On the 16th of September, a group of art lovers and practitioners converged at the Tunde Odunlade Art and Culture Connexions at New Bodija, in Ibadan, to celebrate art, culture and literature. The event was organised by Poet Yusuf Alabi Balogun (also known as Aremo Gemini), through his corporate brand, Gemini Entertainment, that envelopes his art, craft and projects.
Before the event proper, there were some spoken-word poetry, chanting and recitals from some artistes in the audience.
Bamidele Shakiroh, a poet and chanter, performed ‘Oriki Offa’ in Yoruba. She stated that the chant is used to eulogise people from Offa town in Kwara State.
Another performer, Ayodele Olofintuade, titled her performance ‘Omo Olokun’, and she stated that it was about how the society expects people to be ashamed of loving other people.
Furthermore, Akinwunmi Oladele, also known as ‘Ojogbon’, performed a Yoruba chant that eulogises people’s lineage from Ibadan, Offa, Ogbomoso, etc.
Iqmat Babarinde Gbemisola titled her spoken-word poetry ‘How exactly do you get over an ex’, a poem that portrays heartbreak and nostalgia.
Waduud Qing, titled his poetry ‘The loudest way to cry’, which encapsulates a father’s reflection and advice to his son about life and memory.
On why he organised the event, Gemini stated that the event, asides from the fact that it is a huge renaissance movement for Ibadan literary culture, which is almost in a comatose state, it also emanates from personal ordeals, social vices and mental health advocacy, which is aimed at smashing stereotypes, disenabling misogyny and creating an enabling society for women through art.
“The production — ’Die Liefde – Die Rou’ — is not intended to be a one-time act,” he said. “There are plans and prospects of touring several art centres, galleries and event centres with the performance production, across the states in Nigeria and overseas.”
Speaking on the theme of the event, he noted that ‘Die Liefde – Die Rou’, (Afrikaans; Grief and Love), is a Yoruba spoken-word poetry production infused with symmetric theatre and interpretative choreography that explores the idea of distinct loss in three primary female subjects.
The anchor of the event, Timi Elebute, (a host and curator of art events), stated that the event aims to explore the idea of love and grief from the perspective of women. “The performance is a stand against some of the issues women have to go through just because they are women,” he lamented.
On the choice of the event venue, Elebute noted that the Tunde Odunlade Art and Culture Connexions is a monument that keeps art alive. “It definitely places the audience in mood for the performance and it is the perfect space to pass the message across,” he added.
Prince Tunde Odunlade, the founder and curator of the art gallery, commended Gemini and his crew for organising the event. He stated that Gemini basically wanted to share his life and personal experiences, adding that the event will be a window to the audience’s mind to enable them to tell their own stories.
Odunlade spiced up his remarks by saying, “You never know how talented you are, until you began to put the talent into bare.”
After the singing, chanting and spoken-word poetry section, the production was staged. The production is authored and produced by Gemini, but directed by Talib Olaleye and James Notin (who was also the official photographer of the event).
The opening monologue in the production was delivered by the spectacular Olaoluwafimihan Bakre (Sangoponle), with the dancers as Charity Marshall (Yetunde), Joy Bassey (Yewande) and Okohn Ewatomi (Iyabo), alongside Moses Ayankunle as the main percussionist.
On the significance of the production, as regards each of the three women in it, Gemini explained that Yewande, Yetunde and Iyabo are spotlighted to experience loss through different forms.
Yewande is that character who experiences neglect and mistreatment from her immediate environment and the larger society, immediately after the death of her husband. It is safe to say that Yewande is a traumatised widow.
In the same vein, Yetunde is a physically-challenged lady who has practically relied on her father for survival, joy and solace. The demise of Yetunde’s father immediately alters her happy narrative and she is left in a state of hulla balloo, all long.
Iyabo is that character who undergoes harsh sexual defilement from her father and stranger men around, this defilement primarily continues until her final resolve — suicide.
On the lessons to be learnt, Gemini stated that for an art as this, it is vivid enough to unveil the core lessons even beyond the intention of the artistes involved.
“Beyond self-imposed lessons, this production aims at creating a safe space for women, where they can live, attain whatsoever height they desire and find soothing peace without the fear of being molested on a lone road by 3AM or being caged into a toxic, patriarchal shell,” he said.
Some of the audience reacted to the production. Mr Dotun Sangoseni noted that, he used to think that the Yoruba culture is at the verge of extinction. “But with this kind of play, there is a great hope for our culture,” he added.
Karimot Odebode stated that she saw the play as a call to action. “This is not just an entertainment, but an education. This is people’s reality. It is a not a joke.”
Folu Johnson, reacting to the play, in relation to her own experience as a former widow, stated that “If you find yourself in a situation that is hard, the only thing we have to do is to keeping going and pushing.”
After the reactions from the audience as regards to play, another section of spoken-word performance ensued.
Kehinde Oladeji, titled her piece ‘My name is OmoKehinde’, and in the piece, she spoke about herself in relation to love, beauty and strength. Some of the lines in her poem go thus: “My name is OmoKehinde / The child who came after the first… / My name is OmoKehinde / The child who is fluent in the language of love.”
Karimot Odebode, was next, with her poem titled ‘Where do you come from?’ In the poem, she eulogised her place of origin, Ibadan. The last lines of the poem go thus: “I come from Ibadan / I carry it with pride and wear it like gold / Tell me, where do you come from?
There were one or two performances — especially the one from YUA, who gave a freestyle poetry on mental health as regards the theme of the play — before the event came to a close.
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