It was hardly 7:30 am when I started seeing people troop in a nearby government school close to where I reside in Sabo, one of the heavily populated areas in Kaduna city. By the time I joined them a few minutes passed eight o’clock, the whole corridors of the school blocks were occupied mostly by relatively aged men and women, while the teeming youths were scattered around, waiting for INEC officials to surface. At around 12:00 pm, hunger, tiredness and the effect of the scorching sun was already telling on the faces of everyone in the polling station. Yet, everyone seems to be determined to wait till they cast their vote.
One good thing about the waiting voters was the confidence they seem to have that the current INEC/election will be different from the past ones. Majority of the people were capitalizing on Jega’s (the INEC boss) statement of “One Man, One Vote” to presume the fairness of the election. However, the expectations of the people could not be met as news latter filtered in the waiting crowd (around 1:00pm) that the election has been postponed to Monday April 4, 2011. This was followed by signs of dissatisfaction with the system as almost everybody who speaks was not happy about the situation. After Nigerians began making arrangement against Monday, another news arrived that, the Monday election has been cancel and taken to Saturday which supposed to be a date scheduled for governorship elections. The question now is that, what implication would this have on the general 2011 elections?
It is important to know that, Nigerians have shown great commitment to participate in this year’s election, but based on the past experiences, Nigerians are beginning to loss hope in the credibility of Jega’s INEC regime. While some people look at the current situation as a deliberate way to confused Nigerians and allow manipulation to set in, others expressed faith in the Jega led INEC regime. From the time being, it appears the postponement will definitely affect turn-up of voters on Monday.
Another thing is that, in Kaduna North Local Government Area, the final list that include the names of all NYSC (Corps) members as well as INEC ad-hoc staff who were to participate in the election could not be placed until around 7:30pm on Friday. In this way, it was difficult for those involved to travel to various destinations (polling units) on time as many did not even know the exact locations of the polling stations they were assigned to go to. This was also viewed as a deliberate hitch to frustrate the smoothness of the election. Where the issue gets complicated is that, despite all these elections were held in some places that voters’ materials arrived in good time. For example, voting took place in some polling stations in Kagoro in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna state. The question now is, would INEC allow the results of such elections to be valid or the people have to recast their vote for the second time?
In whichever way one chooses to view this issue, two things are involved. First, it appears that the billions of naira invested in INEC for the purpose of these 2011 elections is showing no significant positive result. Secondly, if Nigeria has billions of naira to invest in elections that will come and go, instead of fixing the roads to reduce accidents, then the government should be prepared to compensate citizens for the inconveniences caused by INEC in such unwholesome postponement of subsequent elections.
*** Art in Disguise ***
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
The Sculpture Garden: A Cultural Resource Point in ABU-Zaria
The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria has been labeled as one of the biggest university south of Sahara. It is one of the earliest universities established in Nigeria which has contributed to educational development of the nation in various fields: Engineering, sciences, arts, etc. One of the factors which make the university so popular is the fact that, it is located in the ancient city of Zaria which historically is considered as one of the powerful kingdoms in Africa once ruled by a woman: Queen Amina. More importantly, the university is also viewed as the foundation school for the training of modern artists in Nigeria. The Department of Fine Arts, ABU Zaria, is uncontestable the oldest (formal) school of art in Nigeria and probably, among the first three early schools of art in modern Africa.
The department is so unique such that, apart from the quality artistic training the it offers individuals on yearly basis due to the availability of its competent and experienced tutors, it also owns a “Sculpture Garden” which composed of works (mostly) produced by graduating students, particularly from the Sculpture section. The works in the garden, in a way, reveal the quality of the graduates who have passed out of the department over the years, as well as creative diversity inherent in the artistic training given to artists in the department.
Inside the Sculpture Garden, it is common to fine works executed in styles like cubism, realism, abstract, and installation, as well as representing different social themes like religion, politics, culture, military and so on. Example of works in the garden include “Ant Hill”, “Expectation”, and cubist sculptural portraits of some past Nigerian leaders like “Obasanjo”, “Gowon”, and “Buhari”. While at some places in the garden, the bases of the sculptural works are used as seats, in other locations, it is the sculptures themselves that serve as seats for visitors. The natural shed in the garden is complimented by scattered trees which also offer students a restful place to sit and wait for subsequent lectures. There is also a cool spot in the garden where soft drinks are sold. Close to the cool spot is a roasted meat (Suya) joint. All these add to the beauty and comfort of the garden and its visitors respectively.
The Sculpture Garden is one of the hottest points in the university such that, if one visits ABU Zaria without visiting the garden, it is normally assumed that the visit is practically not complete. It is a source of pride not only to the department but also to the university community at large. One thing about the garden is that, the works in durable materials last while those done using un-durable materials tear and wear; and in the long run, they are replaced by new sculptures. This make the garden the have new sculptures every year.
The department is so unique such that, apart from the quality artistic training the it offers individuals on yearly basis due to the availability of its competent and experienced tutors, it also owns a “Sculpture Garden” which composed of works (mostly) produced by graduating students, particularly from the Sculpture section. The works in the garden, in a way, reveal the quality of the graduates who have passed out of the department over the years, as well as creative diversity inherent in the artistic training given to artists in the department.
Inside the Sculpture Garden, it is common to fine works executed in styles like cubism, realism, abstract, and installation, as well as representing different social themes like religion, politics, culture, military and so on. Example of works in the garden include “Ant Hill”, “Expectation”, and cubist sculptural portraits of some past Nigerian leaders like “Obasanjo”, “Gowon”, and “Buhari”. While at some places in the garden, the bases of the sculptural works are used as seats, in other locations, it is the sculptures themselves that serve as seats for visitors. The natural shed in the garden is complimented by scattered trees which also offer students a restful place to sit and wait for subsequent lectures. There is also a cool spot in the garden where soft drinks are sold. Close to the cool spot is a roasted meat (Suya) joint. All these add to the beauty and comfort of the garden and its visitors respectively.
The Sculpture Garden is one of the hottest points in the university such that, if one visits ABU Zaria without visiting the garden, it is normally assumed that the visit is practically not complete. It is a source of pride not only to the department but also to the university community at large. One thing about the garden is that, the works in durable materials last while those done using un-durable materials tear and wear; and in the long run, they are replaced by new sculptures. This make the garden the have new sculptures every year.
Investing in the Unemployment Sector in Nigeria
Way back in history, one of the major problems of Nigeria was to get the required number of trained individuals to fill the over-whelming vacancies existing in both private and government establishments. For example, after independence in 1960, the nation gave special priorities for under graduate studies such that, the few established universities were provided with befitting facilities to equip the students with all that is necessary for the kind of training that will benefit the employment needs of the nation at that time. These were the days when graduates were given cars after graduation and would also receive multiple employment letters which they had to choose the one that best suited them.
The situation in the country now is quite contrary to what used to be in those days. Today, unemployment has become not only a major sector in Nigeria but also a lucrative business to invest in. While some of these investments (in the unemployment sector) can be said to be genuine and, somehow, benefitting on the part of the unemployed, others are not. Rather, they are various ways device to exploit or feed on the sweats of the suffering unemployed youths. For example, few months after I finished my service year in 2007, I discover many fake employment agencies which are operating in Nigeria. Their terms of operation involve creating mushroom offices and stationing a few staff there. These staff registers their customers (unemployed graduates) for a certain fee, collect Curriculum Vitae (CVs) from graduates promising them jobs. The conditions, sometimes, include clients forfeiting their first salary after helping them to secure a job. In some occasions, after getting a reasonable number of unemployed youths to register with them, they vacate the office and leave no trace of their new address. Sometimes, an unknown employment body will advertised for lucrative positions using the names of some of well paid multi-national corporations in Nigeria. After CVs have been submitted electronically, text will be sent to ‘shortlisted candidates’, inviting them for interview on a specified date. In such text, individuals are required to bring a certain fee for one thing or the other.
Another way which even the Nigerian government is guilty is the selling of employment forms. Candidates are, very often, cajoled into buying forms for positions that they are not fit to apply. For example, government establishments like National Eye Centre, Kaduna and National Examination Council (NECO) have sold employment forms to unemployed Nigerian youths during their employment exercises. In both cases, people wonder why a government must collect money from the unemployed to process their application forms for jobs that were not actually given but to a few numbers of persons. The gains are quite much and government is, in a way, benefitting from this too. A government establishment in this way can advertise for 68 jobs, and sell 18,000 forms, at an average price of N2, 000. This amount is quite affordable for poor suffering families to source for. The worst is that, sometimes a fake employment agency will use a government website to advertise jobs which are non-existent. In Kaduna, last year, some individuals used the Kaduna state website to advertise for UN positions. After they succeeded in gathering over 3,000 unemployed graduate and sold a number of forms to about one quarter of the population, luck ran out of them as they were identified as scammers.
Considering all these, it can be said that unemployment is a big sector in Nigeria to invest in. Recently, a national unemployment body called Unemployed Youths Association of Nigeria (UYAN) started operating in the country. Such association, to my opinion, is a time bomb that Nigerian government should defuse before it finds appropriate means to explode. Job creation can easily defuse this time bomb and make such associations baseless. Until Nigerian government look into this, the nation shall soon join her contemporaries in the North African (Egypt, Tunisia, and indeed Libya) to address unemployment issues in a tough way.
The situation in the country now is quite contrary to what used to be in those days. Today, unemployment has become not only a major sector in Nigeria but also a lucrative business to invest in. While some of these investments (in the unemployment sector) can be said to be genuine and, somehow, benefitting on the part of the unemployed, others are not. Rather, they are various ways device to exploit or feed on the sweats of the suffering unemployed youths. For example, few months after I finished my service year in 2007, I discover many fake employment agencies which are operating in Nigeria. Their terms of operation involve creating mushroom offices and stationing a few staff there. These staff registers their customers (unemployed graduates) for a certain fee, collect Curriculum Vitae (CVs) from graduates promising them jobs. The conditions, sometimes, include clients forfeiting their first salary after helping them to secure a job. In some occasions, after getting a reasonable number of unemployed youths to register with them, they vacate the office and leave no trace of their new address. Sometimes, an unknown employment body will advertised for lucrative positions using the names of some of well paid multi-national corporations in Nigeria. After CVs have been submitted electronically, text will be sent to ‘shortlisted candidates’, inviting them for interview on a specified date. In such text, individuals are required to bring a certain fee for one thing or the other.
Another way which even the Nigerian government is guilty is the selling of employment forms. Candidates are, very often, cajoled into buying forms for positions that they are not fit to apply. For example, government establishments like National Eye Centre, Kaduna and National Examination Council (NECO) have sold employment forms to unemployed Nigerian youths during their employment exercises. In both cases, people wonder why a government must collect money from the unemployed to process their application forms for jobs that were not actually given but to a few numbers of persons. The gains are quite much and government is, in a way, benefitting from this too. A government establishment in this way can advertise for 68 jobs, and sell 18,000 forms, at an average price of N2, 000. This amount is quite affordable for poor suffering families to source for. The worst is that, sometimes a fake employment agency will use a government website to advertise jobs which are non-existent. In Kaduna, last year, some individuals used the Kaduna state website to advertise for UN positions. After they succeeded in gathering over 3,000 unemployed graduate and sold a number of forms to about one quarter of the population, luck ran out of them as they were identified as scammers.
Considering all these, it can be said that unemployment is a big sector in Nigeria to invest in. Recently, a national unemployment body called Unemployed Youths Association of Nigeria (UYAN) started operating in the country. Such association, to my opinion, is a time bomb that Nigerian government should defuse before it finds appropriate means to explode. Job creation can easily defuse this time bomb and make such associations baseless. Until Nigerian government look into this, the nation shall soon join her contemporaries in the North African (Egypt, Tunisia, and indeed Libya) to address unemployment issues in a tough way.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
“Cross-Current” of Nigerian and Italian Artists: A Critique on the Media Reports.
Diplomacy which can also be referred as an art of international relations has recorded major ‘success’ in the recent times due to intercultural events/activities involving people of two or more countries. Some of these successes are mostly seen either in terms of the immediate gains of people involved in such cross-cultural events or the cultural education which has benefitted the bilateral relationship between the nations involved. Without reservations, this kind of relationship is very healthy for peaceful co-existence of people on the globe. It is in view of this, that the M Contemporary Art would be commended for their courage and effort to stage “Cross Current”- a cross cultural exhibition involving Nigerian and Italian artists, which took place at the Civic Center in Victoria Island, Lagos (March 17-18, 2011).
However, it should be understood that in any diplomatic events between two or more countries, there is an undertone agenda (objective) to be achieved by the initiator(s) of the event. Having no opportunity of attending the Cross Current exhibition of ten Nigeria and ten Italian artists, I have relied solely on multiple media reports which are every where on the net. On the other hand, these media reports could not adequately satisfy readers by critically explaining the contextual meaning under which the exhibition was held.
Cross Current in context
First, it should be noted that, the exhibition was a clear avenue of exporting Italian culture to the outside world which Nigeria is more or less viewed as one of the best nations in Africa to market Italian visual culture. This was expressed by Marta Boazi of M Contemporary Art in the press conference that was held (15th March) prior to the exhibition. The issue now is that, why must Nigeria artists be involved? The participation of indigenous artists in the exhibition was, in a way, to neutralize home base criticisms which may arise as a result of staging an exhibition of, exclusively, Italian artists on Nigerian soil.
Criteria for Selection of works
From the reports of Safarinewsbeat.com, for example, it appears, “similarities between the works of Nigerian and Italian artists” was the yard stick or basis on which indigenous artists were being selected to participate in the exhibition. This per se contradicts the true panoramic picture (view) of Nigerian and Italian contemporary art in which Ms Boazi has been quoted to have mentioned in her speech during the conference. This is because, the “similarities in terms of work” as a bench mark for the selecting the participating artists only presents one out of the many sides of contemporary art practice in Nigeria. A fair selection would have drawn on the both differences and similarities existing between the works of Nigerian and Italian artists to represent the panoramic view. It seems also that, the choice of selection base on similarities was deliberate as it was neatly carved to enable the works of foreign artists find a subtle way of influencing Nigerian cultural environment in artistic way.
A Cross section of the participating artists
Nigeria artists that were choosing to take part in the exhibition can be said to be of high-profile in the contemporary art circle. For example, artists like Kalade Oshinowo and Oliver Enwonwu are well known figures in Nigerian art scene. The success of such artists in art has made them to experience as well as being influenced by the art practices of other parts of the world including contemporary Italian art. Their exposure in this way, made it is easy for them (the selected Nigerian artists) to beat the single curatorial criterion of ‘similarities’ as used by organizers of Cross Current exhibition. This is against many other creative talents which their works could have opened up other ways of viewing Nigerian art.
A return exhibition and the made in Nigerian factor.
The media reports also reveal that, the second version of the exhibition (involving Nigerian and Italian artists) would be held in Italy on a latter date which is yet to be announced. This obviously has one of two implications on the current made-in-Nigeria project. Although, Mr Meka Olowola (the representative of Oando plc, and one of the sponsors of the exhibition) view the exhibition of Nigerian art in Italy as a good avenue to “take the made in Nigeria dream and turn it into a world class project”; this greatly depends on the kind of art works which will be featured in the coming Italian-Nigerian art show in far away Italy. If the selection is going to be on the common ground of “similarities”, then it should be noted that Italians will not see any significant difference between what they would be rating as genuine Nigerian art to what they practice at the moment. This, in a way, will conflict his (Mr. Olowola’s) statement on the under representation of Nigerian art at international art shows. The category of works should be such that will represent the true values of the nation’s visual culture: Unity in ‘diversity’. The diversity should be seen in styles, materials used, indigenous artistic concepts, as well as the general motifs inherent in the works of the exhibiting artists.
The Way forward
At the moment, it appears as if Nigerian artists/art practice has an uncertain stand point in truly defining the nature of their/its art as against the views of outsiders on what Nigerian art is. If not so, Ms Boazi’s attention should have been drawn towards understanding that, a panoramic view involves an all-encompassing survey of a particular topic or issue. Base on this, a panoramic view of Nigerian art can not be sustained on the works of only ten artists more so that it was based on the similarity criterion. The Italy exhibition, if ever held, should be directed toward addressing this. It is only through this means that the made-in-Nigerian dream (project) would be relevant to the outside world.
However, it should be understood that in any diplomatic events between two or more countries, there is an undertone agenda (objective) to be achieved by the initiator(s) of the event. Having no opportunity of attending the Cross Current exhibition of ten Nigeria and ten Italian artists, I have relied solely on multiple media reports which are every where on the net. On the other hand, these media reports could not adequately satisfy readers by critically explaining the contextual meaning under which the exhibition was held.
Cross Current in context
First, it should be noted that, the exhibition was a clear avenue of exporting Italian culture to the outside world which Nigeria is more or less viewed as one of the best nations in Africa to market Italian visual culture. This was expressed by Marta Boazi of M Contemporary Art in the press conference that was held (15th March) prior to the exhibition. The issue now is that, why must Nigeria artists be involved? The participation of indigenous artists in the exhibition was, in a way, to neutralize home base criticisms which may arise as a result of staging an exhibition of, exclusively, Italian artists on Nigerian soil.
Criteria for Selection of works
From the reports of Safarinewsbeat.com, for example, it appears, “similarities between the works of Nigerian and Italian artists” was the yard stick or basis on which indigenous artists were being selected to participate in the exhibition. This per se contradicts the true panoramic picture (view) of Nigerian and Italian contemporary art in which Ms Boazi has been quoted to have mentioned in her speech during the conference. This is because, the “similarities in terms of work” as a bench mark for the selecting the participating artists only presents one out of the many sides of contemporary art practice in Nigeria. A fair selection would have drawn on the both differences and similarities existing between the works of Nigerian and Italian artists to represent the panoramic view. It seems also that, the choice of selection base on similarities was deliberate as it was neatly carved to enable the works of foreign artists find a subtle way of influencing Nigerian cultural environment in artistic way.
A Cross section of the participating artists
Nigeria artists that were choosing to take part in the exhibition can be said to be of high-profile in the contemporary art circle. For example, artists like Kalade Oshinowo and Oliver Enwonwu are well known figures in Nigerian art scene. The success of such artists in art has made them to experience as well as being influenced by the art practices of other parts of the world including contemporary Italian art. Their exposure in this way, made it is easy for them (the selected Nigerian artists) to beat the single curatorial criterion of ‘similarities’ as used by organizers of Cross Current exhibition. This is against many other creative talents which their works could have opened up other ways of viewing Nigerian art.
A return exhibition and the made in Nigerian factor.
The media reports also reveal that, the second version of the exhibition (involving Nigerian and Italian artists) would be held in Italy on a latter date which is yet to be announced. This obviously has one of two implications on the current made-in-Nigeria project. Although, Mr Meka Olowola (the representative of Oando plc, and one of the sponsors of the exhibition) view the exhibition of Nigerian art in Italy as a good avenue to “take the made in Nigeria dream and turn it into a world class project”; this greatly depends on the kind of art works which will be featured in the coming Italian-Nigerian art show in far away Italy. If the selection is going to be on the common ground of “similarities”, then it should be noted that Italians will not see any significant difference between what they would be rating as genuine Nigerian art to what they practice at the moment. This, in a way, will conflict his (Mr. Olowola’s) statement on the under representation of Nigerian art at international art shows. The category of works should be such that will represent the true values of the nation’s visual culture: Unity in ‘diversity’. The diversity should be seen in styles, materials used, indigenous artistic concepts, as well as the general motifs inherent in the works of the exhibiting artists.
The Way forward
At the moment, it appears as if Nigerian artists/art practice has an uncertain stand point in truly defining the nature of their/its art as against the views of outsiders on what Nigerian art is. If not so, Ms Boazi’s attention should have been drawn towards understanding that, a panoramic view involves an all-encompassing survey of a particular topic or issue. Base on this, a panoramic view of Nigerian art can not be sustained on the works of only ten artists more so that it was based on the similarity criterion. The Italy exhibition, if ever held, should be directed toward addressing this. It is only through this means that the made-in-Nigerian dream (project) would be relevant to the outside world.
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