Nigerian Newspapers
‘Why we make artistes out of children’
Alhaji Teju Kareem is the proprietor of Z-Mirage, a world-class set, stage and lighting design outfit that has set an enviable standard in the theatre industry in Nigeria. A graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Kareem has been involved in the Wole Soyinka Project and the International Cultural Exchange Programme designed primarily to empower kid artistes in the past four years. In this interview with Edozie Udeze, he bares his mind on the state of stage, designs, costumes, props and other salient elements that give beauty to the stage. He also dwells on the reason why they make school children to be involved in the arts early enough and lots more
You have been doing this Wole Soyinka Project since the past four years. What has the experience been like?
Yes, I am the producer of the Project W S and the co-producer of the International-Cultural Exchange Programme. All of these two are the events on the bowel of our open door series. Open door series is meant to be a forum where artistic endeavours are explored. It is a place where artistes also can use the medium for the advancement of the art, setting agenda in a way to give back to the society.
We started it four years ago. And the inspiration was mooted just over a dinner when I was doing a residency at Southern Illinois University in the United States of America. That was on the invitation of Professor Segun Ojewuyi who before then had the intention of bringing to Nigeria some students under an international cultural exchange programme. It then also occurred to me that we could do drama. This was to help increase and raise the bar of theatrical performance. It could be better too if we could use this medium to do productions. It could be double-edged.
Our endeavour was meant not only to improve on the practice, but to also educate, set agenda, sow seed; seed to change our value system and then target the children. This is so because we have been formed in our ways – the children are yet to be formed; in their opinions, in their ways and their thinking.
And if what the children do nowadays as adults and if going by what our leaders are doing and you leave that unchallenged, by intellectual input, by systematic engagement of the youths; of the unformed youths, we stand the risk of carrying over the coming generation our value system that may not be good for them. From what has happened in the Rivers State House of Assembly in the last few days you could see the reason why we need to begin on time to show good conduct to the younger ones. That is one of the points we needed to make by starting the international cultural exchange, tying it somewhat to the Wole Soyinka Project.
As long as the system does not have a mechanism to purge itself – a sort of inbuilt mechanism to check the excesses of our leaders – we will continue to have this sort of mess. But theatre is one way to indoctrinate the children; teach them the right way to go and to choose a profession of their choice from the word go. Coincidentally, our icon, Professor Wole Soyinka, has taken his time to focus attention on the youths, believing that we can start now to inculcate value system in them to avoid the mess we are in today. He sees the youths as the hope for the future and if we continue to develop them, show them how to go, we will certainly develop a new generation of Nigerians for all of us.
From the series of performances by the children so far, do you think the project is catching on?
You are very correct and apt too. I’ll put it this way: We are beginning, and not the children, to now know the capacity and capability of the children. They are vibrant, they are energetic and ever willing to be taught. They are ready to learn their cultural values if you teach them well.
They have always been having it. We also had it when we were kids. The leaders had it when they were kids. But these talents were not brought to the fore, or helped to blossom. That sincerity, that Jesus-like purity that is associated with kids, we did not carry it over to our middle age or so, is what is killing us.
There was a truncation; there has always been a truncation of that purity of social development, political development, cultural development and so on which have been truncated by our so-called leaders and also truncated by you and I too. So, we must help the children by imbibing that Jesus-like purity where the love for one another is totally embedded in us, in whatever we’ve chosen to do.
We therefore need to do that to allow that child who has the goodness in his or her to develop along his political, social, moral or religious bent. It is we adults that are beginning to lend the kids that listening ear. Unless the kid speaks we do not know what he wants. Therefore we need to listen to them; we need to allow them speak to let us know what they want, what they want to be. And how do we do that? Give them the stage to perform, give them biros to write; give them books to read. Allow them to be who they are as we guide and guard them along the way.
Our leaders should listen to them to be able to form policies of what our future should be. Rather than us enforcing ideas on them, thinking that we know, we need to watch them do their own thing to be who they are. This is one of the things we set out to change so that we as parents can guide them aright.
And with this essay they are writing for Wole Soyinka’s 79th birthday, you’ll be shocked the kind of deep ideas they display.
And they are writing under camera and not being guided by any one. The way they put it crystal clear, no ambiguity or colouration. They say it the way it is for you to know. The theme is Memoirs for our future and it is so timely and thematic for the kids to explore and exploit.
So, we’ve discovered all these talents right from the beginning of the project till today. It is growing and we are happy that every year the kids are growing in their own ability to set the agenda. Let them be the prophets; enough of going to the mosques, enough of going to the churches. Let those who own tomorrow prophesy about the tomorrow which is their own tomorrow.
As the foremost set design expert in Nigeria, how do you assess the level of stage designs in the Nigerian theatre?
Over the years, credit goes to my forebears; the Agboolas, the Marinhos, the Nasirus, and some of them who are also in the television. But one thing is obvious, one thing I make bold to say is that our colleagues in the artistic spheres of the practice have excelled so much. However, all of us, not some of us in the technical aspect of the art and the technology of the art, including the stage, the light, the costume and so on, are still lagging seriously behind. Therefore, we have through this made art very dull, dry and uninteresting. In some cases, we have made it ugly. What is our job? Our job as a set designer, a sound designer, a costume designer and make up and props man, cameraman and so on, is to magnify the beauty in the art. The publisher, his job is to magnify the work of a writer by putting it on pages, by laying it and arranging it to be published.
The stage designer is meant to create an enabling environment for the stage. In other words, we flesh the bone of a writer; the writer is the bone maker. We give the flesh to the bone. We clothe it and give life to it. But we have not been doing that.
We have as much relegated the art to past time practice. How? If we have not been able to clothe the art and for the eyes to go for it, then the same eyes reject it, we have not done well. So, this is what we have been able to do in our own little way – by giving life to theatre through the activities of Z-Mirage.
Currently, on what level is the Nigerian theatre? Sick?
Yes, sick. Theatre has too many diverse interested parents. Soyinka is a typical example. So also are the Osofisans, Bode Sowandes, Niyi Osundares of this world. Also the Bayo Oduneyes, Dapo Adelugbas, Ahmed Yerimas, the Niyi Akannis of our time, the Israel Ebohs, the Fred Agbeyegbes, and the Ben Tomolojus. Even the Jahman Anikulapos; they have all been so distracted by the unconcerned grand parent who is the government. So, the forebears that I’ve mentioned, who are their parents?
So they have been so distracted; Soyinka by being a world citizen and by being activist and so on, some by being academics and being locked up there. Jahman, for his ability to be prolific and multi-talented and so on. All these have affected the serious practice of the art by those who know it all.
In addition, the government has not provided the necessary security and so on. So, what we have today is sick offspring in the theatre. Today, the theatre is being catered for by quack doctors, by those who do not originally belong to the theatre. We have quack doctors in the area of directing, in the area of stage management, in the area of stage lighting, in the area of stage design and so on.
This is what we need to correct now to give life back to the stage and make the best out of it. We need artistes who went through the proper tutelage to give us total and professional theatre. And that is what I’ve always believed in.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: The Nation Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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