'Nigerian Artists Helped Redeem Cultural Space Ahead of Independence in 1960,' Top FG Official Says
- Young Nigerian artists have been encouraged to make good use of the craft in telling the Nigerian stories
- The encouragement was given to the young artists by the managing director of the National Theatre Nigeria
- Professor Sunday Ododo said that young creative minds can use their talents to unlock economic and social prosperity that can influence the rest of the world
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!
With increased efforts to bring to an end the importation of storytellers to depict Nigerian and African history, the general manager of the National Theatre Nigeria, Professor Sunday Ododo, has said that Nigeria is focused on encouraging creatives to tell their stories.
Ododo said this while speaking at the launch of MSwitch Creative Spaces and ArkHive, a platform focused on encouraging Nigeria's young creative minds to not only tell their stories but know the appropriate medium to sell them.
Source: Original
He also said that every art springs out from the condition of the society of the artists and as such the Nigerian story must be told from a Nigerian perspective.
Likening ArkHive like a beehive, the professor of performance aesthetics and theatre technology, described the platform as one which will not only nurture young creative minds but will in turn serve as a production hub of unharnessed ideas.
PAY ATTENTION: Subscribe to Digital Talk newsletter to receive must-know business stories and succeed BIG!
Presenting a keynote address themed 'Arts for Change', Ododo said that the ArkHive platform is been propelled by Nigerian youths to unlock economic and social prosperity that can influence the rest of the world.
Nigeria, pre-independence and post-independence era
He submitted that art in Nigeria especially during the colonial era was suppressed and could only be viewed from the eyes of the British masters.
He further noted that those who took over power to bring freedom to the people did so successfully with the help of artists and their crafts.
He said:
"During the colonial period, the colonial master came and forced us to adopt their own cultural way of life making us look down on our own cultural values.
"It was a period of brian washing, whatever is good can only be mirrored through the eyes of the white man.
"So when the quest for freedom began, our artists made contributions, using their arts to redeem our own cultural space, to let us know that what we had before these people came was also and is still viable."
Also, noting that for many, creativity is a 'Lagos thing', Ododo, said the launch of ArkHive brings to life activities of the creative mind in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city and its environment.
He assured that his administration is expanding to give mobility to National Theatre beyond the Lagos space to create zonal offices across the country by giving room to creative hubs like music, fashion and film.
According to Ododo, such hubs will encourage young creative minds in Nigeria to explore their talents.
Mentoring young creative minds in Nigeria
In his address, Kadir Malami, the founder of MSwitch and ArkHive platform opined that contrary to several beliefs, Nigeria does not have a shortage of talent.
Salami, however, explained that the major challenge of the creative industry in Nigeria is the ability of storytellers and other creatives to sell Nigerian or African stories.
His words:
"Simply because we have lots of stories that have not been told, we have barely scratched the surface and over the years we have realised that the challenge in Africa and in Nigeria is not a shortage of talent but it is the ability for the young talent to be able to realise their potentials.
That is exactly why MSwitch has set up a place like this that would allow young talents like us to be able to thrive and live abundantly through our skill sets."
He assured that the ArkHive would serve as a community where creatives would be at liberty to meet with mentors who would provide the needed guidance to explore the world of creativity.
According to Salami, there are two major challenges faced by young creatives in Nigeria and they are being able to explore their talent and showcase them to the world.
The second is to have a community where mentors are readily available to help the young creatives to express their talents, and tell and sell the Nigerian stories.
He added:
"That is why at MSwitch, we have decided to collaborate with three veterans and people in the academia to be able to build this community and inspire Nigeria's young creatives."
Activities at the launch include the presentation of awards to winners of the short film contest - The Show Room was named the third runner-up with a cash prize of $250 while the short film, The Screen won the second runner-up prize of $500.
The overall winner of the contest was secured by the film, 'The Boy Who Cursed' with a cash prize of $1,000.
7 key activities lined up by FG to celebrate 2022 Independence anniversary
Nigerians across the world celebrated the nation's 62 years of independence from Britain on Saturday, October 1.
The federal government has lined up several activities to celebrate the country's independence anniversary.
Most of the key activities lined up will be held in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja which is the country's seat of power.
2023: Yiaga Africa partners UNDP to promote youth participation in politics
In other news, in an effort to mobilise over 60 million young Nigerians to vote in the 2023 general elections, Yiaga Africa and the United Nations Development Programme on Saturday, August 6 organised a concert at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp, Kubwa Abuja.
The event which was held in partnership with a comedian, Chukwuyem Israel, was aimed at using the platform of entertainment to promote the importance of youth participation in the electoral process.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event, a senior research officer at Yiaga Africa, Michael Agada, said the concert is geared towards educating NYSC members on the imperativeness to participate actively in the democratic process ahead of the 2023 polls.
Source: Legit.ng
