PICTURES: The Day Fela Visited Abuja
In 2014 to be precise, the British Council in Nigeria commissioned my firm to conduct a study on the Creative Sector in Nigeria. The study was to focus mainly on capturing the demographics of art audiences and the consumption of creative art offerings, of various types, in Nigeria. I recall the project was signed off by Ojoma Ochai, Director Arts, British Council Nigeria.
You could imagine my excitement!! As an art buff, i super excited at the opportunity to lead a team of researchers to conduct a study focusing on my personal area of interest. As one would expect, the assignment offered me the opportunity of meeting and interviewing loads of interesting people and creative art personalities in Nigeria, such as - Nigerian Folk Artist and Founder of Eni'Obanke Art Centre, Segun Akinlolu aka Beautiful Nubia; Goethe Institute's Andre Schmatel; Wunika Mukan of African Artist Foundation; Muson Centre's Gboyega Banjo; Tola Akerele of Bogobiri House Lagos; Funmi Ogbogu of Negro Art Gallery, and Multi Award-Winning Journalist, Pelu Awofeso of Art & Travel Blog, Waka-About, amongst others. These are people who have excelled, contributed, and have continued holding their own various corners of Nigeria's art scene. I consider it a rare privilege listening to them and gleaning their insights on the creative art space in Nigeria. I leave the story on the findings of the study for another day, and possible another article.
However, one particular personality whom i also met and interviewed on the assignment was Bolanle Austen-Peters. I visited her at their Terra Kulture Office in Victoria Island, and she seemed very down to earth, humble, kind-hearted and inspirational. We must give it up for Bolanle Austen-Peters and her team for the huge success they have made out of Terra Kulture and the exhilarating theatre performances that have come from the stables of her BAP Production - Saro the Musical, Wakaa the Music, and most recently Fela and the Kalatuta Queens, chronicling the life and times of Afro-beat Musician and Legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Everytime i've had the opportunity of attending Bolanle's productions, they leave me, not only feeling proud of being Nigerian, but also with a deep sense of appreciation in the ability of Africa and Africans to change the narrative of the world about the continent. She has been persistent, consistent and committed to delivering excellent and high quality productions that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with leading theatre performances world over. Her successful exploitation of the Nigerian, or African, local content and heritage has stood out so strongly, for her to have caught the attention of local and international audiences.
In June 2018 (8th, 9th and 10th June), Bolanle and her BAP Team visited Abuja for a powerful 3-day performance of one of their major musicals - Fela and the Kalakuta Queens. The event was held at the NAF Conference Centre. Without mincing words, let me say the productions were lit!! Fela literally visited Abuja. I say so because i grew up in Ikeja Lagos, and lived very close to Fela's Gbemisola Street "Kalakuta Republic" residence, and watched him perform several times. I can testify from the perspective of someone who watched Fela perform, that they did a great job.
The band also did a great job, the use of the horns - Saxophone, Trombone and Trumpets at the opening and closing scenes took the performance to another level. They reeled out several of Fela classics - Teacher, Lady, Water, Over Take Don Over Take Over Take, Fela You Don Come Again, Authority Stealing, and others; to the excitement of the audience who sang along most of the time. The cast and crew were on fire, and that chap that handled the Fela role (Patrick Diabuah) did an amazing job. Another cast worthy of note was also one funny chap on Police uniform, who i think, also doubled as the Chief Priest at Fela's marriage of the 29 Wifes (don't know his name, but he performed quite well). Then one of Fela's wives who had the Ghanaian accent, as well as Osas Ighodaro who played Malaika. They all handled their roles masterly. The choreography and dance moves were beautiful pieces of art, that one could tell, it must have taken a lot to master all those moves. TO SAY THE LEAST, IT WAS AN EXCELLENT, PREMIUM PRODUCTION!!!
Hope you enjoy the pictures below:
If you've found this piece interesting, do well to share and leave a comment.
Blessings!!
You could imagine my excitement!! As an art buff, i super excited at the opportunity to lead a team of researchers to conduct a study focusing on my personal area of interest. As one would expect, the assignment offered me the opportunity of meeting and interviewing loads of interesting people and creative art personalities in Nigeria, such as - Nigerian Folk Artist and Founder of Eni'Obanke Art Centre, Segun Akinlolu aka Beautiful Nubia; Goethe Institute's Andre Schmatel; Wunika Mukan of African Artist Foundation; Muson Centre's Gboyega Banjo; Tola Akerele of Bogobiri House Lagos; Funmi Ogbogu of Negro Art Gallery, and Multi Award-Winning Journalist, Pelu Awofeso of Art & Travel Blog, Waka-About, amongst others. These are people who have excelled, contributed, and have continued holding their own various corners of Nigeria's art scene. I consider it a rare privilege listening to them and gleaning their insights on the creative art space in Nigeria. I leave the story on the findings of the study for another day, and possible another article.
However, one particular personality whom i also met and interviewed on the assignment was Bolanle Austen-Peters. I visited her at their Terra Kulture Office in Victoria Island, and she seemed very down to earth, humble, kind-hearted and inspirational. We must give it up for Bolanle Austen-Peters and her team for the huge success they have made out of Terra Kulture and the exhilarating theatre performances that have come from the stables of her BAP Production - Saro the Musical, Wakaa the Music, and most recently Fela and the Kalatuta Queens, chronicling the life and times of Afro-beat Musician and Legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Everytime i've had the opportunity of attending Bolanle's productions, they leave me, not only feeling proud of being Nigerian, but also with a deep sense of appreciation in the ability of Africa and Africans to change the narrative of the world about the continent. She has been persistent, consistent and committed to delivering excellent and high quality productions that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with leading theatre performances world over. Her successful exploitation of the Nigerian, or African, local content and heritage has stood out so strongly, for her to have caught the attention of local and international audiences.
In June 2018 (8th, 9th and 10th June), Bolanle and her BAP Team visited Abuja for a powerful 3-day performance of one of their major musicals - Fela and the Kalakuta Queens. The event was held at the NAF Conference Centre. Without mincing words, let me say the productions were lit!! Fela literally visited Abuja. I say so because i grew up in Ikeja Lagos, and lived very close to Fela's Gbemisola Street "Kalakuta Republic" residence, and watched him perform several times. I can testify from the perspective of someone who watched Fela perform, that they did a great job.
The band also did a great job, the use of the horns - Saxophone, Trombone and Trumpets at the opening and closing scenes took the performance to another level. They reeled out several of Fela classics - Teacher, Lady, Water, Over Take Don Over Take Over Take, Fela You Don Come Again, Authority Stealing, and others; to the excitement of the audience who sang along most of the time. The cast and crew were on fire, and that chap that handled the Fela role (Patrick Diabuah) did an amazing job. Another cast worthy of note was also one funny chap on Police uniform, who i think, also doubled as the Chief Priest at Fela's marriage of the 29 Wifes (don't know his name, but he performed quite well). Then one of Fela's wives who had the Ghanaian accent, as well as Osas Ighodaro who played Malaika. They all handled their roles masterly. The choreography and dance moves were beautiful pieces of art, that one could tell, it must have taken a lot to master all those moves. TO SAY THE LEAST, IT WAS AN EXCELLENT, PREMIUM PRODUCTION!!!
Hope you enjoy the pictures below:
If you've found this piece interesting, do well to share and leave a comment.
Blessings!!
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