Theme
Symposium one; The Art, Community and Funds
How can we change, relate to each other, or influence the community through the art? How can we influence these relationships in such a way that it fosters the desired change? What is art? What is the purpose of art? How do we sustain it?
Nigeria is the most populous African country. With her massive population and diverse culture, she has produced artists and activists that have influenced the world with outstanding creative works of all genres (such as visual, literary, and performance art). To mention a few, we talk about Wole Soyinka, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Chinua Achebe, Hubert Ogunde, Bruce Obomeyoma, Chinwe Ifeoma Chukwuoog-Roy amongst a huge list. But in the midst of these great minds exists a constant pestilence that has hindered the progress of a large number of art makers. The lack of necessary support needed to develop and create their works. For this reason, Nigerian art makers mostly depend on international organizations. Sadly, the younger generation of art makers is falling into the same misfortune. Cutting across this pandemic, our symposium desires to bring about change in the approach to the understanding of the sustainability of contemporary African art especially as it affects the community. We believe in the potency of cultural events and the relevance of art in society. That is why we have utilized this machinery which will initiate an interaction between art makers and most importantly the commununity.
Fabunmi T.j koffivi born of a Togolese Mother and a Yoruba Father. He had professional training with Notable and reputable Theatre Directors, Choreographers and Dance Directors. Started dramatic arts in 1995 and began professional career 1999 with Starlight home of Entertainment, Ivory Ambassadors at the National council for Arts and culture Iganmu Lagos
Furthered more as an associate instructor with the creative arts department university of Lagos,where he worked and developed under theatre scholars and reknowned professionals
A Grassroots community arts Advocator and Facilitator. Currently, he is the
President of Bariga Artistes Forum a community of 103 theatre and performing arts company with over 4,000 members. The Theatre Director Ajibulu Moniya Gallery and Aref Foundation
Artistic director Odua National troupe
Performing Arts Instructor with the Lagos state secondary schools Theatre troupe. Member National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practioners
Member Guild of Nigerian Dance Practioners .A Cultural and creative Artiste with Ancient Philosophy International Osogbo. Adewural Giant Farmers Foundation Lagos Ase Ire United States. Serengeti network studious Brooklyn New York. Ori Counselling Services New Orleans.Egun Omode Performing Arts collective United States.
He is Proprietor Feetprint cultural and creative arts Academy
Founded in 2005 as a Grassroots Arts Initiave Network G.A.I.N saddled to creat an alternative platform to engage dramatic clubs,arts students to discover and develop potentials within governments schools and less privilege in suburbs of Akoka Bariga Lagos and ultimately advocate for indigenous Education through creative and cultural arts .
And since 2005 till date it has mentored over 1000 students.
The Academy facilitates performances for the
Aare Onakankanfo Odua National troupe across notable and prominent festivals across Yoruba land and has to it's credit ORO AFRIKA
Orisa music from Yorubaland an experimental project with the Serengeti network studious Brooklyn New York.
Born to a dentist father and lawyer mother in Osogbo, Nigeria, Ayobamidele Aladekomo popularly known as ADUKE is a consummate performer, song writer, multi-instrumentalist, arts educator and an all-round creative soul.
Aduke has a background in dance-theatre having worked with the renowned Crown Troupe of Africa and exceptional Creative Director Segun Adefila for 6 years.
She started a band called SSV (sticks, strings and voices) in 2009 with two other people, the band has grown to have 8 members in total including Aduke.
Founder/Creative Director: Kininso Koncepts Production, Nigeria.
CEO/MD: Kininso Foundation, Nigeria.
Alumni/Member: European Festival Association/The Festival Academy, Belgium.
Recipient: Mervin Stutter Award for Performance, Scotland.
Partner/Co-producer/Visiting Director: Junges Schauspiel Dusseldorf, Germany.
Alumni: Magnet Theatre, South Africa.
Fellow: Zimbabwe Theatre Academy.
Partner Producer: New Perspective Theatre, UK.
Member: ASSITEJ International, Denmark, International Theatre Institute (ITI), France.
Partner: Starke Stucke Festival, Mousonturm Theatre, Theaterhaus- Germany.
Participant: Edinburgh International Festival/British Council, UK.
Email: info@kininsokoncepts.com, www.kininsokoncepts.com, www.kiftng.com
Tel: 08027887377, www.kininsokoncepts.com
One who is passionate about the development of his community. In 200, 5he founded the globally renowned Footprints of David Art Foundation – that produces the Best Children Theatre Group In Africa {Footprints of David}. Developing children and making tremendiuos impacts in and around the Bariga community of Lagos Nigeria.
A visionary of repute, he also championed the cause for better living standards in the Bariga community through numerous community developmental projects; relentless campaign against rape, gender equality and call for inclusive governance during the solidarity walk at the annual FODAF FESTIVAL in December.
Kenneth Uphopho is a Director, Writer, Acting coach and Actor with over 2 decades of combined extensive experience in Artistic Direction and Festival Management. He is a recipient of the International Society of the Performing Arts ISPA Global Fellowship, New York
He was the pioneer Festival Director for the British Council Lagos Theatre Festival from 2014- 2018 where through his work; He expanded the scope of the festival from 16 performances to 109 events in two years. LTF has so far featured over 500 productions with 25 international showcases and collaborations making it one of the largest performing arts festivals in Africa.
As a theatre maker, Kenneth has also created a number of shows with a diverse range of producers, artists and companies directing critically acclaimed productions.
Kenneth Uphopho is the resident Artistic Director and Managing partner at PAWSTUDIOS, a Lagos based entertainment & productions company offering audiences an eclectic program of Nigerian plays, experimental plays, festivals (Lagos Fringe, Abuja Fringe & Women in the Arts), Musicals, cabarets, Spoken word performances, interpretations of classic repertoire, talent training and the best of new international writing.
Makinde Adeniran fta, is a Fellow of Theatre Arts. He’s from Abeokuta, Ogun State in Nigeria and
a Dramatic Arts department product of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
Makinde graduated as a Directing student, and has since then directed notable plays like: DEATH
AND THE KING’S HORSEMAN, WHO’S AFRAID OF SOLARIN, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING
TECHNICOLOUR DREAM COAT, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, KHAKI–A–GO-GO, AJANTALA, ODUN-IFA,
TAI, THE GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME, WEDLOCK OF THE GODS, MUJE-MUJE, A RESTING PLACE
(FESTINA 2004), OPERA WONYOSI (MUSON festival 2005), JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, SARO, TAXI
DRIVER, MR & MRS, INEH the musical, AREMU…
His personal experiences and researches to combat societal ills are documented through writing
plays for both stage and filming platforms.
His credit include: ABIKU (An adaptation of Ben Okri’s The Famished Road) BEGGARS’ OPERA,
AGBARA, SODOM AND KOLOMBIA, ABINIBI (A memoir – still in progress), ALAMORI (the play that
represented Nigeria in the Cairo International Experimental Theatre Festival 2005), SMALL BOY ( an
award winning movie) and several other HIV/AIDS drama skits, BBC; a radio drama project tagged
“VOICES”…
Makinde is formerly the Editor NN24 tv (a 24 hour cable news channel) Nigeria, and has worked
with reputable organizations and individuals in the theatre and literary circle across the world.
Makinde Adeniran fta is currently the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre
Arts Practitioners- NANTAP Lagos state.
Performances
Symposium two; De-colonial Intervention in African society
How do we relate to colonial experiences? How can we further expand upon our history prior to all forms of imperialism? How do we efficiently place ourselves and embrace the frequent arrival of civilization? How could we consciously unwind, decolonize and reconstruct to find a new way of co-existing?
In the quest to explore the enormous experience of the metaphysical catharsis of imperialism in a conscious effort and continuous interaction, this discourse will engage, discuss, observeand initiate memoirs of neglected history by digging into colonial archives. The conversation will reflect on the speculative rhetoric regarding unsustainable privileges and articulate
epistemic material in matters of colonial concern.
In order to illuminate human induced phenomenon’s such as repreaas repression, racism, organizational and bureaucratic prejudice, marginalization and stereotyping globally.
Our effort will establish a whistle blowing to activism and activate a much needed dialogue about post-colonial Africa with the purpose of interrupting and discontinuing the spread of colonial mentality. We believe such de-colonial interventions are required in order to rationalize postcolonial Africa. Our effort to establish the integration and interaction between
international Artists and audiences will globally accumulate our effort to an effective stage. It opens up the discourse from a multi continental perspective and assembles optional
possibilities of the sustainability of contemporary African art and communities.
Adewale Oleolo Dondudu was born in the UK on the 10th of November 1970.
He attended Yewande memorial nursery and primary school , Randle avenue primary school and obtained his WASC o/l school leaving certificate from Birch Freeman high school surulere Lagos.
Though gained admission into the University of Lagos to study chemical engineering in 1987, lost his matriculation due to student unionism, was incarcerated and expelled.
Currently the artistic director of Dondudu Creations, he his a multi disciplinary artist (visual textile,and theatre).
He started his artistic career as a visual and textile artist in 2006 though he had had a taste of theatre while in high school when Birch Freeman represented Lagos State at the French theatre Schools competition in the then Bendel state in 1985 with the production "Annansez et Papanyango"
ART SAVED ME!
Jelili Atiku is a Nigerian multimedia artist with political concerns for human rights and justice. Through drawing, installation sculpture, photography, video and performance (live art); he strives to help viewers understand the world and expanding their understanding and experiences, so that they can activate and renew their lives and environments. For over a decade, Jelili has put his art at service of the prevailing concerns of our times; especially those that threatening our collective existence and the sustenance of our universe. The contents of
these concerns ranging from psychosocial and emotional effects of the traumatic events such violence, war, poverty, corruption, climate change and others that associated with our warring world have dominate his artistic forms.
Born on Friday 27th September 1968 in Ejigbo (Lagos), Nigeria, Jelili was trained at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria and University of Lagos, Nigeria – Where he was awarded Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) and Master of Arts (Visual Arts) respectively. He is presently the artistic Director of AFiRIperFOMA – a collective of performance artists in Africa; and Chief Coordinator of Advocate for Human Rights Through Art (AHRA). Jelili has travelled widely and participated in numerous performances/exhibitions/talks in Africa, Asia, Europe and America.
He is 2015 Prince Claus Laureates and was wrongly accused, arrested, detained in prison and trialed on the instance of his performance in public space in 2016. He was artist in residence/assistant professor at the Department of Africana Studies/Brown Arts Initiative in Brown University, Providence, USA in 2018. He is the President of Ejigbo Indigenes Forum (EIF) and Chairman of Community Development Committee. Ejigbo LCDA.
Yasmina Zian, PhD in history, is a specialist in practices and discourses towards marginalised groups at the institutional level. Her main areas of interest are: colonial history in Congo at the end of the 19th century, the restitution of property from the colonial context and the expulsion of foreigners from Belgium in the 20th century in the context of the consolidation of nation states.
SEGUN ADEFILA is a Nigerian artist. His first encounter with the arts started from childhood in f the potency of the arts as a veritable tool for social rejuvenation.
He had his informal training in theatre with Black Image Theatre Company after which he became a co-founder and artistic director of the Crown Troupe of Africa with a couple of friends in June 1996. In his quest for knowledge in the arts of theatre, Segun Adefila studied for a certificate in Drama from the defunct Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Lagos in 1997 and later obtained his B.A in Creative Arts from the same institution in 2002.
Segun Adefila began to gain recognition as a performer while in school winning awards at departmental levels as well as professional level with the Crown Troupe.
Some members of the group were invited by the National Troupe of Nigeria to perform at the maiden edition of Contacting The World, an international youth theatre festival hosted by Manchester based Contact Theatre in 2002. This was to be the group’s first international exposure overseas.
The artist has worked extensively in the integrated arts of dance, drama, music and visual arts and has created award winning works with his group of young theatre makers. He has been invited to work with young people at home and abroad. His international credits include:
Performances
Exhibitions
ÀTÙPÀ" is a Yoruba word which means "LAMP".
My performance: "ÀTÙPÀ", is an inspirational approach uplifting humanity to keep fighting against immorality and wickedness. Souls are lights that illuminates our world. We are the souls possessed with the wisdom to change this universe. Therefore, the darkness of our souls leads to the increase of evil in our world. The more inhumane we treat ourselves, the more darkness the whole world experiences. When darkness takes over the LAMP, the present is in chaos and the narrow path to the future becomes unseen.
LAMP is light and light is beautiful, lovely, and protect us against the demons of this world. Evil doesn't associate with any of those.
As LAMPS, we are threats to evil doers and only us can be our own security from darkness. Evil doers can only be defeated if we remain pure in love for one another. Yoruba adage says "Àgbà tó ròfó ìkà omo rè áje níbè" meaning an elder that plans evil will also set his children as a victim. Your wickedness will be your destruction. ÀTÙPÀ is a performance calling on everyone all over the world to protect the LAMPS that shine light on humanity.
CHOP LEFT
Media: Performance Art and Installation.
(Embryonic Stage).
ARTIST'S STATEMENT.
Aiye loja, orun Nile.
The Market is a very important space in the life of man.
The market is that place where bargains, gains and losses are made. The market is a place of choice.
Closer home, the market goes beyond a mere commercial space. It's also a space of interaction.
Matters are sometimes birthed and/or killed in markets.
Why, the Arab spring sprung up from one Tunisian market where Tarek el-Tayeb Mohammed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian fruit vendor set himself ablaze- in the open glare of the market.
The Aba Women's Riots of 1929 that took place in eastern Nigeria was sparked by market women, against the inhuman colonial imposition of taxes -on women.
The market is not a space of loneliness.
Suicide is as a result of the breakdown of that ‘market convergence’.
Loneliness is anti market.
People are born to be together. Loneliness is an aberration.
In the traditional markets of most African communities, though there are fixed ethical standards, nothing else is cast in bricks. Primarily a space of commerce, African markets also offer communal platform for education, decision making, consolidation and more. Friendship and bonding are enhanced alongside healthy rivalry.
However, like other ongoing trends like social media for instance, that are supposed to 'draw us closer' or 'make things faster', the introduction of stores and Supermarkets has helped in the watering down of this communal essence of the traditional market.
In these 'super stores', prices are fixed and bargains are limited or non existent. You go in, pick and pay for your items and go out. Commerce is uppermost and oftentimes the sole purpose of its existence. Fueled by globalization' and social media explosion, door to door visits have been replaced by (at best) virtual contact. What should draw us closer is keeping us apart. Existence now at best, supersedes essence. There is so much loneliness and depression in this robotic union.
OJÀ is merely an installation 'offering' modestly aimed at drawing our attention to the new norm.
SEGUN ADEFILA
(August 2018).
Performances
Film Screening
THE PEOPLE’S COURT
This is an awareness piece that frowns on impunity and police brutality by the government and
those in power. It is geared towards ensuring equality and fairness for all. It hopes to one day see a Nigeria where human right, rule of law and justice will be upheld.
WHAT IF
Ojudun Taiwo Jacob in collaboration with Viki Simone develops a new project what if, an experimental film collage based on their narrative of the Berlin conference (1884-1885) and the exploration of a their continuous challenges of the colonialist mentality (Film:Music Pete Nattrass Blue Saloon, Map: Sebastian Loerscher)
HOW WE BIGIN
a short documentary exploring the inception and chronological development of the collective *Illuminatetheatre*
AFRO COMMUNAL OFFERING
Is this the End?
Fela tumbles in his grave
Shakur smiles in Affirmation
MLK jnr. is shocked in the other Realm -This is not the End-
Kobe Bryant is Happy
Nkrumah is irritated
Malcolm X is pissed -This might be the End-
Sankara shakes head in disbelief
Achebe pours his ink
Mandiba is furious
Afro Communal Offering looks at the City of Lagos from the Eyes of two Dance Artists.
About
Art Mobile Lagos (AML) is a cultural art gathering in Lagos, Nigeria where artists, academics (speakers) and the public will meet to exchange and reflect on matters of concern. During AML, markets, parks, roads, empty buildings will be occupied and activated as performance spaces and meeting points for the creatives to engage the public. As a community development project, we will facilitate workshops, symposiums, and performances where the public will participate for free.
The festival, seeks to create partnership, collaboration and networking between Nigerian, regional and international cultural space. This effort will provide effective relevant exchange platform and establish a cultural bridge while creating a sustainable cultural exchange program that will contribute to Nigerian cultural sector. So, It will give equal opportunities to all art forms and art makers. Also, it encourages a platform of discourse and engages the public in strategic public spaces where anyone, everyone will have access to it. It is the only indigenous modern cultural gathering that is reinventing mobile art in Nigeria. Mobile theater was prominent during the time of Hubert Ogunde and his travelling theater. Nowadays, there is little interest in creating mobile art, but in this time of global crises we are reinventing public art with our maiden festival Art Mobile, Lagos.
Whoever understands the African cultural performance space knows that public spaces often transform into theater arenas and meeting points. During such periods, masquerades occupy the street, activating civil activism. They question monarchical political policy in favour of the masses. Our collective fervently emphasizes the fundamentals of this traditional approach to gather and celebrate our cultural diversity and identity with the enormous artistic expression in the community. We believe that this confluence of culture and aesthetics will further enhance the Nigerian cultural landscape. Reconnecting with the traditional approach in a contemporary style primarily commends modern day masquerade and Ogunde travelling theater, to mobilize a positive reconstruction of Nigerian communities.
On the streets of Bariga district, on the Mainland of Lagos, there will be performances flooding the city with high concentration on socio-political and economic issues. Through the works that will be on display, the public will be engaged, entertained and informed. With Art Moblie, Lagos, we dream to continue the culture of ritual and performance as perpetuated by the pre-colonial African (Nigerian) communities.
The gathering focuses on the sustainability of African communities in a post-colonial era. We are channelling our focus and on young people. They are considered to be the mainstream of every global socio political economy. We believe that working with these generations of people will reposition and redress the dispensation of information and empower the continent and hopefully redirect it in a more constructive manner. This effort, we hope will cultivate a hybrid of new values and norms in our communities.
The THEME “SOJI” was adapted from the Lagos, Nigerian slang Wake-up, as used by daily commuters on the streets of Lagos. The cosmopolitan mega city with her energetic vibes gives birth to such provocative words which inspires her inhabitants to survive her daily hustle, bustle and tussle. We have decided to meditate on this public contemporary history to fabricate an awareness of African communities. The essence is to consciously bring us back to the past while we fast forward to the present in the context of post-colonialism and the significance of African contemporary art in African communities. Africa is confronted with the wits of colonial strength. The social environment of the continent is highly inflated by the disguise of assimilation policies. The nations which were colonies are now culturally engaged with the droplets of colonialist mentality, language, food, mode of dressing, music, religion etc are virtual proof of colonial heritage. History, culture and traditional experiences determine our political and social environment. However, African contemporary art has integrated and materialized over time with the relationship between the historical and the current vision. This relationship leads us to the future.
SOJI, our theme for this year, aims at balancing the gap in-between a connection between history, vision and essence of art in African contemporary society. Taking into consideration how other creatives, artists and communities are responding to the possibilities, challenges and sustainability of art in postcolonial communities. Our idea comes from incorporating Hubert Ogunde and Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed which reflects on political and social realities of this period. The period when socio political practices influence existence. We have decided to activate the relative of culture and politics as interpreted by the two artistic pedigrees. The connectivity and influence of both artistic approaches has helped us to develop this new form. Furthermore, SOJI is a clarion call to neocolonialism and rationalization of the significance of art in modern societies. The integration of history and culture has transformed every community. This is fundamental to the interpretation of the art. It is an ardent phenomenon and recurring matter of discussion for us as we are in-between the intellectual and creative space and social public gatherings. We will facilitate the gathering as a thought provoking mechanism intended to raise questions about such consequences and establish a much more needed dialogue between the creative space and the public. This integration between our international congregation will open our discourse from a multi continental perspective and assemble optional possibilities of improvements.
The cultural event is an initiative of the creative lab, Illuminatetheatre as they celebrate their fifth year anniversary. It has been five years of zero support. We have funded all our projects from private funds from individuals who make up the collective and the returns we get from the benevolence of our friends and supporters.
This project was supported by Goethe Institute Lagos.