WE ALMOST FORGOT: QUDUS ONIKEKU THRILLS WITH CONTEMPORARY DANCE

After a successful showcase in Berlin, Germany, the much talked about Nigerian dance show, We Almost Forgot (WAF) returned with a bang, leaving so much to desire by the Lagos and Abuja audiences.

The Lagos premiere, which was part of the Lagos Live Arts Festival at the Freedom Park, Marina on Friday June 24, gave Qudus Onikeku more than the one thousand people he’d estimated will watch his show.

Taking a sweeping glance at the audience, you’d see in their countenance, a seriousness with which they watch the 6-cast create a non-verbal dance with so much melee (albeit bloodless) and a craze that typifies today’s society which in his creative philosophy suggests how ‘we almost forgot’ that the world was created with sanity and mankind was meant to co-exist peacefully.

Onikeku himself takes the lead in the one-hour drama, with an actress whose narrative further provoked the thoughts of the audience.
Complex but clear, Onikeku’s play uses high energy movements, singing and intricate music to tell a potpourri of stories of war, crime, starvation, abuse and weirdness where everyone is victim and villain at some point. The underlining message is that while the unusual has become the norm, we are reminded once in a while, of the law of retributive justice.

The Lagos leg of the show was followed by another in Abuja on Sunday June 26, hosted by the National Universities Commission, just as he is planning a Paris premiere on November 3.

The project has received active support from developmental agencies such as Bank of Industry, Goethe Institut, The French Institut and the German Embassy. This work, which is Onikeku’s latest creation, pooled its cast from Nigeria, Gabon, Morocco, Algeria, Madagascar & France.

Onikeku is a graduate of The National Higher School of Circus Arts, France. For close to two decades now, he has constantly pushed the limits of dance beyond the shores of Africa, he is part of the new generation of international creators, whose works are redefining and refining African cultures and philosophy. He is known globally, for his solo works, writings and research projects.

He was awarded ‘Dancer of the year’ by the future awards in Nigeria in 2009, while in October 2010, his solo piece titled ‘My Exile is in my head’ won ‘the best solo performance’ during the Africa-wide dance encounters ‘Danse l’Afrique danse’ in Bamako – Mali, and the 2012 “New choreographic talent” in France.
A TED global fellow nominee and a visiting professor to the University of California, Davis Qudus is a fluid traveler who shares his time between borders, but presently involved in various artistic projects, teachings and collaborations in Lagos, through The QDanceCenter.

FTK: THE NEW TWINS ON THE BLOCK
Apart from their striking resemblance and shared birth, Taiwo and Kehinde Falobi also share a common passion: music. And they are ready to take the music industry by storm.

With over four audio singles recorded and two videos, the twin brothers known as FTK started their music career in 2014. Determined to create their unique style, they attended a music school to groom themselves more in the field. Today, they are not only performing artistes but also play musical instruments.
The duo recently released the video of remix of their single ‘Gbe soke’, which featured ‘Konga aso’ crooner 9ice.

‘Gbe soke’ is a jamming hit and we chose to feature 9ice in the remix because he already has a strong followership. He is a talented and renowned artiste and we are glad he honoured our request to feature in the song.”
Other singles by the versatile RnB artistes include Assassin, Shout Out, among others.

Inspired by award-winning popular twin musicians, P-Square, FTK however would not want to be seen as a copycat of the duo. For instance, they prefer to dress differently. They are currently studying Mass Communication in Babcock University.

AFRIFF, Ford Foundation Sponsor Students to Film School
The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) and the Ford Foundation have provided capacity development for 15 students for a summer course in film production at the popular Montana State University, United States.

The beneficiaries were selected from the AFRIFF Talent Development Workshops sponsored by Access Bank and Africa Magic at the 2015 edition of the festival which held in Lagos. The initiative provides beginners and intermediate scholars a in their choice area of filmmaking.
The scholarship scheme, which is meant to advance the aspirations of these burgeoning talents, is an intensive hands-on training camp on various aspects of filmmaking with emphasis on documentary filmmaking.

Although 20 students qualified for the scholarship, 15 have been granted visa by the American embassy so far. They include 13 Nigerians, one Ghanaian and one Rwandan.

They are: Morakinyo Fapohunda from Lagos, Leke Oyeyinka from Ogun State; Kalu Nnamdi Anaga from Enugu; Damian Ashinjo from Benue State; Richard Odilu from Delta State; Tunray Femi from Delta State: Kelechi Nduka from Anambra; Dan Ikpoyi from Delta State; Osei Owusu Banahene from Ghana; Adebusola Adeboyejo from Ondo State; Kenechukwu Nwatu from Enugu; Alero Okorodus from Lagos State; Joy Igbe from Benue State, Susan Akalazu from Imo State, and Vanessa Uwase from Rwanda.

Ford Foundation has often expressed how their organisation’s vision and support for creative talent fits into AFRIFF’s capacity development for the Nigerian film industry, hence the partnership.

Also in the partnership is Arik Air, Montana State University and Africa Magic. Last year, the scheme had a total of 35 participants; 15 young film students, selected by AFRIFF for the Ford Foundation scholarship, and 20 upcoming filmmakers, who attended first-hand training at Relativity School, Los Angeles.

Programmes Officer for Ford Foundation, Mr. Paul Nwulu, said his agency is excited about the scheme, saying they already had proposals for 10 of the 15 guys who made the training last year. According to Nwulu, the choice of Montana State University was strategy owing to the quality of training they offer.

For Founder/CEO of AFRIFF, Ms. Chioma Ude, the scholarship is one in a series of other talent development initiatives of the six-year-old festival. According to her, the skill acquisition and youth development initiative was designed to use filmmaking as an authentic vehicle for youth empowerment.

FIVE WIN AT HUAWEI’S SHARE A DATE RAFFLE DRAW
Over 50 customers of Huawei and lovers of award-winning artiste D’banj thronged the Silverbird cinema at Ikeja City Mall for the Huawei’s Share a Date with D’banj.
The campaign, which kicked off on April 1, recorded over 500 entries, out of which 50 customers won two movie tickets each to share with a date.

The campaign, according to Huawei Managing Director, Devices, Leo Jianghui, is one of the ways the customer-focused company seeks to continuously delight its customers with quality products and unmatched experiences.

“We encourage our customers to dream the impossible and make it possible, and with this campaign we have made some of their dreams possible by organising a movie date with one of their favourite stars, D’banj”.

He further noted that “Huawei is a very fashion-centric brand and this is evidenced in the style and sleekness of our devices. D’banj is a fashion icon and that’s why we chose him as the celebrity date for this campaign. Our customers loved it so we are very pleased with the outcome of the event and the campaign”.

The ultimate charmer he is, the koko master waltzed into the cinema where excited winners awaited him. Many scrambled to take pictures with him before proceeding to the hall for the movie.

A raffle draw was entered by the winners after the movie where five lucky winners were selected by D’banj and rewarded with Huawei flagship smartphones and power banks.
The superstar in a brief interview regarded the campaign as a reflection of his brand personality.
“One of the things I stand for is visible hope. My fans are the reason why I am here, so any time I bond with the fans is always a great time for me,” he said.

POPS CONCEPTS LAGOS MAKEUP FAIR
It was a spectacle of aesthetic delight and great shopping experience for attendees in the city of Lagos recently as POPs Concepts, organisers of The Makeup Fair Series held its 5th Lagos Makeup Fairat Classique Event Place, Oregun, Ikeja.

This edition of the makeup and beauty trade exhibition could be said a unique kind in the industry as it had the INDIE Beauty and Wellness Fair (IBWF2016) for independently owned makeup, beauty brands and professionals introduced for the first time. The two in one event, provided learning and networking opportunities for industry practitioners, vendors, buyers, and makeup artists, and also showcased variety of cosmetics brands, services, and products to an interestingly engaged audience.

Amongst others, popular brands such as Maybelline, Zaron, Nyx, Elsas Pro, Lise Beauty Range, SoniaKashuk were present to showcase their products. The highlight of the two-day beauty show was the POPS beauty debates between international makeup brands and indigenous makeup brands as to which is better in relative to makeup.

The representatives for international brands were Tejumade Nwafor, CEO of Brushstrokes Makeovers, and Ngozi Oni, principal at Beauty and the Beholder, and the representatives for indigenous brands were Kunbi Fasaki, principal at Sit Pretty Makeovers and Ngozi Attah CEO of Jega Beauty.
Each participant had valid points for the argument but it was resolved that indigenous brands still has to up its game to be at par with the international brands.