Boosting Ofala Festival With Art Content
Among very few yearly cultural
gatherings in Nigeria that have space for
creative and intellectual content is Ofala
Festival in Onitsha, Anambra State, so
suggests the 2015 edition, which had
sculptures unveiled and a group art
exhibition on display.
The 20 busts in honour of departed kings
of Onitsha and a group exhibition titled
Oreze III were not just flavours to the
Ofala Festival 2015, but what appeared
like the main attractions and creative
content of the event. More often, every
edition of festivals in Nigeria and other
parts of Africa bores you with the same
features and rituals that have been
repeated without innovation over the
decades or centuries.
For Ofala, however, one is not surprised
as he viewed the festival activities on
screen at a post-event gathering in
Lagos: the current custodian of the
people’s culture, His Majesty, Obi of
Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe,
is a passionate art enthusiast and
collector.
The screen unfolds, showing the Obi
leading some titled chiefs to the spot
where the busts were mounted just as the
red gele of the odu women in the
background add colours to the unveiling
by complementing the red caps of the
titled chiefs. Said to have been donated
by a Dallas, U.S-based native, Dinyeludo
Doris Okey Akpon Omezele, the busts,
according to sources, “are made of
cement” and by “palace artists.”
The art exhibition part of the festival,
curated by George Edozie and sponsored
by Globacom, featured diverse artists
from Nigeria and the Diaspora. “About
150 works of artists from across the
world were exhibited at Ofala,” so stated
Edozie during the post event review. He
attributed the large gathering of artists
to the fact that “the Obi has been
supporting many artists for decades”.
In fact, Edozie noted that such artists
who have benefited from the patronage
of the Obi cut across countries such as
“Germany, Belgium, U.K., France, Ghana,
Benin Republic, Togo and the U.S. who
sent in their works because of the
support the Obi has given to Nigerian
artists and others from all over the
world”.
Some of the artists included Abdulrasaq
Ahmed, Abraham Uyovbisere, Chinwe
Uwatse, Ato Arinze, Bimbo Adenugba,
Dr. Peju Layiwola, Emeka Nwagbara,
Godfrey Williams Okorodu, Joe
Amenechi among others.
In the catalogue of the exhibition, the
Obi confirmed the widening scope of the
exhibition, stating that “a growing
number of non-Nigerian artists are
participating in the exhibition, including
several first time entrants and a Cuban.”
Strengthening the visual arts contents of
the Ofala Festival as well as the Onitsha
people at large appeared to be the king’s
priority. He disclosed of a plan, currently
ongoing “to establish a museum and art
gallery in the kingdom.” The planning,
he explained, affected what could have
been expansive activities for the
exhibition, which was originally
scheduled to include “a lecture,
symposium and workshop.”
Outside Onitsha, the Obi’s support for
artists, even in Lagos, is well known. For
example, three years ago, a group of
artists, known in Nigerian art circle as
Onitsha Artists, got the support of the
monarch for the exhibition of paintings
and sculptures under the title Orakwue
(Let the Whole World Talk), held at
Alexis Galleries, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The artists included Afam Okwudili,
George Nwadiogbu, Arinze, Uwatse, Osaji
Dubem, Gaby Emengo, Frank Anamah,
Onyeoma Mbanefo and Edozie. They
were joined by guest artists from
Nigeria, Republic of Benin and Ghana
such as Abiodun Olaku, Alex Nwokolo,
Tola Wewe, Gbenga Ofor, Duke Asidere,
Agorsor Kofi, Fidelis Odogwu and
Domonique Zinkpe.
Special guest at Oreze III, Prof. Ola
Oloidi of University of Nigeria, Nsukka,
who declared the exhibition open,
argued that “Onitsha has been
internationalised because of the king’s
effort.”
Oloidi, a professor of Art History, noted
that quite a number of other efforts of
the Obi that have boosted the popularity
of Onitsha and the festival, adding,
“Igwe has brought innovation to
Onitsha,” perhaps such that no Igwe in
the history of the people ever did and
added, “No Igwe has traveled as much as
Nnaemeka Achebe, and no art exhibition
as big has happened in any kingdom in
West Africa.”
Celebrated every October, Ofala Festival,
according history, ‘symbolises a period
of re-emergence of the Obi, after a
mandatory isolation in community
mourning. For the people, the festival
‘marks the beginning of a new year.’
For the Oreze art exhibition, it’s a
journey that started in 2013 and it is
expected to grow stronger, Edozie
assured. “More foreign artists are joining
the exhibition next year”.
Professor Ola Oloidi (left), His Majesty,
Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka
Achebe and curator, George Edozie
during the opening of Oreze III art
exhibition at Ofala Festival 2015
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