2022: A Preview of Prospects for Artists

Great expectations glows in the horizon for the Nigerian arts scene this year, says Yinka Olatunbosun

Nollywood, Nigeria’s 3-billion-dollar film industry, known for its savvy stars, directors and producers has been a subject of global interest and curiosity for years. To make history, Nigerian-American artist Iké Udé has documented celebrities in Nollywood through photography and the pieces will be exhibited in a show that kicks off on February 5 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Arts in Washington DC. In this exhibition, Udé’s portraits make a glamorous, bold statement about African identity as an artistic response to the vestiges of colonialism and widespread racism that still threaten black lives on a daily basis. Each portrait embodies radical beauty by reclaiming, reconstructing, and redefining notions of African identity.

‘Stories of A Generation’ a Netflix documentary series which hit the streaming platform on December 25 features-amongst others- Nigeria’s leading female gallerist and artist known for textile art, Nike Davies-Okundaye. The co-founder of the Nike Arts Gallery has a career spanning over five decades with over 100 international exhibitions. With a record of mentoring over 3000 persons in arts and crafts, Mama Nike is a powerhouse of cultural heritage. This docu-series highlights her story of struggles, success and her role in promoting African arts. The docu-series which has featured Pope Francis is packed with inspiring women and men over 70 share poignant life lessons and pivotal choices from their remarkable journeys.

Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions -another key player in the arts sector- is set to produce a biopic on the legendary Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti having secured the rights to do so from the estate of the late matriach.

Directed by Austen-Peters, the movie has cameo appearances by Funmilayo’s grandchildren representing their parents. With a working title ‘Funmilayo; The Lioness of Lisabi,’ the movie is scheduled to hit the big screen this year.

Austen-Peters who produced ‘Fela and the Kalakuta Queens’ and other box-office hits like ‘Saro,’ ‘Wakaa’ as well as the currently running musical, OMG is deeply interested in telling stories of the emancipation of African women.

Lagos State is planning a mega art exhibition this year to revive the economy and boost youth employment. The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf had revealed that this Community Based Tourism, CBT, is an aspect of the State’s revised Tourism Masterplan which has trained 150 youths to serve as tour guides.

In the same spirit of promoting African arts, Kwara State is gearing up to be the next culture capital of Northern Nigeria. The state is constructing the Institute of Contemporary African Art, a purpose-built museum for visual and cinematic arts which is equipped with post-production studios, film screening room, lecture hall and co-working spaces. The museum will house art galleries, cafe, sculpture garden, bookshop and more.

Come July, Nigeria will receive some of its looted artifacts from Germany.

Thousands of pieces of Nigeria’s sculptures dubbed Benin Bronzes dated 16th to 18th century were stolen from the palace of the ancient Benin Kingdom. They are currently held in museums across the US, UK and Europe.

The maiden edition of World Yoruba Carnival of Arts and Culture, is scheduled for February in Ile- Ife, Osun State. The carnival is a celebration of the rich and ancient history of the arts, crafts, and culture of the Yoruba people, with a huge tourism potential and an avenue for job creation.

The previous year offered a glimpse into the widening view of entertainers and indeed creatives that have emerged in Nigeria’s burgeoning cultural scene. 2021 saw an avalanche of comedy skitmakers, towing the path created by the likes of Mark Angel Comedy, Debo Adedayo popularly known as Mr Macaroni, Nosa Afolabi aka Lasisi Elenu, and Maryam Apaokagi known as Taooma and many more.

2022 is the year for more discoveries aided by the digital platform. There’s no doubt that the restrictions on movement during the pandemic is one of the catalysts to the proliferation of skit making. It’s a low-budget entertainment format for the audience and an online portfolio for the artist. Many skit makers have landed roles in mainstream movie productions. More artists are expected to leverage on the available of apps to showcase their talents and interests.

Later this year, Nigeria will host the 2022 Global Information Literacy Week of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The five-day event will attract international visitors and strengthen Nigeria’s tourism potentials.

London’s Tiwani Contemporary, which has established itself as one of the most influential enterprises showcasing the work of African and African diaspora artists, will open a new location in Lagos, Nigeria, in February 2022. Tiwani’s Lagos expansion is a custom-built 2,000-square-foot space on Victoria Island.

Nigerian music marketplace will see more investors given the global popularity of Afrobeats and its wavemakers. More international record labels, tech companies and touring organisations would take advantage of the fertile ground for music business in Nigeria.