As the 2011 general election draws near, most states in Nigeria are experiencing an increasing rate in the number of party activities such as campaigns and political rallies, organized by different groups or parties. Such party activities sometime disrupt businesses, put a stalemate in the running of government affairs for days, and the worst of all brings a log jam in the movement of people in important routes linking other places within a city. This was exactly the situation in Kaduna when the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his Vice, Arch. Namadi Sambo, last Thursday, (February 10, 2011) staged their campaign in Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.
The meeting of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) Kaduna Chapter, earlier scheduled to hold on the same day was completely marred as members find it difficult to reach the venue despite efforts made. The meeting was to take place at the National Gallery of Art, Kaduna office, located in the premises of Ministry of Culture and Tourism along Muhammadu Buhari Way (popularly known as Waff-road), Kaduna. At around few minutes passed five, the SNA caretaker Chairman (Kaduna state chapter), Dr. Giles G. Duniya (of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria), called the Secretary, Mr. John Boyi (lecturer in College of Education, Gidan-Waya, Kaduna state) to announce to the few members in the venue the postponement of the meeting. It was however, not a shock to those members who stressfully managed to find their way to the venue as the traffic situation in Kaduna on that fateful Thursday was utmostly awful.
This singular political event brought Kaduna to a stand still as party supporters from other states like Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano etc, all came to give their support as well as identify with the president and vice in the forth coming election. A heavy traffic hold-up besiege workers, students and businessmen and women from St Ann’s Primary school in Kaduna south to the stadium round-about where movement seem to be completely impossible especially using vehicles. Also, the whole of Constitution road, Junction road, and the part of Ahmadu Bello Way extending to the Kaduna Central market was hardly accessed with ease. As such, Zaria-Kaduna road being the major route joining Kaduna and other Northern states was chocked with vehicles, slowing movement and at certain junctions, making movement impossible.
Although SNA in Kaduna state is just getting on its feet after years of being inactive, the current caretaker committee headed by Dr. G.G. Duniya with Mr. John Boyi and Mr. Kelvin Dandien, have shown commitment to revive the art association in Kaduna. With the support of Prof. Tonie Okpe, a lecturer in the Fine Arts Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as well as a consultant with National Gallery of Art, Abuja, the SNA three man committee in Kaduna will surely pull-through. If the art association (SNA) is finally brought to life, it will offer a conducive platform/opportunities for artistic growth/development in Kaduna. Although the meeting was postponed, the chairman directed the secretary to inform members that a new date would be communicated to them via SMS (text messages).
*** Art in Disguise ***
