What makes a good book and what makes a good movie are totally different things –Seth Grahame-Smith
THERE is a new thinking in Nigeria that is making many of us look happy and continue to keep hope alive that our country would rise again from the present ashes of insecurity and insensitivity of the leadership cadres. The new thinking is how our arts and the creative sectors are giving a new valve and life to our country and making it a force to be reckoned with both at home and in the international community. All these in spite of all the shenanigans.
Gone now are the days when to hear Nigerian music on the airwaves was rare and even to see the movies in cinema halls are far and in between. Things have changed so much so that even when you want to lose hope on the rejuvenation of the country because of the dark and terrible security challenges all over the place, you are made to change your mind or pause before writing the country off. There are so many silver linings in the horizon or some spark of hope in the air that you tend not to give up.
In fact, I have come to the conclusion that if only our political leaders are wise enough to learn from the success of our arts and creative sector, this country would not be in the mess it is in now. The political and idiotic morass that we seem to be swimming in would not be our lot. Why am I ranting along this line today?
Those who have been following my thoughts on books and matters of literature would remember that in October 2020, I did a review of what I consider the most comprehensive and detailed biography of one of Nigeria’s greatest music legends Ayinla Omowura. My colleague Festus Adedayo, PhD,(https://www.naijatimes.ng/probing-the-fascinating-life-of-oloburo/) has documented the life of the musician for those who might be interested in his life and music. It is by my reckoning a fantastic documentation of that part of our national life which I recommended to all to have a feel of.
Recently I had the opportunity to watch the ace cinematographer Tunde Kelani’s rendition of the same subject. I must first state that the two are only alike in the subject treated. Kelani’s film is not a film version of Dr Adedayo’s book. I have read the book and have now watched the film. I can say that the two have in their own different ways done justice to the subject through their different world views. This has brought me to the need for more of our artists community to let us look inward and project what is our own.
The day I went to watch Ayinla the film, many of the youngsters who came to the cinema to watch, I heard them say, do not know much about him but decided to come and watch the film simply because it is a film while some others confessed that they came to watch because it was shot by Kelani! They have that trust in him that whatever film he touches is perfect! And they went home satisfied.
This brings me to the issue of strings of successes that have been recorded in our creative sector. Can our political sector borrow a leaf from this sector? No radio station or television station in the country can today successfully run a broadcast hour without playing Nigerian music or film. Is this not a sign that our country is not as bad and short of ideas as the political elites are making it look?
Think of strings of the success that the Fela The Musical by Terra Kulture have recorded across the world and many of our actors and writers winning accolades after laurels and shinning thus making our country to be heard of in positive light. Is there any award in the international arena that has not been won by a Nigerian or by someone of Nigerian descent?
With the success that the Fela The Musical, the Ayinla book and film have recorded, isn’t it time for us to go to our archives and do more about our great artistes dead or alive? We have a surfeit of them across all the regions of our country. I know my friend and fellow Bayero University alumnus Ibrahim Sheme has done a great book about Alhaji Mamman Shata, the great kalangu musician of the North. Can we have the film of it, not necessarily based on the book? Who will do that of Dan Maraya Jos, Zeal Onyia- the Obi of trumpet, Bala Miller of Kaduna, Cardinal Jim Rex Lawson, Osita Osadebe, Sir Warrior, Oliver De Coque- the Ogene master, and a host of others? It was only recently that Dr Victor Uwaifo- the eclectic Guitar Boy, passed on, why can’t we do more about their lives and let the world know about their exploits? This is also a salute to others who have done or are working on books of others great musicians that our country has produced. I know Tunde Busari has done his own about Chief Sikiru Ayinde Balogun (Barrister) the Fuji music originator.
