ARTISTE OF THE WEEK(Dec. 29,2006)-OLA ROTIMI

OLA ROTIMI - THE GREAT PLAYWRIGHT/DRAMATIST OF OUR TIME






ROTIMI, Ola (1938-2000), Nigerian dramatist, was born in Bendel State, Nigeria to a Yoruba father and Ijaw mother. After study in the USA, where some of his early plays were performed (including Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again, at Yale in 1966), he returned to Nigeria and in 1967 was appointed to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where he was a leading founder of the Ori Olokun Theatre.

Rotimi's plays from this period - The Gods Are Not To Blame (1971), Kurunmi (1971), Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (1974) - are among the best known of all Nigerian plays, frequently set as school texts and (especially The Gods) widely performed. In 1977 Rotimi left Ife and joined the University of Port Harcourt, where he remained until 1992, returning then to Ife to establish a professional company, African Cradle Theatre.

Although several radio plays, a large-scale historical play entitled Akassa Youmi (first performed 1977), and a popular short Pidgin comedy, Grip 'Am (adapted from a Yoruba play by Agedoke Durojaiye), remain unpublished, the seven published plays demonstrate Rotimi's versatility. Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again (1974) is a genial political satire (with a somewhat wavering aim); Holding Talks (1979) is much less genial, an often scathingly funny satire on the abuse of language in the interests of power relations.

The Gods Are Not To Blame, one of many Nigerian adaptations of earlier stage plays, reworks Sophocles' Oedipus in the context of a pre-colonial Yoruba court. Although this play has provoked critical controversy (over its language, and its perceived cultural contradiction), it is undeniably a compelling experience when effectively staged. Kurunmi and Ovonramwen Nogbaisi are historical plays that deal with crises in nineteenth-century Yoruba and Benin history respectively. These plays have been criticized on ideological grounds, the suggestion being that here Rotimi becomes fixated with the trials of the tragic leader-figure and neglects to explore the conservative nature of the state and the conservative implications of so massively foregrounding the role of the governing elite.

Two more recent plays have also been highly successful in production: If (1983) and Hopes of the Living Dead (1988). The former deals with the lives of the inhabitants of a working-class city tenement. Here Rotimi focuses, with humour and with sharp sympathetic concern, on economic privation and political manipulation. Hopes dramatizes strategies for collaboration against oppression, drawing on an event from the 1920s when, under Ikoli Harcourt Whyte's guidance, a group of lepers resisted attempts by the colonial authorities to have them evicted from a Port Harcourt hospital. If and Hopes are Rotimi's most successful attempts to date to popularize literary drama.

He's one of those that left an indelible mark in Nigeria Theatre industry which we find the vacuum very difficult to fill.

OLA ROTIMI LIVES ON -your works speaks for you

ARTISTE OF THE WEEK (Dec 11,2006) - BOB MARLEY

Robert Nesta Marley aka Bob Marley was born on 6 February 1945, in St. Anns, Jamaica. His father was Norval Sinclair Marley, a white marine officer and his mother was Cedella Malcom, an 18-year old black woman.
When Bob Marley was a teenager, his mother moved the family to Kingston, ending up in the shantytown of Trenchtown. Whilst working as a welder, Bob Marley got together with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer.

In their early days they were ska orientated. Their first single was Simmer Down (1963). It was a huge hit in Jamaica and dozens of songs followed. Bob Marley married vocalist Rita Anderson in 1966 and spent time with his mother who had gone to the USA. When he returned several months later, the music of the Wailers became much more overtly rasta.

If he had done nothing but record Catch a Fire, Bob Marley would still be known as the person who introduced reggae music to millions of Americans. But more than just a cultural ambassador, Robert Nesta Marley was a fabulously talented songwriter who could mix protest music and undeniable pop as skillfully as Bob Dylan; even before Marley's death at age 36, he was becoming a true culture hero -- the first major rock artist to come out of a Third World country. More than 20 years on, his records sound as fresh as ever, something proved every week by the astonishing continued sales of his greatest-hits package Legend.

The Wailers recorded some of the earliest reggae hits, and with the help of Lee Perry produced songs like Duppy Conqueror and Small Axe. International success came after they joined Island Records. Their first album for Island was Catch a Fire and soon after they supported Bruce Springsteen. Their next album was Burnin' which contained I Shot The Sheriff which was covered by Eric Clapton, as well as Get Up, Stand Up. However, in 1974 Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left the group to pursue solo careers. They were replaced by a female vocal trio including Bob Marley's wife Rita.

They then enjoyed huge success with albums like Exodus and Kaya. Bob Marley's religious and political views became increasingly important. He tried to be a force for peace in the midst of Jamaica's turbulent politics. A flavour of Bob Marley's philosophy can be gleaned from the song War from the album Rastaman Vibration: "Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war ... and until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the colour of a man's skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes, me seh war. And until the basic rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, there is war. And until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality, will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained ... now everywhere is war."

I believe the words are based on a speech given to the UN by the Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie. Just before the "One Love" peace concert, on 3 December 1976 gunmen broke into the Marley home and shot at the musician, his wife, and others. He was awarded the United Nations Medal of Peace for the concert.

Bob Marley died from cancer on 11 May 1981, in Miami, Florida.

Artiste of the Week-Fela Anikulapo Kuti

ALL HAIL THE LEGEND


Fela Anikulapo Kuti will remain evergreen in the mind of Music lover in Africa due to an Idelible mark he left as a great highlife performer, born in Abeokuta, Nigeria in 1938, was a singer-composer, trumpet, sax and keyboard player, bandleader, and politician. Kuti was one of Africa's most controversial musicians and throughout his life he continued to fight for the rights of the common man (and woman) despite vilification, harassment, and even imprisonment by the government of Nigeria. Born to Yoruban parents, Kuti was strongly influenced by both parents, his mother being Funmilayo, a leading figure in the nationalist struggle. Practically all of his records are dominated by political events and discussions from the approach of Pan-Africanism.

In 1954, Kuti joined the Cool Cats as a singer in that highlife band (highlife being the rage of the Lagos music scene at the time). During this period Kuti developed his own unusual sound which he described as highlife-jazz. In 1968 Kuti announced the arrival of Afro-beat, within the year was promoting his sound all over the USA on a 10-month tour where he became influenced by American jazz.

When he returned to his homeland he opened a nightclub, the Shrine, and changed the name of his band to Africa 70 (and later to Egypt 80). His bands traditionally included the typical huge line-up consisting of many singers and dancers, numerous saxophonists, trumpeteers, drummers, percussionists, and of course, many guitarists blending African rhythms and jazz horn lines with politicized song lyrics.

His music was intricate, rather than calling it Afro-beat you might more arguably consider it Afro-jazz. Entire recordings often consisted of just a few songs and this propensity for jamming set up a roadblock for Fela to attain commercial acceptance in the United States. He also abhored performing a song after recording it, and this led to audience disinterest in the U.S. where the people wanted their music to be recognizable hits.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti died on Saturday, August 2, 1997, at 4pm (local time) in Lagos, Nigeria. It had been rumoured for some time that Fela had a serious illness he was refusing treatment for, many said he was suffering from prostate cancer. But as it turns out, Fela died from complications due to AIDS. As Fela's brother, Olikoye Ransome Kuti, said at a news conference:

"The immediate cause of death of Fela was heart failure, but there were many complications arising from the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome".

Fela was a man with great influence in the African music world, he is irreplaceable and his presence will be sorely misssed.

Thanks for Visiting my Site ( O se pupo too wonu Ile mi wa..)

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Taiwo Akinkunmi, the Hero without Honor

INTERVIEW WITH PA AKINKUNMI TAIWO
(The Nigeria Nationa Flag Designer)

Nigeria as a giant of Africa is greatly blessed with both human and natural resources. In the process of this book, I decided to appreciate the effort and contribution of some people who did one remarkable thing or the other in our Country by putting their biography in the this book. That was what brought about the inclusion of ‘section 4’ of this book which I tagged –Nigerian Heroes/Heroine- where I revealed the biographies of some foreigners like Lord Lugard who did the amalgamations, Flora Shaw who coined Nigeria, Mary Slessor who stopped the killing of twins in the country and Mungo Park who discovered the river Niger.
As the research progresses, I just developed a thought in my heart that there is somebody left behind which I have to include. A man whose commands honour and respect among the over 20 million young ones everyday. Students (when singing national anthem) stands attentively to honour the flag of Nigeria which the man used his initiatives to design 48 years ago. Visit any School in the Country, you find it there, it’s hanged in many offices even in the Presidential villa in Abuja, it’s there and other Nigerian Embassies abroad.

Recently, I and my crew decided on a trip to give honour to whom honour is due. We paid a visit to Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, the man who designed Nigeria National Flag in the year 1958.

We were ushered in by his son named Akinwumi Akinkunmi and we had a brief interaction with Baba who just clocked 70 years on earth. Enjoy the interview:

Author : Good day Sir,

Pa Akinkunmi : Good day, you are welcome

Author : Can we meet you sir?

Pa Akinkunmi : My name is Taiwo Akinkumi, I hailed from Owu in Abeokuta, Ogun State.



Author : Sir, can we know your educational background?

Pa Akinkunmi : Yes, I attended Baptist Day Secondary School, Ibadan for my Primary education, Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan for my Secondary education and after that I took up an appointment as a Civil Servant at Secretariat Ibadan. After working for a number of Years , I decided to travel overseas for further education. I discussed it with my colleagues and they told me the challenges in studying abroad. I later decided to face the challenges and I traveled abroad.

Author : What Course did you study then and at which College?

Pa Akinkunmi : I studied Agric. Engineering at Norway Technical College and after my graduation, I returned to the Country and served in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Author : We all knew and believe that you were the one who designed Nigeria national flag in the colour green ,white and green

Pa Akinkunmi : Yes, of course

Author : Sir, can you let us know how the whole things happened?

Pa Akinkunmi: Yes, I was studying in London and on that particular day I visited the Library and came across a publication in the newspaper that competition is going on for the production of the National flag and the flag will be used in celebrating the independence of the Country.

Author (cuts in) : What year was that sir?

Pa Akinkunmi : That was the year 1958.

Author : So, what happened after reading the publication?

Pa Akinkunmi : I was so interested in the competition, so I decided to participate. I quickly rushed back to my hostel where I jotted down the details about the Competition. I immediately prepared my entry and sent it straight away to Lagos. Later, I received a letter that the entry I sent was picked as the flag for the independent Nigeria.



Author : Sir, do you have the idea of the total number of entry submitted then?

Pa Akinkunmi: There are were over 2000 entries submitted.



Author : And your own entry was picked?

Pa Akinkunmi : Yes.

Author : Did you receive any award or prize for winning the competition then?

Pa Akinkunmi: Yes, they gave me the prize of one hundred pounds (100 pounds)

Author: Who gave you that?

Pa Akinkunmi: The white men gave me as the man that designed the flag.

Author : Sir, after that time, have you ever received any award or honour locally or nationally?

Pa Akinkunmi: The prize then was the only one I received

Author : You mean when you came back to the Country you have not been honoured?

Pa Akinkunmi : I was in London when I received the prize of one hundred pounds and I’ve not received any award or national honor since the time I came back to the country. Although I received a lot of congratulatory messages from different set of people but I'm still expecting the Government of Nigeria to honour me with any National Honor