Nigeria Content Online

Founder of Abuja
Metropolitan Music Society (AMEMUSO) and wife of the German Ambassador
to Nigeria, Maria Cecilia Toledo De Schmillen, has said the group is
committed to developing the artistic talents of Nigerian youth.

To this end the
society has disclosed plans to build in the capital city a
state-of-the-art music and performing arts complex. In an interview
with NEXT, De Schimillen talks about the group’s plans to upgrade arts
infrastructure in Abuja.

The building

What we done until
now is to get a plot of land and have the choir in place but what we
don’t have is the building itself. I guess we will take around three to
four years to complete it. The project itself is very interesting.

We will bring
people from abroad to train a group that will be training others,
starting with the kids. After a few years, Nigeria would have trained a
pool of singers and musicians to International [standards]. If you look
at it like it will take a long time, you will never start. My dream is
that AMEMUSO as a society, even when I am not here, will work in
collaboration with the European Cultural Centre so there will be input
from abroad. We are looking to having a real performing arts centre in
the federal capital of Nigeria which cost about N5 billion.

Participation and membership of the society will be at no cost at all. If you have talent, come we will develop it.

Abundant Talent

I am here working
so hard because I believe the talent is immense. It is just
unbelievable. As an opera singer, singing all over the world, I think
the quality and capacity of Nigerians in the music industry is immense.
The problem here is that you do not have music schools. Nigerians learn
very fast but if you do not have music school and international
instructors, then you do not develop talents.

That is why our
music school will also be for kids. It takes decades to build a
professional. When young people here come for AMEMUSO audition, I see
incredible talents but wasted years. They were not guided and directed
early in life so they spend their years in other professions. But if
they were to be in Europe or America and had the chance to learn and
develop their talents, they would been great singers – not just opera
but jazz or other aspects of music. If it is talent here, I can say yes
it is available, if it is ability I will also yes, everything is yes
without a moment of hesitation but what are they doing with it?

Nigeria is not
exploring and exploiting fully its potential in music. You have to open
the door so that people can see you. It is like diamond hidden a
closet. Expose your cultures abroad – from opera to Fela Kuti music,
expand the spectrum.

How it started

As a Chilean opera
singer performing in Europe, I would have never thought to come to
Nigeria. The reason I am here is because I am the wife of German
Ambassador. I have been working on cultural projects many years
parallel to my career as a singer. In Chile, I started with a similar
project to Opera Abuja and AMEMUSO as well. It was very beautiful
combining non-traditional elements, combining things that are
completely different, that normally happen in countries like Europe and
South America.

I got to know my
husband through the project. When they told us to come to Nigeria, I
thought I was dead as a singer. What will I find in Nigeria? I asked.
But when we came here, during our national day, I sang the national
anthem of Nigeria and Germany.

A couple of
Nigerians listened to that and after approached me saying they wanted
me to help a group and that is what I like so much. I went to see them
and it was a church group and we decided to work. From that group we
decide to make a concert and thought about creating a society that can
do a festival, and have children choir also. Some Nigerians were
involved and we tried to make it happen.

From that group
emerged Opera Abuja and we are already on the 4th edition of the
festival, an international event where people from all the world
witness.

Teaching Nigerians to write music

After the second
Opera Abuja we thought of getting a piece of land for setting up a
music school which will also have a theatre, because there is only one
in Nigeria – like that in Lagos (Muson Centre). No other place in
Nigeria has a theatre and a concert hall. Things are getting in line
and the next Opera Abuja will be a conclusion of a lot of things in
that regard. We will do a fund-raiser to raise money for building this
incredible music or Art Performing Complex. We need to start. We will
also teach Nigerians how to write music. We sing but we do not have the
knowledge about writing and storing our songs over time. A lot of us
rely on storing the melody in our brain. Time, talent and commitment
are what are required to develop the cultural pedigree of a nation.

Opera Abuja 2010 holds at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on November 15.

Organisers have announced the postponement of the ‘One Nite Stand’ concert that was to feature Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade.

In a statement
released to the press, Taiwo Obe of Grand Faaji Entertainment,
promoters of the once-in-a-lifetime gig between the two Juju music
greats, cited “unexpected circumstances” as the reason behind the
postponement. The no-show will come as a huge disappointment for many,
as Obey and KSA were due to take the stage at the Expo Hall of Eko
Hotels and Suites in Lagos tonight.

Widely believed in
their heyday to have been bitter rivals, Obey and Sunny’s abortive
joint concert would have been a welcome show of brotherhood for their
teeming fans across generations. Billed as a celebration of Nigeria at
50, the show had among its sponsors the Federal Ministry of Information
and Culture, the Ogun and Ondo State governments, as well as many
corporate organisations.

At a Lagos press
conference on October 19, the two musicians had spoken of their
preparedness for the concert, dismissing talk of past rivalry. Apart
from the prospect of seeing them perform together with one band, ‘One
Nite Stand’ also offered the rare opportunity of seeing Obey, now an
evangelist, sing his old hits, many of them classics of Yoruba music.

Anticipation had
built to fever pitch for the concert in the past few weeks. A NEXT
editorial, published November 5, praised the musical duo, who were set
to make history together: “Thanks to Obey and Sunny, Juju music has
survived the onslaught of other genres like Fuji and Hip-Hop to remain
relevant in a changing world.”

Organisers have promised that a new date will be announced in due
course, but Obey and Sunny’s fans will now be wondering if the ‘concert
of dreams’ will ever hold.

‘A river that
forgets its source soon dries up’. This proverb could pass for the
central idea in Bisi Adigun’s play ‘Home Sweet Home’, which was
launched at the Agip Hall of the Muson Centre, Lagos, on October 30.
The play, centered around five friends, dwells on the workings of home
and exile in the lives of migrants.

The 6pm time
scheduled for the show to begin was adhered to and the actors began to
troop onto the stage decked in green overalls with matching caps.
Viewers also begin to stroll into the hall while those familiar with
one another exchanged greetings with some air-kissing among the elite.

At the sound of the
drums, the light goes out and everyone settles in. The actors sing and
do various dance steps to the accompaniment of the drum. They do some
synchronizing and then some free styling. It is amusing to watch
dignified personalities of the tube like Norbert Young and Tina Mba
letting go of their inhibitions and capering about on the stage.

The singing and
dancing session ends and the actors proceed to undress on the stage
taking off their green outfits, after which the once lighthearted Tina
Mba suddenly metamorphoses into a dour-looking Immigration officer who
endorses the boys’ entrance into England.

The setting is
Aso-rock, a miniature watering-hole in London. It’s a reunion cum 50th
birthday drinks party. Talkative Dapo, or Daps, played by Toyin
Oshinaike, is the birthday boy and he is accompanied by his friends:
the rotund, dismal and short-tempered Tayo (Olawale Obadeyi), the
indecisive and sensitive Peter (Kayode Idris) and the diplomatic Seyi
(Kris Ubani-Roberts).

They order beers
with the exception of Tayo who prefers a bottle of Malta Guinness and
they make fun of him to no end about it. Especially since it is because
he has a drinking problem which has made him turn his Jamaican wife
Francesca into a punching bag.

All kinds of
banter that would be expected among a group of friends who have known
each other for donkey years is displayed by these middle-aged men who
are still holding on to relics of a memorable youth.

They toast to a
happy birthday and a happy reunion as they wait for one more person,
who is expected to join them to complete the circle of friendship. They
argue about the differences between drinking, heavy drinking and
alcoholism, infusing their conversations with Yoruba and showing that
they still have a firm grasp of their roots even though they have been
away from home for some 25 years.

Visiting home

They turn to engage
Dapo when the issue of home arises. Tayo has been to Nigeria only once
in 20years. One of them boasts that he goes home to attend burials and
weddings and Dapo retorts that burials and weddings are obligations not
visits.

Ever one to
impress, Dapo believes that a visit to Nigeria from London must be
planned from start to finish. His plans are usually elaborate, he says.
He saves a thousand pounds and buys some designer outfits. When he
lands Nigeria, he goes from plane to Airport Hotel to Ile-Ife, in a car
hire of course.

He goes on a
rendezvous of the University; Moremi Hall and Mozambique Hall to boot.
He meets a few old friends and throws around some money; before heading
back to London after some days of fun. Tayo thinks it is all pretence;
pretending to be successful when in fact they are not. its been some
twenty odd years since they left Nigeria for England, hoping to work
and save a few pounds and then return.

They were fresh
from the University then. Twenty five years on, and they are still far
behind that dream. Dapo abruptly cuts in that he is going back to
Nigeria as soon as his investments mature. Tayo laughs again.

Peter, who is wont
to burst into rapturous singing of any kind depending on the prevailing
mood, is a security man in London, so also is the unmarried Dapo.
Peter, who came to London on a holiday visa, does not think he has
saved enough money to return. When he first arrived he was
overqualified for any job, so he had to downgrade his qualifications to
get a job as a porter with MacDonald’s.

Seyi who is a
cabbie says Nigeria has changed since the 1980’s when they left. “They
say Oshodi-Oke has disappeared,” Peter adds. Dapo thinks they should
all take advantage of the change. “They say Jonathan needs people with
Midas touch to help achieve his dreams”, he points out. “Well good luck
to him”, replies Peter offhandedly.

As they wait, they
wonder if their friend Juwon whom they are waiting for, will show up.
Juwon, played by Norbert Young, is half Nigerian and half Ghanaian. He
is their rich and successful friend on whom mother luck has smiled
since he arrived London. Among his friends, he is the only one who
seems to have had a fruitful sojourn in England. He is a business man,
who prefers hiring Pakistanis over Nigerians.

Like his friends,
the audience is left wondering if Juwon will really show up as he has
become this inaccessible businessman. When he eventually shows up, they
are excited.

Home vs Exile

There is a subtle
argument about which is best, home or exile. Juwon thinks that the new
Nigeria is a prime source for business opportunities. Seyi prefers the
familiar, namely London and his council flat. Dapo thinks London is no
place to raise children. They reminisce about their days as students at
the Obafemi Awolowo University and all the pranks they used to play.

Then comes the
unraveling of the mystery surrounding Poju’s death. He is like the
ghost haunting the group. Poju was a friend of the group and his death
was a big blow to all of them. Up until the revelation the audience is
kept in suspense as to the cause of his death and the circumstances
leading up to the tragedy.

Dapo’s false
bravado gives way to tears. “So what we never made it big, we are still
alive! Get me out of this shithole country, Pete,” wails Dapo. His
outburst represents the ambivalence and frustrations they all feel
towards a country where they never quite feel at home, and a home which
does not really care about them.

The play actually
ends on this ambivalent note. Dapo says to the others “Let’s go home”.
Peter asks, “Home where? Home sweet home”. We are left to deduce for
ourselves what choices these characters will make.

Acting and
characterisation shine through the play as each character is uniquely
portrayed. Their strengths, frailties and fears are laid bare
remarkably within two hours. There is an impressive use of suspense at
various points in the play, and also a good use of stage space.

There is enough
humour, wit and sarcasm in the production to diffuse some of the
tension which the theme is likely to evoke. The actors’ costumes aid
the element of verisimilitude in the play as we get the picture of
Nigerians living in London.

The overall feel of
the play is reminiscent of African American Playwright Je’Caryous
Johnson’s ‘Whatever She Wants’, featuring Vivica A. Fox and Boris
Kodjoe; and it would probably be great if the writer toed Johnson’s
line by recording the performance on DVD. Though ‘Home Sweet Home’ was
a bit long and began to drag at some point in the second act, it was an
impressive show.

The writer of the
play, Bisi Adigun, a 1990 graduate of Drama from the Obafemi Awolowo
University wrote the play out of an understanding of what it means to
be an ‘inside-outsider’, and the unfortunate brain drain problem facing
Nigeria.

Adigun who left
Nigeria for the UK in 1993 and then migrated to Ireland in 1996, says
that the play was influenced by an Irish emigrant play titled ‘The
Kings of Kilburn High Road’. In fact the first production of the play
was in 2006 at the Dublin Fringe theatre festival in Ireland

In a chat with NEXT, Adigun said that he had been abroad for a
reasonable period of time. “The play is really about letting people
realise what the other side is about”, he told NEXT. Reiterating the
fact that the play was also about celebrating Nigeria at 50, Adigun
pointed out that “in spite of all our challenges as a nation, we can
celebrate life”.

It was the 24th
edition but there was really nothing new. Well, save one or two
innovations. There is the characteristic late commencement of the
opening ceremony, the last minute rush to put finishing touches to
venues and stands by states; and adjusting and re-adjusting the
schedule because things didn’t start promptly in the first instance.
The story of the nation’s festival of unity, the National Festival of
Arts and Culture (NAFEST) in recent memory hasn’t changed: sloppy
organisation.

The official
opening ceremony of the 2010 edition themed ‘Cultural Industries and
Economic Empowerment’ held on November 2 inside the Uyo Township
Stadium in Akwa Ibom State started, almost three hours late. Scheduled
for noon, the anchors occupied early arrivals by calling different
troupes to entertain them around 1.25pm. The show eventually got
underway around 2.40pm when the state governor, his deputy and the
Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation arrived.

The audience and
contingents from the 23 states which participated in the march past,
meanwhile, had no option than to content themselves watching the
entertainers and exchanging banters under tents provided on the marshy
ground made worse by an earlier light rain. Though the general
organisation was a tad sloppy, credit must be given to oragnisers for
making the effort to make waterlogged entrances to the stadium
accessible by getting a tractor to fill the areas with sand. But rather
than get to brass tacks immediately, members of the local organising
committe and the management team of NAFEST, all staff of the National
Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), were first presented to the
dignitaries and crowd. The march past subsequently began with each of
the states showcasing material and immaterial aspects of its culture
through its dressing, dances and music during the parade.

Papa Ajasco

While some like Edo
State had only about four people representing them because of the late
arrival of the main contingent after the opening, others like Kaduna
had up to 554 people. Akwa Ibom, rescuer of this year’s NAFEST after
Delta which had earlier been granted the hosting right demurred, also
had a large contingent. Interestingly, Delta threw shame to the wind
and featured in the parade.

Abiodun Ayoyinka,
aka Papa Ajasco, who marched with the Lagos State contingent, was
hailed by the crowd while Nasarawa State also had a unique procession.
The 300-people contingent included guilds like carvers, hunters,
tanners and solid minerals in its ranks. Apart from the states,
cultural associations, local governments and Ijo Vudu, a Canadian
group, also featured in the march past.The uniformed Real Brass Band of
the Akwa Ibom State Government which later ended the ceremony with some
local and foreign songs wasn’t left out of the display.

The speeches

The Minister of
Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed
touched on the relevance of culture and tourism as sources of revenue
in a speech at the occassion. He noted that “culture and tourism are
the emerging products that have great prospect of leading the global
economy in a near future.” Mohammed also commended organisers for
including a special project in this year’s programme to tally with the
theme. The special project focussed on audio-visual documentation and
physical exhibition of the unique aspects of the nation’s cultural
industries. Each State had its own presentation.

The president,
Goodluck Jonathan, whom Akpabio represented, also highligthed the
importance of tourism and culture to the nation’s economic development.
He said, “Much as we have the problem of youth unemployment, rural and
urban poverty in our land, which government policies gave been put in
place to tackle over the years, time is now ripe for the public and
private sector to explore the great prospects that abound in our
cultural industries in alleviating poverty and diversifying our revenue
base.”

The theme, he said,
was chosen to ensure that culture is used as an alternative to
diversify Nigeria’s mono cultural economy with a view to creating
wealth to empower the youth. He promised that the Federal Government
will continue to support NAFEST and other festivals as “an initiative
that will project the new role of culture in our national development.”

The colloquium

Like the ceremonial
part of the festival, the intellectual side, the colloquium also
started over two hours late at the auditorium inside the Indongesit
Nkanga State Secretariat, Uyo on Wednesday, November 3. It however
turned out to be a worthwhile session after the ceremonials had been
dispensed with. Chair, governing board of the NCAC, Ebenezer Babatope;
chair, senate committee on tourism, culture and national orientation,
Bako Gassol and chief executive of the NCAC, Mwajim Maidugu, all
justified its inclusion in the festival.

The Executive
Director, programmes of the NTA, Bello Sule, delivered the lead paper
titled ‘Cultural Industries and Economic Empowerment: The Role of
Documentation in Promoting Cultural Industries Products’ after Babatope
had presented a ‘Compendium of NAFEST Colloquium 2004-2009’. He
explained the role radio, film and television play in documenting
products of the country’s cultural industries and their merits and
demerits. He highlighted abundant archival materials and growth in the
number of professionals in radio, TV and film as two gains from
documenting products from Nigeria’s culture industry. The
disadvantages, according to Bello, include negative portrayal of
Nigeria’s cultural values and practices and obliteration of cultural
practices.Sule didn’t fail to touch on the modes of storing the
audio-visual documents and the problems with the modes including
celluloid, tape and compact disc.

Academic, Ben
Ekanem of the Department of Fine and Industrial Arts, University of
Uyo, who spoke on ‘Finishing, Packaging and Presentation of Nigeria’s
Cultural Products in a Global Village’ identified eight of such
tangible and intangible products. They are antiquities, art and craft,
performing art, Nigerian cuisine, traditional medicine, cultural
festivals and events, celebrities and places. To ensure that products
from Nigeria are well packaged and presented to a global audience,
Ekanem suggested training at all levels and workshops for art and craft
makers which curriculum must include finishing, packaging and
presentation. He said Nigerian fabrics can be promoted through fashion
shows and internet promotions while artists should benefit from
residency programmes by government. The lecturer recommended a hall of
fame to promote Nigerian celebrities.

An official of the
Nigerian Export Promotion Council also spoke briefly on the role of the
agency and how producers of cultural products can benefit from it.
Apart from the poor timekeeping and organisation, there was also
shortage of materials containing information about the festival
activities. Journalists didn’t get the brochure until Wednesday
evening, a day after the official opening.

Competitive and non-competitive activities including traditional
wrestling, food fair, traditional music, crafts and expo exhibition,
creative design and the special projects comprising DVD screenings
events were also held during this year’s NAFEST which ended yesterday.

The 2010 MUSON
Festival continued with the showcasing of a classical concert on
October 31 at the Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
The concert, which was supported by the Consulate General of Italy,
began at 6pm.

This year’s MUSON
Festival is themed ‘Nigeria at 50’. Organisers said one of the
objectives of the festival is to promote inter-cultural relations with
other nationalities and this was exhibited at the concert as a decent
turnout of Nigerians and foreigners trooped in to see opera
performances in Italian, English, Yoruba and Igbo.

Billed to perform
were; Italian-born Anna Corvino, a Soprano, Maria Asseeva an excellent
Piano recitalist and accompanist, Joseph Oparamanuike also known as Mr.
Tenor and another Tenor, Guchi Egbunine. Both Corvino and Asseeva are
renowned international performers.

Asseeva, a resident
tutor at the MUSON Centre, has recorded a compact disc featuring works
of Frederic Chopin while Corvino has given concerts and performed as a
soloist at festivals in places like Rome, Naples and Israel.

Oparamanuike and
Egbunine have been trained by professionals and have also performed
locally and internationally. Oparamanuike is a voice teacher at the
MUSON School of music in addition to being a member of the MUSON choir.

Concerto

The stage was
draped in white, red, green and gold with a grand Piano at the centre.
The anchor walked in and introduced the Italian Consul to the audience.
Then the first performer and indeed the major performer in the concert,
Anna Corvino was introduced.

She sauntered in
dressed in a glittering black affair that was altogether melancholy and
stunning. Accompanied on the piano by Asseeva, Corvino’s performances
reflected emotion, along with gestures, and then that voice that
sometimes pierced and then soothed, even though we did not understand
what she was singing about.

Her only English
performance was done in the second act. This piece was ‘Memory ‘from
the popular Broadway musical ‘Cat’ Andrew Lloyd Webber; and it was not
too difficult to tell that this was a performance in English in spite
of Corvino’s Italian-accented voice.

Those unfamiliar
with opera but with a passable knowledge of what it is about, will
recognise some names like Frederic Chopin, Guiseppe Verdi, Wolfgang
Mozart and Charles Gounod. These are world famous composers who created
some of the pieces performed by Corvino and her fellow performers.

Corvino and Asseeva
ended the first act with Gounod’s ‘Je Veux Vivre’ From Romeo and
Juliette; but not before Asseeva rendered a solo recital on the piano.
The piece titled ‘Egun Variations’ by composer Ayo Bankole could also
be called ‘Romancing the Piano’. It revealed the performer’s bond with
the piano.

Diverse emotions
were on display here as she hit the notes, and then suspense as the
audience listened with bated breath for the conclusion. When it came
unexpectedly, they responded with resounding applause.

Oparamanuike and
Egbunine also gave brilliant performances and the audience responded to
them with cheers of approval and applause. It was not hard to see why.
Oparamanuike smartly dressed in a suit ensemble and a bow tie, gave a
rendition of Kenny Oretimehin’s ‘Omi’ (Water) in Yoruba. His rich and
steady tenor sang about the indispensability of water to human
existence.

Guchi Egbunine
whose performance was reserved for the second act, rendered an Igbo
piece by O’Ndubisi, ‘Anyi Ncha bu Ofunne’ – and the brief but melodious
‘La donna e Mobile’ from Guiseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Integrating culture

Anna Corvino who
had changed into a black-grey strappy gown that set off the shimmer on
her skin, later came on stage on behalf of the Italian consul to give
the vote of thanks.

‘Sorry for my
English’, she said to the audience and then proceeded to read from the
sheet. ‘The essence of this concert is to impact the Italian culture to
music and to integrate different cultures together’, she read.

The trio then
performed a duet which was the last piece of the concert, another one
from Guiseppe Verdi titled ‘Libiam ne’ Lieti calici’. After which they
gave a toast and then invited the pianist, Maria Asseeva to the stage
for pictures and to bask in the audience’s applause.

As the programme
ended, guests trooped to the foyer of the Agip recital hall to mingle
and to get autographs or maybe a snapshot or two with the performers.
The performers made it easy for them by being accessible as they also
mingled with the guests and obliged every request. It was at this
moment that Next caught up with Joseph Oparamanuike.

When asked if he
had to learn Italian to be able to perform an Italian opera piece, he
replied to the affirmative saying, ‘Yes, I have a private tutor. It’s
important to get the proper pronunciation of the words and you cannot
achieve that if you do not learn the language.’

Oparamanuike graciously introduced Next to Kenny Oretimehin or S.K.
Ore; the composer of ‘Omi’, one of the pieces he performed. Oretimehin,
a composer with MUSON, says he writes and composes mostly indigenous
pieces especially in Yoruba. On the need to infuse more indigenous
content in the classical concert to attract a larger audience, he
promised that the Choral Concert coming up on November 7 would have
more local content.

All is set for the
Smooth 98.1 FM ‘Love Music Love Life’ concert holding this Friday,
November 12 at the New Expo Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria
Island, Lagos.

The show, the first
in a series of concerts planned by the radio station which specialises
in Jazz, Soul and R’n’B music, will feature renowned world class artists
including neo-soul singer, Angie Stone.

Joining Stone for
the concert which starts by 7pm is Cameroonian, Richard Bona, described
as “one of the best bassists on the planet.” Five time Grammy winner and
talented guitarist, Mike Stern, is also performing. Though he wasn’t on
the bill originally, Stern, who has a long collaborative relationship
with Bona, decided to be part of the show because of his friend and the
seriousness of the organisers. He will feature in Bona’s quartet on
Friday.

Jazz saxophonist,
Gerald Albright, will also entertain the audience. He was one of the 10
saxophonists that performed at Bill Clinton’s inauguration as president
of the US.

The four foreign
artists will be joined by a quartet of Nigerian acts including Bez
Idakula and vocalist and songwriter, Tiwa Savage who has sung backing
vocals for artists including Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan and Kelly
Clarkson. Guitarists, Pure and Simple who featured at the recent MUSON
Jazz concert and percussionist, Iroko, are also on the bill. The widely
travelled Iroko has had stints with Kola Ogunkoya, Lagbaja and Femi
Kuti.

Speaking in an
interview on Tuesday, November 9, head of Smooth FM, Kirk Anthony,
disclosed that the show is to give listeners a unique experience.

“People that listen
to Smooth 98.1FM, they listen to it for a reason, they listen to it
because they enjoy what they hear. What we are doing now is that we are
transporting radio to the stage,” Anthony said. He disclosed that
organisers spent about three months, “to get our acts together purely
for the fact that we want to make sure that when people are coming to
the event, they are going to sit down in a nice atmosphere and have a
really good show. On a Friday evening, you want to sit, relax and have a
good night and I think we can achieve that.”

A new dimension

Getting the artists
to commit to the show, Anthony said, wasn’t too hard because of the
station’s reputation and its seriousness. “When we first contacted them,
they had a sort of grey area in regards to coming to perform in Africa
reason being that they didn’t think things were done perfectly – The I’s
dotted and the T’s crossed. But when we showed them how we conduct
business, they were happy and in actual fact, Richard Bona just brought a
new dimension into it.” The new dimension Bona added was bringing in
Stern. “It’s an amazing thing he is coming to Nigeria. That’s an added
bonus because they saw what we are doing. They saw the organisation and
how we put it together, they felt comfortable and they put that together
almost like a special gift to us,” added Sadiq Ademola, head of
production at the Lagos-based radio station.

Anthony reiterated
that the show, being sponsored by Guaranty Trust Bank with support from
AVIS, UNIC, Arra Vineyard and Eko Hotel and Suites is about satisfying
people. “It’s not about saturating a room with 20 artists, where you
don’t get to sit down and savour what you are listening to. The Eko
Hotel is like a football ground but what we have done is cordon off the
room and have a quarter of the room. We could say let’s pile 5000 people
but no, we want a thousand people so it’s very intimate. Rather than
you being customer number 5000 and sitting at the back with a pair of
binoculars, intimacy is assured here.” The foreign artists are expected
in Nigeria on Thursday morning and will meet with reporters on arrival.
Tickets for the show which come at N15, 000 are available at Eko Hotel,
Jazzhole, News Cafe in Lekki and Brown Cafe in Ikeja GRA.

What comes after this show?

“Without biting the
head off the doll, we have a show planned for next year which is going
to be huge. This one is going to be big but next year we got one coming
up which is going to be huge,” Anthony promised.

The Abuja premiere
of Inale, Nigeria’s industry’s first musical, on Thursday, October 28,
marked a turning point for an industry slowly rising from the ashes of
mediocrity. It was a star-studded affair, as many Nollywood players
turned up to welcome the latest addition to their pantheon.

For the night of
the premiere, the Silverbird Galleria in Abuja played host to some of
the nation’s most powerful, including Senate president David Mark, who
stopped by with a retinue of ministers and directors that took up
several rows in the overhead gallery. Red carpets and ushers dressed in
traditional red and black cloth, added to the spectacle. Inside the
theatre, an excellent live band played smooth Afrobeat and Highlife
tunes.

The premiere went
off without any of the logistical hitches that have been known to
plague such events. Programmes started on time and each segment of the
night flowed smoothly from one to the other – though a good deal of
time was spent introducing the politicians and other VIP guests.

The film itself was
lush and imaginative, showing off the beauty of the Benue rainforest.
Its cinematography was complemented by a captivating soundtrack, which
was composed entirely by Bongos Ikwe – popular singer of the theme song
for the classic television series, “Cockcrow At Dawn” – and his Double
X band. However, the otherwise beautiful production of the film was
marred by stiff dialogue and a scanty storyline that kept peeking
through.

The story is based
on an Idoma folktale about a beautiful princess who is married off to a
man she does not love for the sake of peace between two villages. She
is betrayed by a servant who kills her and takes her place. Will the
princess be rescued from death and allowed to be with her true love in
the end? It is an exciting premise that, unfortunately, is never mined
for any true feeling or depth.

Director Jeta Amata
does a wonderful job of pulling in high-class acting talent of Nigerian
extraction from across the globe, but once in the movie, there is
little for them to do. Both UK-based Caroline Chikezie (Inale) and
US-based Hakeem Kae Kazim (Ode) are excellent actors with wide ranges,
but in this movie they are reduced to longing looks and worried frowns.
Their lines sit too heavily in their mouths. The end result is a
beautiful movie that feels like an overly long music video.

While the movie may
have disappointed somewhat, the premiere did not. The crowd was treated
to an impromptu concert by Bongos Ikwe, who is also the executive
producer of the movie and whose daughter Keke Bongos-Ikwe co-directed;
and Tuface, who was a guest at the event.

Inale represents another addition to the rising ranks of “New
Nollywood,” movies which are abandoning the poor lighting and cheap
theatrics that have come to characterise the industry. It is emblematic
of the return of committed professionals to the scene and; both
insiders who make the films and the outsiders who watch them will only
benefit.

The 2010 MUSON
Festival continued with the showcasing of a classical concert on
October 31 at the Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.
The concert, which was supported by the Consulate General of Italy,
began at 6pm.

This year’s MUSON
Festival is themed ‘Nigeria at 50’. Organisers said one of the
objectives of the festival is to promote inter-cultural relations with
other nationalities and this was exhibited at the concert as a decent
turnout of Nigerians and foreigners trooped in to see opera
performances in Italian, English, Yoruba and Igbo.

Billed to perform
were; Italian-born Anna Corvino, a Soprano, Maria Asseeva an excellent
Piano recitalist and accompanist, Joseph Oparamanuike also known as Mr.
Tenor and another Tenor, Guchi Egbunine. Both Corvino and Asseeva are
renowned international performers.

Asseeva, a resident
tutor at the MUSON Centre, has recorded a compact disc featuring works
of Frederic Chopin while Corvino has given concerts and performed as a
soloist at festivals in places like Rome, Naples and Israel.

Oparamanuike and
Egbunine have been trained by professionals and have also performed
locally and internationally. Oparamanuike is a voice teacher at the
MUSON School of music in addition to being a member of the MUSON choir.

Concerto

The stage was
draped in white, red, green and gold with a grand Piano at the centre.
The anchor walked in and introduced the Italian Consul to the audience.
Then the first performer and indeed the major performer in the concert,
Anna Corvino was introduced.

She sauntered in
dressed in a glittering black affair that was altogether melancholy and
stunning. Accompanied on the piano by Asseeva, Corvino’s performances
reflected emotion, along with gestures, and then that voice that
sometimes pierced and then soothed, even though we did not understand
what she was singing about.

Her only English
performance was done in the second act. This piece was ‘Memory ‘from
the popular Broadway musical ‘Cat’ Andrew Lloyd Webber; and it was not
too difficult to tell that this was a performance in English in spite
of Corvino’s Italian-accented voice.

Those unfamiliar
with opera but with a passable knowledge of what it is about, will
recognise some names like Frederic Chopin, Guiseppe Verdi, Wolfgang
Mozart and Charles Gounod. These are world famous composers who created
some of the pieces performed by Corvino and her fellow performers.

Corvino and Asseeva
ended the first act with Gounod’s ‘Je Veux Vivre’ From Romeo and
Juliette; but not before Asseeva rendered a solo recital on the piano.
The piece titled ‘Egun Variations’ by composer Ayo Bankole could also
be called ‘Romancing the Piano’. It revealed the performer’s bond with
the piano.

Diverse emotions
were on display here as she hit the notes, and then suspense as the
audience listened with bated breath for the conclusion. When it came
unexpectedly, they responded with resounding applause.

Oparamanuike and
Egbunine also gave brilliant performances and the audience responded to
them with cheers of approval and applause. It was not hard to see why.
Oparamanuike smartly dressed in a suit ensemble and a bow tie, gave a
rendition of Kenny Oretimehin’s ‘Omi’ (Water) in Yoruba. His rich and
steady tenor sang about the indispensability of water to human
existence.

Guchi Egbunine
whose performance was reserved for the second act, rendered an Igbo
piece by O’Ndubisi, ‘Anyi Ncha bu Ofunne’ – and the brief but melodious
‘La donna e Mobile’ from Guiseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Integrating culture

Anna Corvino who
had changed into a black-grey strappy gown that set off the shimmer on
her skin, later came on stage on behalf of the Italian consul to give
the vote of thanks.

‘Sorry for my
English’, she said to the audience and then proceeded to read from the
sheet. ‘The essence of this concert is to impact the Italian culture to
music and to integrate different cultures together’, she read.

The trio then
performed a duet which was the last piece of the concert, another one
from Guiseppe Verdi titled ‘Libiam ne’ Lieti calici’. After which they
gave a toast and then invited the pianist, Maria Asseeva to the stage
for pictures and to bask in the audience’s applause.

As the programme
ended, guests trooped to the foyer of the Agip recital hall to mingle
and to get autographs or maybe a snapshot or two with the performers.
The performers made it easy for them by being accessible as they also
mingled with the guests and obliged every request. It was at this
moment that Next caught up with Joseph Oparamanuike.

When asked if he
had to learn Italian to be able to perform an Italian opera piece, he
replied to the affirmative saying, ‘Yes, I have a private tutor. It’s
important to get the proper pronunciation of the words and you cannot
achieve that if you do not learn the language.’

Oparamanuike graciously introduced Next to Kenny Oretimehin or S.K.
Ore; the composer of ‘Omi’, one of the pieces he performed. Oretimehin,
a composer with MUSON, says he writes and composes mostly indigenous
pieces especially in Yoruba. On the need to infuse more indigenous
content in the classical concert to attract a larger audience, he
promised that the Choral Concert coming up on November 7 would have
more local content.

UK-based Nigerian
musician, Lekan Babalola, will headline the Muson Jazz Festival, which
holds at the Onikan, Lagos arts venue on November 6.
Touted as “one of
the most extraordinary percussionists in world music and jazz,”
Babalola was met by festival director Ayoola Sadare at Murtala Muhammed
Airport earlier this week as he arrived the country for the concert.
The Jazz component
is one of the major highlights as the festival, which began on October
25, draws to a close. Intended to celebrate Nigeria’s Golden Jubilee,
this year’s programme has so far paraded various events like; a youth
concert, classical concert, a play and ‘My Kind of Music’ – in which
society figures share their favourite musical compositions and
playlists.
Joining Babalola on
the Jazz night’s playbill are the likes of Ayinke Martins (also based
in the UK), Herbert Kunle Ajayi, Biodun and Batik, Imole Africa, Mike
Osadolo, Pure and Simple and Olujazz.
As for Lekan
Babalola, he is an international musician who regularly forms part of
Jazz star Cassandra Wilson’s band when she tours. He also played on her
Grammy Award winning CD, ‘Loverly’, just as he appeared on the late Ali
Farka Toure’s ‘In the Heart of the Moon’ – also a Grammy winning album.
Babalola has collaborated with many international players like Branford
Marsalis, Tony Allen, Roy Ayers, and the late Fela Kuti; he has also
appeared as one of the African Jazz Allstars. Babalola’s music is
heavily influenced by his rich Yoruba cultural background, having been
born into a family who are custodians of tradition.
Jazz fans can
expect superlative performances of the Sax from Herbert Kunle Ajayi,
traditional talking drums from Imole, Rhythm and Blues and African
groove mixture from Mike Osadolo and others from the star parade.
Ayinke Martins is
an eclectic jazz performer. A protégée of Frances and Tunde Kuboye,
Martins is known for blending the Yoruba and English vocal medium with
Soul and African Jazz styles to produce a style that is solely unique
to her.
The Muson Jazz Night will kick off at the Shell Nigeria Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos by 7pm on Saturday, November 6.

Organisers of the
Lagos Jazz Series have announced the inclusion of South African
musician Jimmy Dludlu on the bill for the event, which kicks off in
Lagos on Friday. A multiple award winning jazz guitarist who has
performed on many continents, Dludlu joins a host of musicians already
lined up for the festival, including: Mike Aremu, Simone, Morrie
Louden, Ben and Aiyetoro.

With sponsorship
and suport from MTN, Lufthansa, Sofitel Morehouse, Bang and Olufsen,
Mercedes Benz, Petrolex and others, the organisers have promised that
this first Lagos Jazz Series,“will give Nigerians a musical experience
they will not forget in a hurry.”

With the recent announcement of Jimmy Dludlu signing up to perform at the event, they might just achieve this feat.

Dludlu an award
winning jazz performer and guitarist is celebrated both in his home
country South Africa and internationally. His style reflects a fusion
of both traditional and modern elements of jazz which have been
influenced by the likes of George Benson, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela,
Pat Metheny and Allen Kwela amongst others. He has toured and
collaborated with the late south african musician Brenda Fassie,
Chicco, Sipho Mabuse, Zairean Music star Papa Wemba and the late Miriam
Makeba.

Dludlu, saxophonist
Mike Aremu, Jazz band Ayetoro, Rwandan-Ugandan singer Somi, Soul-singer
Bez and all the others will star in what the organisers say ‘is not a
clash of talent but a symphony of voices and instruments for the
benefit of jazz enthusiasts in this part of the world‘

The Lagos Jazz Series beginning on November 5 will hold at the
following choice venues: Sofitel Morehouse Hotel Ikoyi, The Federal
Palace Hotel waterfront and Muri Okunola Park.