Bassey Effiong Ndon

Bassey Effiong Ndon is a young artist (and a minister) who hails from Nigeria's southeast. A graduate of the University of Uyo, he is a painter and digital artist who draws on traditional subjects--including some references to the graphic imagery of Cross Rivers' nsibidi and Igbo uli body painting--and infuses them with a modernistic style.

Some aspects of his work are reminiscent of Inyang Ema, the late painter and set designer also from southeastern Nigeria. Like many other African academic artists, he draws inspiration from dancers, musicians, and religious figures--a romanticism with intense colors that recalls the past through a gauzy filter.

Abang Dancers (2007)

The Efik and Ibibio bring out the Abang dancers at the beginning of marriage festivities. The graceful sway of the wrappers, suspended horizontally from a flattened circle, draws the eye into the work, the diagonal strips of the wrapper--repeated in the background--create a rhythmic repetition that recalls the dance's steps.

Ovation (2006)

The elongated female forms reach upward over mystical symbols. Ndon states that ovation is given to whom ovation is due. The work honors the Creator.

Drummers Enterprise (2006)

Resonating drums are the inspiration, but are referred to only abstractly. A continental map lays on its side, the heart of the heartbeat that drives exultation and communication.

Contact Rev. Bassey at revbasseyndon@yahoo.com

HUMBLE STALLION @ 70

March 9th, 2009 marks the 70th birthday of one of Nigeria's renowned theatre icon and scholar, Professor Dapo Adelugba. Baba Adelugba, as he is fondly referred to by his uncountable number of students, was born on March 9th, 1939. He had his formal education at the University College, Ibadan where he studied English. While in school he was the President of the University's dramatic society and he took part in various productions. He also adapted Moliere's "Les Fourberies de Scapin " to the Scoundrel Suberu.

Baba Adelugba did his Masters degree at the University of California, Los Angeles and later joined the University of Ibadan where he retired in 2004. Professor Adelugba's soft spoken nature has made him a model of a father to all his aquintances. He will speak almost inaudibly but firmly with a smile before the end of his sentence, he has a way of asserting his personality in a way that does not intimidate you.

Baba Adelugba also has a memory that is second to none. He remembers everyone who owes him an assignment, this is where i think I might get in trouble--I am not so sure I am in the clear. Students often marvel at how he can remember that a certain paper was not turned in long after they have left school. He will stylishly inquire, and let you know that he is still waiting on the paper. Baba's contributions to the study of theatre arts in Nigerian is enormous and cannot be quantified, one can only sense the excitement and enthusiasm amongst all his students across the globe as demonstrated at dapoadelugba70@googlegroups.approachable, understands your trials as a student, gives compassion and makes you work for your grade. It does not get any bigger than Baba Adelugba, yet his humility surpasses his achievements.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PA ADELUGBA,
MAY THE ONE THAT SITS ON THE THRONE OF LIFE
GRANT YOUR HEART DESIRES. Amen

Coordinators for the events can be reached at the email address mentioned above or via telephone Greg 0707-629-0507, Pamela 0803-307-8250 and Jahman 0802-201-6495 Please include international code plus country code if you are calling outside Nigeria.

Tunde Phillips

Why the Hawk kills the Chicken

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a very beautiful, young and attractive hen who lived with her parents.
One day Hawk was flying around and noticed the beautiful hen picking up corn close to her father's house. Hawk flew down immediately and greeted the hen and offered to marry her.
She was flattered and agreed, so Hawk spoke to her parents and the amount of the dowry was set--which consisted of mostly corn. Hawk paid the dowry and took his new bride home.
Shortly after, a young Cock who lived near Hen's father's house and had fallen in love with her became angry and jealous that Hawk had married Hen. He went after her to Hawk's house and while Hawk was away he crowed in his best voice to Hen. When she heard his sweet voice she could not resist his invitation, so she went out to him and they both ran away from Hawk's house.
When Hawk came back and did not find his wife Hen, he hovered around looking for her for days. Then one day he saw her in the Cock's house. He went to the king and reported the mattar. The king sent for Hen's parents and told them to repay Hawk the amount of the dowry he paid if their daughter does not return to Hawk.
Hen's parents responded that they did not have the money to pay Hawk because they were poor, so the king decided that Hawk could kill and eat any of Cock's children whenever and wherever he found them as payment of his dowry, and if the Cock made any arguments the king would not listen to him.
The End.

Martin Otieno

Flamigoes

African decor is becoming increasing popular outside the continent itself. The wealthy or well-traveled may incorporate masks, calabashes, pots or sculptures into their home, while others prefer to use paintings or other artworks that recall the landscapes, people, and animals from the continent.

Flamigoes / Masai Ladies

Kenya's Martin Otieno specialises in batik designs that capture the flavor of East Africa. He has had considerable exposure in Kenya, and hopes to show his work in Europe and the United States. He has held solo exhibitions in major hotels in Mombasa, gaining popularity as his works were displayed in public venues such as banks. His batik painting, created on fabric with dyes through the standard wax method, are well detailed, and animals feature prominently.

Rhino / Zebra Baby

The first born in a family of seven, Martin Otieno started drawing at the age of 12, but his formal education did not start until he was 14 when he enrolled in the YMCA Institute of Arts and Craft. He lost his father at the age of twelve and as with most African extended families he moved in with his auntie in the Jericho ghetto in Nairobi's Eastland. He would sit outside envious of his friends seeing them go to school.While his animal depictions certainly recall the rich wildlife of Kenya, they reinforce ideas of community and family, as they show clusters and couples in harmonious groupings.

Fighting Gazelles / Zebra Family

Fish / Gazelle

Otieno's contact info martinotieno@yahoo.com

Valentine's to Africa

Because this is Valentine's season, I wanted to pick an appropriate topic--but what? A play or book about love in Africa? An exhibition about couples? All those were possible, but I decided to go in a different direction: architecture.Traditionally, couples in Africa don't share a bedroom--the husband has his room or small house, and the wife or wives their own. Only those confined to a room and a parlour have a common bed, and improved fortunes mean a split into separate domains. Historically this had numerous reasons behind it--children usually slept with their mother, and men had no wish to wake when babies cried for milk, or smell traces of urine.

Likewise, they often had medicine they might wish to keep away from the their wives. Both sexes had private stashes of funds they hoped would stay protected. So the genders would meet to....ummm....engender the next generation, then retreat to their own quarters. But romance--whether among the married or unmarried--does not usually seek isolation. Getting away from usual responsibilities for a long holiday or a weekend may call for a hotel visit, and so here are some Valentine's thoughts on three different African hotels that create different atmospheres for lovers and spouses (one hopes, of course, that lovers and spouses are one and the same!). Have I been to all three? No, but doing this research has me itching for reservations. Here two kinds of love are considered--love of the architecture and the feelings it produces, and love of Africa. Get out your passport, and let's consider three varied experiences.....

ABIDJAN, COTE D'IVOIRE. THE PULLMAN EX SOFITEL HOTEL

This is an international chain of hotels, and its five-star amenities include a view of the Ebrie lagoon, conference halls, restaurants, a huge pool, a spectacular facade--even free Wifi. Interestingly enough, their website includes many happy Europeans and Asians wedded to their laptops, but not a single photo of an African. Ivory Coast has gorgeous textiles and arts produced by Baule, Senufo, Guro, and many other peoples. Perhaps they decorate the lobby, but their presence is nigh invisible on the website. You might be anywhere, on any continent; perhaps you are to forget you're in Africa.

Comfort and international standards are the intention; most African capitals include several showplace hotels like this, whose architecture is bland but impressive, that underline the importance and wealth of their guests. Could they bring a little more of the visibly African in? Intentionally or not, they underline the great divorce between cities and villages, wealth and poverty, and appear to deny the very cultures surrounding them. The hotel seems to be a bit of France set down in a vibrant capital. Of course, if the lovers would love to spend time in Paris without buying tickets, this is the perfect choice--as long as the air conditioner and the elevators work smoothly.

SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA. THE PALACE OF THE LOST CITY.

This curious five-star hotel was built as a resort with a theme-park premise. It pretends to be the remnants of a royal palace (whose palace? It resembles Eddie Murphy's Coming to America quarters; I expect to see rose petal scatterers moving from room to room) destroyed by an earthquake and reconstructed. Aspects of the invented myth are referred to throughout the compound, and the more credulous, ahistorical foreign visitor might well be confused into thinking the history books left out something fascinating. Of course, they did--Sun City was the notorious apartheid era invented town for foreigners to come, perform, and draw enormous crowds.

But enough of pesky history.This is architecturally odd indeed. The palace exterior is a kind of Arab fantasy, its towers and domes echoing structures from North Africa or the Middle East. Yet exterior elements remind us of that superior South African tourist draw--wildlife. Antelopes decorate the facade, as do ostriches. Great sweeping walkways flanked by elephants convince the viewer that royalty indeed must have trod these paths.

Opulence is key, as is fantasy Africa. Why fantasy? Real history or nature aren't good enough? Or the foreign firm that built the place just weren't familiar with it? Disneyfication or Disneyfiction have created a site worth seeing, however, and Africa is not the only part of the world to be its victim--the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas has a similar created mythology to excite its visitors. This doesn't repulse me elsewhere--Las Vegas style florid reproductions and reworkings of Venice, Egypt, Rio all have their sense of kitschy fun. But here I wonder--why isn't the real Africa good enough? I'll admit I'm dying to see this in person though. I sense it will feel like moving through some futuristic video game. But can one visit such a place without some exotic, simulated costume?

Let me watch Coming to America again first.

YANKARI GAME RESERVE, NIGERIA. WIKKI CAMP.

I've been here. Again and again. And I love it, though it's been a while. I think the rooms and restaurant have been updated, but I loved it even when the chalets were simple cement round houses with baboons encamped at the front door in the morning. When you brought your food supply and Star beer with you, because you never knew whether there would be food at the restaurant or not. The water really is this turquoise in the warm spring, and clear as can be, and wading height.

You can go with your sweetie there at night, the path and water illuminated yet dappled. Have a picnic (a baboon mother stole half a watermelon from my hand as I turned to give the other half to friends). Go on the truck for a photo safari that is no less wonderful for its lack of wildebeest and great grassy plains. I understand there's a museum there now.You can just relax and enjoy yourself, talking to Nigerians and folks from all over the world, swatting flies together and exclaiming over a distant lion or an elephant up close and personal.

You can cozy up in a bed that may not have a two-month old mattress or 400-count sheets, but after a day in the shaded water, strolling with bougainvillea blooming all round, having danced to music raucous and sweet, it has an atmosphere to it that's real and warm and welcoming. Happy Valentine's Day, Yankari! I love you best of all, and for always.

How Tortoise Defeated the Elephant and Hippopotamus.

Once upon a time, the Elephant and the hIppopotamus were very good friends and they did everything together. One day, as they were both eating, Mr. Tortoise appeared and challenged them--that even though they were both big, none of them could pull him out of the water or into the water with a strong piece of tie-tie.

He offered the Elephant ten thousand cowries and the Elephant, seeing that the Tortoise is very small, said, "If i cannot draw you out of the water, I will give you twenty thousand cowries." So the Tortoise took the tie-tie rope and went under the river.

When he got under the river, he tied the rope to a big rock, and the Elephant pulled with all his might until the rope snapped. The Tortoise, seeing what happened, quickly tied the rope to himself and came out of the river. He showed everyone that the rope was still tied to his leg, and that the elephant had failed. The Elephant paid the Tortoise twenty thousand cowries.

After some time, when Tortoise had almost finished spending his cowries, he went to Hippopotamus and made the same bet. But the Hippopotamus said, "I will take the water and you can take the land. I will pull you into the water." And Tortoise agreed.

As soon as Hippopotamus turned his back and headed towards the river, Tortoise tied the other end of the rope in his hands to a palm tree and hid behind it. Hippopotamus pulled with all his might until he got tired. He came out of the water blowing water everywhere from his nose. As soon as Tortoise saw this, he came out of his hiding place, tied the rope to his leg, and walked down towards Hippopotamus, saying, "You could not pull me into the river." Hippopotamus admitted that he lost the bet, and paid Tortoise twenty thousand cowries.

The Elephant and the Hippopotamus then decided to take Tortoise as their friend, because they both thought he was so strong. Tortoise then told them that he would like to live with both of them, but he could not be in two places at the same time. He said he would leave his son to live with Elephant on land, while he would live with Hippopotamus in the water.

This why there are two types of tortoise, the land tortoise and the water tortoise, and the land tortoise is smaller than the water tortoise.

The End.

Tortoise and the Igbako (wooden turning spoon)

Once upon a time, there was a famine in the land, and every animal was starving except for Bird. Tortoise noticed that Bird looked better than every other animal, she had flesh under her wings. So one day Tortoise stopped Bird as she was in flight and asked her where she got her food from. "I am starving, like everyone else," replied Bird. "If you are starving, how come you look better than everyone else?" insisted Tortoise. "If i show you where I get my food from you cannot reveal it to anyone." "I promise," Tortoise replied.



Bird gave Tortoise some of her wings, and they started flying together. Tortoise was afraid in the beginning because he thought he would fall, but Bird held onto his wings and they both flew together.



They flew over land and sea to a very far, far, far place and they went under the ocean and the met the Water Goddess. The Water Goddess asked Tortoise what he wanted and Tortoise told her that his family was starving. She gave him Igbako and instructed him to use it only for his family and not to reveal its secret. Tortoise thanked her as she disappeared."Igbako, what do you do?" asked Tortoise. Igbako responded in a song:



I make huge iyan

I make huge eba

So much that everyone has leftovers.



Before he finished the singing, lots of food appeared. Tortoise started to eat. He ate as much as he could, took Igbako and flew back home.



When he arrived home, he gathered all his family and asked Igbako in the presence of everyone, "Igbako, what can you do?" Igbako repeated the song, and plenty of food appeared again. All his family ate all they could and still had leftovers. Tortoise was so proud of himself and he thought of how much power he would have with Igbako if he could feed all the animals.



Tortoise went to King Lion and summoned all the animals, he asked Igbako, "What can you do?" and Igbako responded in the song again. Plenty of food appeared and everyone ate and had leftovers. All the animals started singing, "Who says we do not have a father? Stop it, we do! Tortoise is our father." After feeding everyone for two days, Igbako broke. Everyone got angry at Tortoise when they were hungry.



Tortoise went back to the Water Goddess and she gave him another Igbako, but a smaller one that made only small food, Tortoise went back again to his family and fed them with the small food from the small Igbako. They complained that it was not enough. The rest of the animals also complained when Tortoise tried to feed them with the small Igbako, like he did before. "The food is too small!" they chanted. After two more days Igbako broke again. All the animals grew angry at Tortoise and told him to go get another Igbako. So Tortoise went back to the Water Goddess and requested for another Igbako.



The Water Goddess asked Tortoise, "Are you feeding only your family?" He responded, "Yes, I am." "Hmmmmmm," she said, "Did you reveal the secret of Igbako to everyone?" "No," Tortoise responded. The Water Goddess gave Tortoise a rod this time and told him, "This will not break," and she disappered. Tortoise was so happy and he asked the rod, "What do you do?" and the rod responded in a song:



I whip disobedience

I whip greed

Till their skin turns white with pain.



As soon as the song was over, the rod started whipping Tortoise, who tried to get away from it. When it stopped, Tortoise took the rod with him back to his family who were anxiously awaiting his arrival. He gathered everyone and asked the rod in their presence, "Rod, what do you do?" The rod responded with the song again:



I whip disobedience

I whip greed

Till their skin turns white with pain.



All members of his family ran away as Rod started to whip everyone, The King and all the other animals summoned Tortoise to the King's palace because they were hungry. Tortoise arrived with Rod and asked the rod before everyone, "Rod, what can you do?" and the rod responded with the song, and whipped every animal that was present.



THE END.

A World Cup for the Arts?

Most countries especially the soccer loving countries every four years look forward to the FIFA World Cup, and like the World Cup all countries of the world look forward every four years to the Olympics. In Africa, every two years every country within the continent looks forward to the Nation Cup. The excitement and anxiety which characterises these events are so overwhelming and unparalled .

The same thing cannot be said for culture. The last huge cultural gathering that had similar characteristics is FESTAC 77, the gains and the cultural awareness which the events created cannot be rivalled, and so it is astonishing why its objectives and ideals are not pursued by leaders of cultural establishment around the continents. Can we have a cultural world cup or an African cultural event, just like our counter parts in the sports world do?

The generation that experienced the Festac77 event is gradually passing away with vague memories of the performances which they try as hard as they can to relive for their children, who do not understand the sudden excitement that lights up in their parents' eyes at the mention of names like the late Mariam Makeba, the Ipi Tombi dancers, Oke Langbodo, to mention but a few aspects of the brilliance that were the epic of the festival.

Our culture is what defines who we are. I do not think anybody would argue or deny that statement, if so, why then do we not use it judiciously? Culture can generate the same atmosphere as sports, if not better, because with culture we learn something new about each other and other people, unlike sports, where we already know whats going to happen. Just like soccer competitions are organized from high schools, so can cultural competitions be organized; talents are discovered and cultivated.

National festivals go nowhere beyound hosting. As soon as closing remarks are said, it's over until next year. Participants leave with no sense of what next to look forward to, and talents desintegrate. How exhilarating and rewarding it would be if the artistes could aspire to be members of the National Troupe with the same zeal as footballers do when screening for the national team.

Having a National Troupe is the best thing that has happened since Festac77, but when the troupe is only performing nationally and not globally its scope is very limited. Imagine National Troupes from all over the world converging and competing for gold, silver and bronze, within standards that have been approved by a cultural replica of FIFA. If such a body exists, more needs to be done to generate awareness of its existence. Our cultural trustees cannot continue to fail us. Let's give our children some of that Festac 77 excitement we experienced, and establish the essence of our rich cultural heritage.

Tunde Phillips.

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IYARE! Philadelphia's Benin exhibition

IYARE! Splendor and Tension in Benin's Palace TheatreCurrent; through March 1, 2008University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

3260 South Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104

215-898-4000

It's not easy to come up with a new approach for an exhibition featuring Benin's famous bronzes and ivories. Their beauty is always compelling, but they've been the subject of many shows, most recently "Benin Kings and Rituals," a blockbuster that began in Vienna and toured Paris, Berlin and Chicago just last year. "Iyare!"--which means "Go and return safely"--is more modest in scope, but it takes objects from the royal court and looks at them through a dramatic lens. If the palace is a stage (particularly at festival times),then the players--the Oba, his chiefs, courtiers, and visitors--are spotlit, shrines and buildings no longer religious or domestic structures, but backdrops for dramatic episodes. Certainly the splendid festival dress at court differs from daily wear, and activities are strategically placed so that ancestors and gods are physically nearby to lend support. Through 91 objects, particular dramas of the past--Idia's scheming to get her son Esigie on the throne in the 16th century, or Oba Ohen pretending his paralysis was the result of his close identification with the sea god Olokun and his mudfish legs--are highlighted in wall texts and labels. A beautiful bronze head of Idia, ivory tusks and an armlet bearing Ohen's image, and a variety of hip pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and sculptures remind viewers that old stories and contemporary ones intertwine daily at the palace. Large photographs and videos also underscore the splendor of today's palace.

The tensions that make chiefs vie to compete with one another to spend on dress, regalia, and other accessories to catch the public and the Oba's eye, and make themselves impressive, respected figures is current, yet has a long history. Jealousies and rivalry are the meat of any court, and Benin is no exception.

The exhibition includes objects from royal ancestral altars, Queen mother altars, and altars dedicated to Osun, god of medicine. Two 16th century bronze trophy heads show how medicine helped vanquish Benin's enemies, who were then permanently cast in metal to remind other foes what would happen to them. Both heads are sensitively modeled and among the finest in the world. Most pieces belong to the Penn Museum, but some are from the Brooklyn Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian.

A section called "Playing the Provinces" shows Benin's impact on the Ishan, the Itsekiri, and Yoruba neighbors at Owo and Ijebu. Artists from these peoples adopted elements of Benin dress, such as ceremonial swords or pendants, and created altar sculpture that also mirrored those at the Oba's palace. These were tributes, but also were meant to absorb some of the power of the very impressive Edo court.

The last segment of the exhibition, "Revivals," considers what happened to Benin art after 1897. A map shows how the British looting of the city after its invasion spread the bronzes, ivories, and other art throughout Europe and America, the bulk of it going to Britain and Germany. That didn't mean art ceased in Benin; several contemporary castings and carvings show that old dramas--particularly those relating to Queen Mother Idia--continue to inspire new artists and buyers. Idia's resurgence as a famous figure occurred in 1977 when she graced FESTAC, the World Festival of Black Arts and Culture, and a poster of the event showing her impassive ivory face stares at viewers from the wall. She keeps cropping up--on Nigerian stamps, on Chinese lamps, on African American paintings--as do other iconic figures, such as the sea god Olokun. Their endurance and spread around the world speak eloquently to the ways art has made the kingdom one of Africa's most famous faces.

A huge website at http://www.iyare.net/ promotes the culture further, and an exhibition catalogue of 234 pages is due to be published February 2009.

See a clip from a Voice of America broadcast about IYARE! Click here to go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hs1NfdhZfU

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