The 2019 edition of the Lagos Book and Arts Festival, which begins at Freedom Park today, will celebrate more than literature and other art forms, AKEEM LAISI writes
Between today and Sunday, Freedom Park, Lagos, will host many players in the creative, educational and other industries as the annual Lagos Book and Arts Festival will hold. Featuring exhibitions, seminars, readings, performances and the unpredictable, this edition is particularly unique in the sense that it promises to unite the iconic dead with the best of the living. It plans to remind the present and the future of what have been, in terms of key players in the sector, who bid the world ‘bye’ in the last few months, while also honouring icons that netted some landmark birthdays during the period.
In this wise, even as the 21-year-old LABAF opens with a book trek and an encounter with some 15 writers, it will celebrate the lives and times of curator and founder of Contemporary Arts Centre, Yaba, Lagos, Bisi Silva; Okwui Enwezor (art curator and historian), Paul Emema (scriptwriter, film producer), Pius Adesanmi (culture activist and scholar), Eddie Ugboma (filmmaker and art activist), Molara Ogundipe (Literature teacher culture scholar), Stella Oyedepo (playwright and former General Manager of the National Theatre, Lagos); Jide Ogungbade (theatre director and broadcaster); Frank Okonta (filmmaker and art patron) and Idowu Nubi (a film editor).
Of course LABAF is also acknowledging the roles played by legendary David Herbert Lawrence, to whom the festival is dedicated. In the course of the events, it will, however, honour leading lights that include the Nobel laureate, Prof. Role Soyinka, who clocked 85 on July 13. Others in this category are:
• Tunji Oyelana at 80 – Musician, culture activist
The 60s Club
• Theo Lawson – architect, culture activist
• Segun Ojewuyi – theatre director, teacher
• Mahmood Ali-Balogun – theatre artiste, filmmaker
• Moji Bamtefa – theatre artiste, arts manager
• Tope Babayemi – arts administrator, activist
• Norbert Young – actor, acting teacher
• Jerry Buhari – painter, fine arts teacher
• George Ufot – arts administrator
• Edmond Enaibe – actor, art activist
• Kunle Adeyemi – visual artist, teacher
According to Toyin akinosho, who co-founded (with stupendously energetic Jahman Anikulapo) the Committee for Relevant Arts, which procreated LABAF, the feast will, as usual, feature a mix-grill of artistic and cultural events. These include exhibitions of books and arts, live reading sessions; conversations around books; seminars on visual, performing and allied arts; displays of paintings, sculptures, mixed media, installations and crafts; children and youths art workshops; live music, poetry, drama and dance presentations among others.
Its theme is ‘Emerge – Breaking into the New’, described as a natural sequel to the themes of the past two editions of the festival: ‘Eruptions: Global Fractures and Our Common Humanity’ (2017) and ‘Renewal: Towards a World that Works for All’ (2018).
Akinosho noted that the theme was premised on the notion of breaking free from the shackles of social, political, economic and cultural factors that inhibit the progress of the individual and the nation.
“Ostensibly, the theme will reflect on obstacles to the process of nation building, and human capital development – two concepts central to the philosophy of the CORA, and, which have consistently formed the core of the objective of LABAF since its birth in 1999 to mark the return of Nigeria to democratic governance after over three decades of military regimes. The thematic thrust of the 31-odd events that will feature in the week-long festival will thus examine issues around 20 years of Nigeria’s democracy; the shifting political events and discourses around the continent; as well as development in/around global politics,” he said.
He noted that each of the late stakeholder to be remembered during the festival contributed their own quotas to the growth of the industry in different ways.
And, concerning those to be honoured, he explained: “The idea of the yearly conferment of honours on select members of the culture-producing community is to formally acknowledge the immense contributions of each of the honourees to the development of the creative sector; essentially to spotlight them as role models to the robust tribe of younger artists, many of who indeed owe their career and successes to the generous selfless giving(s) of the honourees’ intellectual, moral and material resources. The honour is, however, conferred on such individuals as they each attain a milestone in their lives, starting from those clocking 60s and above.”
