How COVID-19 pandemic, economic recession and social unrest in the form of the #EndSARS protests negatively affected arts and culture in 2020.
NO one wants a repeat of the year just ended: pandemic, recession, insecurity and #EndSARS protests combined to make it annus horribilis for the arts. Lives were interrupted, the ‘normal’ disappeared and was replaced by a ‘new normal’.
No one had expected how the year turned out when it dawned. Players in the culture sector were hopeful; they had expected a better year than the previous. They had strategised; they planned. But unknown to them, the pandemic would hit them and others in tourism, hospitality and entertainment severely. Activities were suspended or outrightly cancelled before Zoom, and other virtual tools were adopted.
Deferred and suspended
The 2020 iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival (IREP) was one of the first casualties as organisers postponed it indefinitely just a day to its commencement. “As a responsible organisation that takes safety seriously, we want to do all we can to help keep our country and our participants safe and healthy. Given the Novel Corona Virus pandemic, the Foundation for the Promotion of Documentary Film in Africa, organisers of the popular iREPRESENT International Documentary Film Festival has taken the hard decision to postpone the year 2020 festival indefinitely,” co-founder/Executive Director, Femi Odugbemi, offered by way of explanation.
Freedom Park, Lagos Island also suspended activities marking its 10th anniversary because of COVID and the lockdown of recreational spaces by the Lagos State Government.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature sponsored by the Nigeria LNG didn’t happen. The book party that usually precedes it transmuted into a virtual event with the past winners.
Organisers also shifted the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) to this year. “The African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) hereby announce the deferment of the 2020 edition of the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, to 2021 in the light of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,” they disclosed in November.
Hybrid events
However, some events, including the conference to mark poet Odia Ofeimun’s 70th birthday had happened before the government locked down some states. Others happened virtually and physically after the lockdown ended.
In an unprecedented move, renowned culture activist and multi-talented artist, Benson Omowafola Tomoloju unveiled 100 songs he composed and performed. The 100 pieces were in genres including reggae, folk, evangelical and Bolojo.
The 2020 edition of the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange was a mix of virtual and in-person gathering. It was the same for the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF), Quramo Festival of Words (QFest), Ake Festival, Lagos Fringe and Abuja Fringe. Dancer Qudus Onikeku’s Afropolis also organised a digital celebration of the 90th birthday of the late Professor Chinua Achebe.
In visual arts, some significant events like Lagos Photo and ART X Lagos happened virtually. ART X was an online-only showcase of over 200 artworks from 44 artists represented by 10 of the leading galleries in Africa and the Diaspora. An extensive virtual program of 13 events further bolstered it. Some other shows, including ‘Ajorin: Dance Metalphor’ and ‘Metala’ were in-person. ‘Facade’, a solo exhibition of paintings by master artist, Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya is also physical and ongoing to April 10, 2021.
The EndSARS protest in October that vandals later hijacked was ruinous on the art. Leading art patron, Yemisi Shyllon lost property at Lekki. At the same time, the Goethe Institut’s office at City Hall, Lagos Island was vandalised. The Institut currently shares space at the Alliance Francaise/Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi.
For the first time in its history, the Africa Movie Academy Awards also happened virtually in Lagos because of COVID-19 disruptions. The 17th Abuja International Film Festival, which awarded laurels in 15 categories to deserving filmmakers was equally virtual.
The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), on the other hand, didn’t happen at all. “The stellar 10th edition of AFRIFF will hold on the 11th – November 17, 2021, at locations in Lagos, Nigeria and will feature other exciting programs, conferences, seminars and workshops. Film seminars and workshops for 2020 AFRIFF, themed: ‘Breaking Borders’, has been cancelled due to the effects and uncertainties thrown out from the COVID-19 pandemic and in solidarity of the youths who lost their lives during the Endsars protest,” organisers announced.
Seun Oloketuyi’s Best of Nollywood Awards however held in Ado-Ekiti. Comedian, Mr Macaroni, and actress Tana Adelana anchored the event hosted by Governor Kayode Fayemi.
The 50th birthday of former Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, and eminent film critic, was a virtual affair. He was honoured with a pan-African zoom webinar conference with the theme ‘Close the gap – For African Tourism to Reboot, Revive and Refocus’.
It was a mixed-grill for stage productions. Some plays were virtual, while others were physical. In Abuja, Jerry Adesewo’s Arojah Royal Theatre ensured that the Federal Capital didn’t lack plays.
The Yuletide, a peak season for productions in Lagos, had just a handful of shows notably Bolanle Austen-Peters ‘The Olurounbi Musical’ and Joseph Edgar’s ‘Our Duke Has Gone Mad Again.’ But then, the ‘Bariga Boys’, Segun Adefila and Seun Awobajo ensured that the area didn’t lack productions before the Yuletide. Organisers of the Lagos and Abuja Fringe Festivals also represented well.
Government’s motion without movement
Optimists expectant when the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, set up a committee to assess COVID’s impact on the creative industry and advised the government on the best way to cushion its effect back in May, are still waiting, three days into the New Year.
But maybe they shouldn’t have been after the Minister constituted an Implementation Committee in August to study the body’s report further. The body comprised Ali Baba (Chair), Bolanle Austen Peters, Charles Novia, Segun Arinze, Ali Jita, Baba Agba, Kene Okwuosa, Efe Omoregbe, Prince Daniel Aboki, ChiomaUde and OlumadeAdesemowo. Others were Darey Art Alade, Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim, Anita Eboigbe, Oliver Enwonwu, Alhaji Saleh Rabo, Bala Hassan, Ali Nuhu, Tajudeen Owoyemi, Baba Dzukogi, TY Bello and Lanre Da Silva Ajayi.
Incidentally, the head of the Implementation Committee and Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Segun Runsewe, has been one of the proactive chief executives of culture parastatals. The NCAC successfully hosted the 13th International Arts & Crafts Expo (INAC) in Abuja from November 5 to 6 with Runsewe innovating with a ‘drive-in virtual exhibition’. NCAC also hosted the 33rd National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in Jos, Plateau State in late November.
The new GM of the National Theatre, Professor Sunny Ododo also signalled that it would be business unusual with the maiden ‘Festival of Unity’. The festival-themed ‘Healing Nigeria’ and held from December 18 to 20 featured colourful performance and visual art displays. Recall that the Federal Government had earlier in the year handed the theatre complex over to the CBN/Nigerian banks for redevelopment.
The Centre for Black African Arts and Civilization, under its new head, Olubunmi Amao, also organised a conference on racial inequality. Maybe it would show more life in 2021 after years of stagnation before Amao’s coming.
Another agency supervised by Alhaji Mohammed, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) stirred controversy with its amended 6th Broadcast Code that some stakeholders vehemently oppose. Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, was among those that thoroughly condemned it. In a short statement entitled ‘That NBC Regulatory Code’, Professor Soyinka asked the Muhammadu Buhari administration to admit that it has declared war against the arts and creatives.
The Grim Reaper strikes
Amidst the pandemic and other turmoils, death also bared its fangs. Highlife great, Dr Victor Abimbola Olaiya, the scholars, JP Clark, Tejumola Olaniyan, Harry Garuba and Ayo Akinwale, foremost musicologist, Professor Akin Euba; writer and king, Chukwuemeka Ike, all joined the ancestors. Former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors and Minister of State for Education, Professor Jerry Agada also passed on on December 22.
The beat also stopped for musician Majek Fashek, prolific movie director, Chico Ejiro, media personality, Dan Foster and actors DayoAkinpelu (Alabi Yellow), Kayode Odumosu (Pa Kasumu), Frank Dallas and Toyosi Arigbabuwo in the past year.
With Nigeria currently experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 and the portents still unclear, artists and producers are cautiously optimistic that 2021 will be a better year than the last. May it be so.
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