“A museum in Awka, unbelievable!”…”the shine is coming after the dust”…2nd Niger Bridge a reality…plus South East Digest…

“A museum in Awka, unbelievable!”

At least three highly respectable gentlemen made such similar remarks yesterday.  You can’t blame them, the centre of Nka n’uzu didn’t think it needed a museum until recently.  Thanks to Arthur Harris-Eze, CEO of Awka Museum Foundation, and his team, for deeming it necessary to establish a befitting museum for Awka.

Yesterday marked the soft launch of the Awka Museum Foundation as well as the formal unveil of “Clean Slate” a sculptural journey into mass, space, colour, and time,  an exhibition by four budding masters.  His Majesty, Igwe Ositadinma Sunny Nwokedi, Uthoko N’Eze Achalla VI, performed the two ceremonies.  He was joined by his Royal Brother, His Royal Highness, Dr Emeka Onuorah, Igwe Oraukwu.

Renowned Master, Professor Cliff Ezekwe Nwanna, guides us through the works of the four exhibiting artists: 

“The title of the exhibition evokes emotional response by revealing the inner feeling and building experiences of these emerging artists.  Such experiences are usually tough and turbulent.  The situation is made worse by the fact that more established and older generational artists often get more recognition and opportunities than up-coming artists.  Government culture organs in Nigeria such as museums, galleries among others seem to have abandoned their responsibility of catering for the development needs of Nigerian artists, especially the budding ones.  Thanks to Awka Museum and many other privately owned museum and galleries who are gradually filling the gaps.

“The genre adopted in the exhibited works is that of Pop and mythology conveyed through the evolution of reality, figurative and informal.  Works of Chiedozie Nwakanma such as Muster Point and Suntanned are anti-dogmatic and display ideas of cultural infiltration.  These works are reminiscent of Marcel Duchamp’s Ready Mades.  Nwakanma however, tries to retain his cultural identify in his works such as Twin and Mask.  Both works display a rich African animistic iconography. 

“Moses Njoku’s sculptures comprise of recycled perspex.  He employs the techniques of the “ready made” and casting from a negative mould aimed at decontextualisation and metaphysical absoluteness of detail.  These could be observed in his Women Leader and Body Builder.

“Elijah Nwali’s vision seems guided by a materialistic form of ecstasy, subject and object.  His metal sculptures are mainly naturalistic portraits and faces of youths (male and female).  These sculptures are inhabited by unintentional metaphysics and a playful displacement of the object humanized by the mood on their faces.

“Stephen Umahi’s sculptures are mostly recycled plastics and welded steel.  Umahi uses his sculpture as a means of creating an ideal world of beauty and good values.  He manages to animate his works through a subtle application of colours and forms.  His works such as Women in their Prime, Delightful Beginning and Songs of Hope have a humanitarian face and exude divine love.

“Generally speaking, the works of these four Sculptors are innovative, idealistic, bold and expressive.  There is still a lot to be done to ensure that more upcoming artists and upstarts are encouraged to remain in the art profession after training by government culture agencies.  Budding artists could also help themselves in tackling the challenges they face in their professional practice.” 

Professor Nwanna concludes that “this exhibition is remarkable and the works on display are very engaging, active, reactive and proactive, all in the praise of the Awka art school.”

The exhibition is on till December 22, 2022 but Museum is open every day.

 

”the shine is coming after the dust”

In the course of discussing how guests found their way to the Awka Museum Foundation yesterday against the background of several roads closed around Zik Avenue as a result of Soludo’s “state of Emergency on Roads”, we were led into snippets of Governor Soludo’s culture and tourism programmes.  After the construction dusts, comes the shine of a new Anambra.  Watch out for developments around Ekwueme Square and the new Governor’s Lodge springing up in the vicinity.

The biggest icing on the cake:  A themed park is coming to Agulu Lake shortly.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Finally Reacts to the Opening of Second Niger Bridge

Ohanaeze Worldwide has commended Buhari for keeping to his promise of completing the Second Niger Bridge.   The organisation described the bridge as a key national infrastructure, with immense socio-economic benefits for the entire nation.   It added that the clamour for a second Niger bridge became necessary shortly after the Nigerian Civil War.

 

(A digest of latest reports on the Economy, Industry, Politics, Sports, and developments around the South East of Nigeria)

ANAMBRA STATE

Soludo inaugurates Oil and Gas Development Committee

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has inaugurated the Anambra State Oil and Gas Development Committee.  Barrister Uju Ifejika is the Chairperson, while the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources is the Secretary.

Vice Chairman of the Committee is Engr. Ikechukwu G. Okafor.   Other members include the Commissioner for Transport, Barr. Patricia Igwebike, Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu, Mrs. Nkechi Obi, Prof K.K. Nwozor and Dr. Chris Ofokansi.

Others are Chief Tony Okwesa, Engr. Jideofor Chukwuemeka Etele, Barr. Anthony Ifeanya, Engr. Somtochukwu Mezie Okoye, Dr. Boniface Emengini, Emmanuel Nwabia,Mr. Francis Abuah Nwabueze and Barr. Anthony C. Madichie.

Governor Soludo told members of the Committee "you are all very distinguished professionals in your various fields.  Yours is to help us navigate through the uncharted waters in the state.”

ENUGU STATE

Multi-door courthouse

The Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has inaugurated the newly constructed State Multi-Door Courthouse building, in furtherance of its interventions in the state judiciary for efficient dispensation of justice.

The building, situated at the 3 Arm Zone, Independence Layout, Enugu, was named after Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo, the Justice of the Court of Appeal, who is an indigene of the state, for the “honour well-deserved.”

In his speech during the grand opening and naming of the building, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Afojulu Raymond Ozoemena, expressed gratitude to Governor Ugwuanyi for his administration’s immense support to the judiciary of the state, stressing that the governor has been “very supportive.”

Justice Ozoemena said, “the official opening of this magnificent edifice and symbolism of amity, accord and harmony is nothing short of a testimony to the commitment of Your Excellency to the furtherance of justice and peace in Enugu State.”

The Chief Judge, therefore, thanked Governor Ugwuanyi “for your unwavering support for the Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse and the Enugu State Judiciary.”

IMO STATE

2023:  Atiku in Imo, vows to resuscitate businesses, trades, stop Insecurity

PDP presidential campaign train made a stop at Imo with Atiku Abubakar promising jobs for young people.   The party's presidential candidate also stated that the southeast state has a special place in his heart.   He assured the people of the state that he would address the issue of insecurity if he is elected the next president of Nigeria.