Moments to Remember in 2023

High-wattage comebacks, growths, deaths and international recognitions were some of the highlights of the arts calendar in Nigeria. Yinka Olatunbosun reports

For a year that was largely marked by political intrigues, comebacks and controversies, 2023 was a year that saw an emergence of more solo art exhibitions from established and emerging artists, new galleries, cultural festivals and a higher altitude for the Nigerian music industry. Inevitably, the birth and deaths of artists were recorded too as the year wore on.

Fobally Art Gallery, Yenwa Gallery, Soto Gallery, Rele Gallery, O’DA Art Gallery, Affinity Art Gallery launched new artists and group shows that were quite remarkable in Lagos, a city saturated by art projects that command attention.  The opening of Galari in Ikeja was magical, pulling aficionados to the mainland thereby redirecting art traffic to the state capital. 

In the nation’s capital, Abuja, art exhibition organised by the Foreign Affairs Ministry proclaims the current administration’s foreign policy doctrine in different shades of artistic taste. Christened ‘Homecoming,’ this on-going exhibition is aimed at rendering the tenets of the present administration’s foreign policy intelligible to the average Nigerian. More so, it reflects President Tinubu’s so-called 4 Ds foreign policy tenets, focused on diaspora, democracy, development, and demography. 

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Nigeria and Oxford University’s School of Archaeology  announced a collaboration to build a centre of archaeological excellence in West Africa. A first of its kind, it is aimed at telling the narrative of the region’s past from an African perspective and developing student pathways for the long-term benefit of research.

This archaeological, cultural, and scientific research institute will be housed in the Pavilion, the first building within MOWAA’s Creative District, located in the centre of Benin City. 

West Africa’s largest art fair, Art X Lagos featured 10 galleries, a far cry from previous editions. Attention was shifted to promoting innovative art projects and giving voices to emerging artists. Art X Cinema was a new feature at the 2023 edition alongside art talks and a curated project in honour of the legendary artist, Bruce Onobrakpeya.

Theatre, Festivals and More

In the theatre space, the year saw a resurgence of performances on stage after the cash crunch period. The theatre and film production company, Kininso-Koncepts showed resilience with a production done in collaboration with Studio Dries Verhoeven in Germany to present live theatre in cinema. The production titled ‘Dear Beloved Friend’ was performed in Lagos Nigeria and live-streamed to theatres in Netherlands between March and June this year. Later on, it was nominated for the Golden Calf Award for Best Digital Culture at the Netherlands Film Festival and won.

Kininso International Film Festival started in 2016 focusing on performances for early years children and teenagers. Through workshops, educational resources aimed at the creative development of children from underdeveloped communities, the KIFT has reached over 10,000 school and non-school children. Since inception, KIFT has hosted international performances and workshops from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Germany.

Edo state International Film Festival, Ojude Oba Festival, NAFEST, Agemo Festival, returned this year to spark renewed interest in Nigeria’s diverse culture. On the international scene, Odunde festival which usually takes place annually in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ushered in summer for the enjoyment of Nigerians in diaspora and other cultural buffs. Renowned for being one of the largest African-American Street festivals in the United States of America, it celebrates the heritage and traditions of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

Also at the Lagos Fringe, ‘6 Hours,’ a collaborative art project by Nigerian photographer Bolaji Alonge and legendary Dutch Street artist, Ottograph was showcased at multiple venues in Lagos including the Freedom Park at the Lagos Island.

Two large-cast musicals, Kakadu and Saro marked their 10th year anniversary with comeback shows in Lagos. Hinged on Lagos stories, these musical productions contributed largely to changing the landscape for theatrical productions, making them exportable pieces.

Accelerating Afrobeats with Asake, Rema 

2023 was a year that catapulted the career of young musicians- under 30- in the Afrobeats genre. Going global, these artists have shattered glass ceilings without having to compromise their craft in the use of language and African sound.

In September 2022, Asake’s debut album Mr. Money with the Vibe was released, breaking the record for the biggest opening day for an African album on Apple Music on arrival. The album made its debut at number 66 on the Billboard 200 chart and recorded the highest charting Nigerian debut album in the history of the chart. His sophomore album Work of Art released in June 2023, became his second album to debut at number 66 on the Billboard 200.

His hit song “Lonely At The Top” hit a chord with Grammy-winning American R&B singer-songwriter, H.E.R resulting into a remix.

Having received Best New International Act nomination at the 2023 BET Awards, Asake won in the most coveted Next Rated category at the 2023 headies award on September 4.

In November 2023, Asake received his first nomination at the 66th Annual Grammy Award for “Amapiano” featuring his mentor, Olamide. 

A Mavin Records signee, Rema started his career with dancing, rapping and singing. He would later earn his spot on the highway to fame with the release of “Dumebi” in 2019.  He received wider recognition for his 2022 single “Calm Down,” which spawned a remix with American singer Selena Gomez that peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and led the United States Afrobeats Songs chart for a record-setting 58 weeks. These astronomical strides made the song the most internationally successful song in the Afrobeats genre.

Rema alongside Selena Gomez won the maiden Best Afrobeats Award at this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards. The famed singer defeated other Afrobeats heavyweights like Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, Fireboy DML, Ayra Starr, and Labianca.

Deaths in the Music Scene

Accomplished musician Peter King and fast rising street hop artist Mohbad both died a few weeks apart- the former in August and the latter in September. King lived quietly and the news of his death only made rounds within the older generation of music fans.

On the one hand, King founded his School of Music in 1982, in a three-room apartment in Maza Maza, an outskirt of Lagos, with an initial enrollment of 30 students, but had expanded subsequently. The school,  assisted by Canadian musicians Oliver Jones and Archie Allen as well as  the French government provides practical tuition and grants certificates and diplomas. It also prepares students for the professional examinations of Associate, Licentiate and Fellowship of the Trinity, Royal and London Schools of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

In January 2007, the French Ambassador in Nigeria inaugurated the new facilities of the Peter King school of music at Badagry, Lagos. Asa is said to be a prominent alumna of the school.

On the other hand, the death of the 27-year old Mohbad also known as Imole, aroused a series of controversies in the music business. The outrage arose from revelations of the artist’s struggle with the owner of his former record label, Naira Marley and his associates. Culminating in nationwide protests and replicas in other parts of the world including UK, US and Canada, Mohbad’s death was a turning point in Nigeria’s music history where artist-label feuds are rampant. Investigations are still on-going on the matter.

Another stinging tragedy was that of PelumiBaba with the moniker DatYorubaRapper who was found dead in his apartment in Lagos. He started out as a dancer and later concentrated his creative energy on songwriting. Long before the late Dagrin had his breakthrough, Pelumi had spitting Yoruba rhymes. He was original, but sadly, he never released a track.

He succumbed to depression and  found solace in alcohol. He lost his will as COVID-19 made it worse for artists who had to isolate themselves. In a post by a fellow colleague in the art, Mufu Onifade on Facebook, his final hours were captured:  “Pelumi, late in the night, began to vomit blood; and he did in excess. And that was how a fertile creative spirit took a bow from our realm to a higher realm for the next purpose that only our Creator can tell. And the artiste died!

“Sadly, for two days consecutively, no one – not even his colleagues at the Artistes Village – could trace his family members! That’s the life of the what they call “throway artist.” 

An unsung hero of indigenous hip-hop in Nigeria, Pelumi was well known in the arts community in Lagos and was a free spirit that roamed about the National Theatre and its Artists’ village for several decades.

His death should serve as a reminder of the consequence of not investing in young talents and failure to democratise opportunities; shortage of life coach and mentors.