Multi-talented artist, Akeem Lasisi, fuses poetry with visual arts in an exhibition happening next month
ALL roads will lead to the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, on December 10 when multidimensional artist Akeem Lasisi stages an unusual show entitled ‘African Citations’.
Panegyrics or oriki chant, as it is better known, is a feature of Nigerian music and poetry, especially among the Yoruba, but it is hardly showcased in a gallery setting. However, this is what the performance poet, journalist and publisher is doing with ‘African Citations’, which encompasses poetic tribute artworks with the musical audio and video performance of each of them.
The show honours the great strides of selected individuals, groups and institutions who have made significant contributions to the Nigerian and African societies. It showcases an array of professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives, destinations and institutions in a different style and orientation rarely seen in this clime.
But then, Lasisi has always been a courageous and experimental artist, labouring for three decades to fuse poetry with other forms to make it robust and enjoyable. We have seen this in his five music-poetry albums, ‘Post Mortem’, ‘Ori Agbe’, ‘Wonderland’ (Eleleture) ‘Udeme’ and ‘Comforti’.
He is now taking this further with ‘African Citations’, where he pays tributes to individuals including legal icon, Chief Afe Babalola, Professor Wole Soyinka, President Bola Tinubu, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chief Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, Professor Niyi Osundare, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi and Chief Kessington Adebutu.
The list includes Mo Ibrahim, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, accomplished bankers Tony Elumelu, Fola Adeola, Segun Agbaje, the pioneer Vice Chancellor of First Technical University, Ibadan, and Professor Ayobami Salami.
Also featured are the inimitable Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, Festus Odimegwu, the foremost art collector and patron, Prince Yemisi Shyllon, ex-Punch Chairman, Chief Ajibola Ogunsola and insurance doyen, Olabode Ogunlana, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his predecessor, Akinwumi Ambode.
The co-publisher of Yoruba newspaper, Iroyin Owuro, remembers his creative and journalism constituencies. He features Angelique Kidjo, Don Jazzy, the late Professor Chinua Achebe, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Kunle Afolayan, Mo Abudu and Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde.
A host of his mentors and bosses in journalism, including Channels TV founder John Momoh, Gbenga Omotoso, Tunji Bello, Kunle Ajibade, Dr Lasisi Olagunju and Steve Ayorinde are also featured in ‘African Citations’. All these are apart from impactful institutions like the Rotary Club, MTN and Chevron.
The journalist from Ibadan, Oyo State, equally acknowledges his monarch, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, in the exhibition, which will thrill viewers.
Commenting, the artist of ‘Iremoje’, ‘Eleleture’ and ‘Udeme’ fame explained that “the idea is to explore more possibilities with poetry. Over the years, I have built a bank of poetic tributes inspired by different factors but largely based on the subjects’ contributions to advancing humanity. Many of the personalities do not know anyone has dedicated, while a few do. I feel this is an opportunity to showcase them, celebrate the subjects and expand the frontiers of the poetic form,”
Adding that ‘African Citations’ has the potential to ignite twists and surprises, he said it is a continuation of what he has always tried to do with his performance and musical poetry.
“I have encountered many people and organisations during my 30 decades of performance, journalism and teaching adventures. I have performed poetry at many events. I have been commissioned to produce multimedia poetry. At the same time, I have had cause to admire folks from a distance based on various factors. Some of these have been produced into musical poetry and videos. They have been on air, online, etc. Now, the experimentation will berth in a gallery setting to become total,” he said.
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