Nigeria Content Online

In keeping with an ongoing trend this year, the British Council
opened a photography exhibition on December 3 to commemorate Nigeria’s 50th
independence anniversary. However, the idea for the exhibition evolved from a
book which is the key effort on the part of the organisation to key into the
celebrations of Nigeria’s golden jubilee. The book is titled ‘Reflections’.
Country director of the British Council, David Higgs and some of his staff shed
more light on the book and the exhibition during a press briefing at the
organisation’s office in Lagos.

“The book is about Nigerians and British. As part of our
contribution towards Nigeria’s independence anniversary, we decided to show how
the relationship between Nigeria and Britain has evolved,” Mr. Higgs revealed.

“We began to think about Nigerians who have become successful
and how their life opportunities were a combination of Nigeria and the UK,” he
added. “In ‘Reflections’, we have profiled 20 people; 10 of them based in the
UK and the other 10 based in Nigeria, and we have taken pictures of places that
hold memories for them.”

One of the reasons behind the founding of the British Council
some 76 years ago was to promote cultural relations between Britain and the
rest of the world. ‘Reflections’ is one of the ways the council is showing how
Britain-Nigeria relations have influenced those profiled in the bok. It’s also
aimed at showing how these diverse cultural influences have shaped them. Going
further, Higgs disclosed that the council’s role in promoting British education
is reflected in the project, as all the people featured have schooled in the
United Kingdom at some point in their life.

“Education in the UK has influenced their success stories in
various ways. So we are attempting to communicate a positive image about
education in the UK,” Higgs asserted. “For each person profiled in the book, we
asked them to choose a place that’s very important to their life memories. We
then sent our photographers to take pictures of those places. It is those
pictures we are exhibiting here today.”

He continued, “The book was the main thing. The exhibition just
evolved from it. We saw the photographs and they were nice so we decided to
exhibit them.” Higgs added that they initially planned on doing drawings of the
locations but decided to settle for photography.

Coming soon

Assistant director of the British Council, Ojoma Ochai, used the
opportunity to highlight some of their upcoming programmes.

She talked about a project tagged ‘New Work, New Audiences’,
which would involve exchange of music, literature, film, theatre, fashion and
other cultural products between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

She disclosed that the organisation had only recently rounded
off a year-long creative enterprise training and mentoring programme in
collaboration with the Pan-African University.

Some of the mentors on the programme included: fashion designer
Lisa Folawiyo of Jewel by Lisa, photographer Kelechi Amadi and Carl Raccah CEO
of Orangutan Records. “We are looking to help young people become entrepreneurs
and income generators,” said Higgs. The programme will resume in January 2011.

The opening event of the exhibition witnessed a good turnout and
attendees were given a handy-bag containing the book. The framed photos were
displayed on the wall at the foyer of the council.

Joke Silva, one of those profiled in ‘Reflections’, was spotted
at the opening. “I think it’s nice to see the memory of the Diasporans. It’s
nice to see all the different perspectives,” she told NEXT. Cultural
ambassador, Olusegun Olusola, ace broadcaster Eugenia Abu and renowned actor
Olu Jacob – are just a few among those who are included in the book.

The exhibition runs till December 23
at The British Council, 20, Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.