural community in Nigeria has always been a close-knit one where murmurs of displeasure can easily be heard. Once an appointment is made, cultural hubs—physi- cal and virtual—naturally become the unplanned town halls for conversations around WKHP 3KRQH FDOOV IROORZ 7KH GXVW ÀQDOO\ settles. Everyone minds their business, or so it seems. This WUHQG VHHPHG WR KDYH WLFNHG RͿ DJDLQ WKH PRPHQW WKH FXUUHQW president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, announced the list of new cultural appointments. The air of excitement and anticipation was mixed with questions about what this portends for the cultural scene.
Starting with the appointment of creative entrepreneur Obi Asika as the new Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, the creative community sees in a recog- nisable face: “one of us,” so to speak. Not a professional from DQRWKHU ÀHOG GHOLYHULQJ SDSHU SHUIHFW OLQHV RU UHJXUJLWDWLQJ mere rhetoric full of propaganda. Asika has made a name for KLPVHOI LQ WKH DQQDOV RI KLVWRU\ DV RQH RI WKH PRVW LQÁXHQWLDO ÀJXUHV LQ 1LJHULD·V FUHDWLYH VHFWRU
As the founder of leading communications agency Dragon Africa and co-founder of Social Media Week Lagos, Asika has engaged in the promotion and enabling of opportunities in the media, sports, entertainment, and technology industries, both locally and globally. He knows show business like the back of his hand. Right from the days of Storm Records, he has navigated the music scene before music production became 1LJHULD·V PRVW WUHDVXUHG QRQ RLO H[SRUW +H KDV VHHQ D ORW RI up-and-coming artists acquire international recognition. On the strength of his insight into the creative sector, he has been the master of masterclasses and a showstopper at stakehold- HUV· IRUXPV %XW KH LVQ·W DORQH LQ WKH YHKLFOH RI SURJUHVV IRU WKLV XQGHUUDWHG sector with huge potential. Other appointees include Tola Akerele as the Director-General of the National Theatre. This art and design executive has owned a cultural hub in Ikoyi for 21 years, known as Bogobiri House. Musicians, young and old, have found their voices inside the intimate section of the Afro-centric building that houses a library, gallery, restaurant, and art shop. Her template for a cultural hub has been replicated over the years in most parts of Victoria Island. She had designed Bogobiri from materials sourced locally, thus demonstrating how discarded materials can add aesthetic value.
Needless to say, Akerele is an interior designer (KLC School of Design, London, and Parsons School of Design, New York) with an expansive love for creativity. More recently, she set up Soto Gallery in Ikoyi to connect visual artists with collectors. 7KH L'HVLJQ RFH VLWV DWRS WKH JDOOHU\ 2QH RI WKH SURPLQHQW SURMHFWV L'HVLJQ 2FH H[HFXWHG LQ LQWHULRU GHVLJQ LV WKDW RI EbonyLife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos. Her venture into the National Theatre is well timed. After the iconic cultural GHVWLQDWLRQ KDG EHHQ KDQGHG RYHU WR WKH EDQNHU ·V FRPPLWWHH LW ZDV FOHDU WKDW WKH HGLÀFH ZRXOG QR ORQJHU EH D ¶6XQGD\ FUXVDGH· JURXQG 7KH 1DWLRQDO 7KHDWUH ZLOO VHUYH WKH SXUSRVH for which it was built—a platform to showcase talents, rich culture, and dynamic artistry.
It was sheer excitement when Shaibu Husseini, a seasoned journalist, performing artist, cultural administrator, PR expert, PHGLD H[SHUW DQG ÀOP FXUDWRU ZDV DQQRXQFHG DV 'LUHFWRU General of the National Films and Censors Board. A serial juror in many arts and culture events, Hussein has been a UDOO\LQJ ÀJXUH IRU WKH VWDJH VFUHHQ PHGLD DQG DFDGHPLFV ,Q 2010, he published his book, titled Moviedom, which narrates the developmental stages of the Nigerian movie industry, otherwise known as Nollywood.
This man of wit was the head of the jury in 2017 at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, amongst other adjudication roles.
Busy as a bee, he never fails to pick up a call. Perhaps his appointment is the most celebrated among the creatives because, ÀQDOO\ WKH FUHDWLYH VHFWRU LV EHLQJ JRYHUQHG E\ SURIHVVLRQDOV who are not just bystanders of the fun parts of the cultural scene EXW SHUVRQV RI SHGLJUHH ZLWK KDQGV RQ H[SHULHQFH LQ WKH ÀHOG Then, there is Aisha Adamu Augie, appointed as the Director- General of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Culture &%$$& ZKR LV D 1LJHULDQ SKRWRJUDSKHU DQG ÀOPPDNHU based in Abuja. A native of Argungu Local Government Area in Kebbi State, she won the award for Creative Artist of the Year at the 2011 The Future Awards. Her work traverses docu- mentary, fashion, and aerial photography. In truth, CBAAC needs a documentarian like Adamu-Augie. Remember how
challenging it was to assemble all the articles of history from EHIRUH )(67$& · "/LNHWKH1DWLRQDO7KHDWUH &%$$&KDVVXͿHUHGVRPHVHWEDFNV over the years. Falling freely from an enviable height of hosting international confabs on issues of interest to Africans and diasporans, CBAAC was struggling to maintain its revered status. Rather than relying on media whitewash to create a good image of itself, CBAAC now has the opportunity to be revamped with a combination of youthful energy and the wisdom of this experienced culture worker who boasts of QDWLYH LQWHOOLJHQFH³D TXDOLW\ WKDW LV KLJKO\ LQÁDPPDEOH XQGHU WKH LQÁXHQFH RI D WHFK HQDEOHG ZRUN HQYLURQPHQW
7KHQ PRYLQJ RQ WR (NSRODGRU (EL .RLQ\DQ·V DSSRLQWment as the Chief Conservator of the National War Museum, which has raised eyebrows in some quarters because many thought the museum could use a curator and archivist that can revolutionise the way history is presented to the public. The Nigerian National War Museum in Umuahia showcases the military history of Nigeria with relics from the BiafranNigerian Civil War. Housing a collection of tanks, armoured vehicles, ships, and aircraft all from Nigeria or the defunct Republic of Biafra, this heritage site symbolises the evidence RI WKH LQWHUQDO ZDU LQ 1LJHULD IURP WR .RLQ\DQ·V expertise in project management is expected to bring all the operations of this historical monument together for a smooth sail, as it has in Rwanda, Germany, Japan, and other countries that have survived the war period.
,Q WKH VDPH YHLQ $KPHG 6RGDQJL·V DSSRLQWPHQW DV WKH Director-General of the National Gallery of Art and Chaliya 6KDJD\D·V DSSRLQWPHQW DV WKH 'LUHFWRU *HQHUDO RI WKH 1Dtional Institute of Archaeology and Museum Studies require a certain degree of ingenuity. These institutions are in dire need of forward-thinking leadership that can strengthen ties with international cultural organisations to deliver programmes and projects that empower artists and promote historical artefacts, respectively. More collaborative projects should be developed to minimise reliance on public funds where necessary. In that way, funds saved from projects can be conserved as grants, prizes, or donations towards research and documentation.