Macmillan holds literary night

Macmillan holds literary night

The 12^th edition of Macmillan Literary Night will hold on Thursday, November 6, at the Agip Hall of the MUSON Centre, Onikan in Lagos, at 6:00pm, with a theme: The Rebirth.

Emanuel

This was revealed by the Chairman, Macmillan Literary Events Committee, Mrs Francesca Emanuel, during a press briefing on Wednesday at their office in Lagos. According to her, the theme reflects the characteristic responsiveness of Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Limited, sponsor of the event to the promotion of ennobling and productive values, essential to national development.

Emanuel said there is urgent need for a re-birth, a change of attitude, a re-instating of norms, values and tenets, which can have positive impact on the society.  The annual event is also aimed at promoting reading culture in Nigeria. 

She is of the view that Nigerians know their problems yet they blame others for their failures and refused to see themselves as part of the problem. “We distance ourselves as long as we are not directly affected. We are not concerned, as long as we feel we can take care of our own needs. We amass wealth by hook and crook, stupidly thinking that our wealth will see us, our children, and our children’s children through whatever ills befall our country. 

"All of us, the helpless, the silent, the desperate, the stingy, the greedy all of us are part of the problem. And when religion is used to foist mayhem on the populace, it becomes really frightening. When the society exhibits these symptoms, a REBIRTH becomes imperative. Hence our theme for pointing the direction for us to see, to address, to know and to actualize,” she noted.

She continued: “Faith, unity, honesty, love justice, honour, these are worlds entrenched in our motto, our anthem and pledge. Let these words guide our intentions and actions. And as usual, we shall utilize the various genres of arts to sensitize and entertain our audience in a refreshing different way.”

She added that this year’s editor will feature some Nigerian’s outstanding performers such as, Joke Silver-Jacob, Ihria Enakimio and Taiwo Ajai-Lycent, including the Crown Troupe of Africa.

Artists Connect at Temple Muse

With the globalisation of the world raising the boundaries on social advocacy, two Nigerian-born artists Uchay Chima and Jimmy Nwanne have joined in the discussion in the area of gender equality, girl child education and security.

Beginning from last Sunday at Temple Muse, Victory Island, Lagos, the artists displayed their recent works in an art exhibition in Lagos, which gave overview of social issues such as gender equality, girl child education, aspiration and security.

Nwanne

The show, titled Connections, showcases 37 fascinating multi-media artworks, opened on November 25. To the artists, the show was not just to give overview of social issues but to also advocate for women.

These artists are also connecting women and the world through their beautiful works with Connections. They seem to know almost the unspoken words, thoughts, motion and emotions of women and girl child, and insecurity of all sorts, which they presented in this show.

“I am interested in social and environmental issues and my work revolves around these. I have often questioned the issues of social crisis and inequality around the globe and have looked for ways to promote oneness and equality through my work,” Chima stated.

Chima

In their pursuit to advocate for women and promote girl child education through their works, most of Chima and Nwanne’s pieces in this show consist of female subjects, which are mostly young ladies.

Chima’s major works for this show are connected with strings as he chose to draw with strings rather than pencil, even though he titled one of the works: No String Attached. 

On the other hand, Nwanne’s works are connected in a way. One astonishing thing about his paintings is that they are accompanied with texts, which are very faint but readable on a closer look.

His creativity and craftsmanship are presented in a mature way in this show, even though he is presenting his works for the first in Nigeria.
 

Other works on display are: Ashes of Yesterday, Spire, and Allure. A look at Chima’s: A village Was Burnt Down, a mixed media of newspaper, charcoal and paint, one is immediately plunges into the world of torture, cruelty of Boko Haram, Chibok village and the kidnapped Chibok girls; and all the recent bombing in the country, an issues which is still burning very hot in the hearts of many. 

“What inspired it was when Boko Haram struck and the newspapers said 100s were burn in Borno State. I used charcoal to depict the houses and the newspaper represents the message,” Chima stated.

About the artistes

Chima is an established artist. He is known for his massive sculptures that

Uchay focus on environmental and social issues. A 1997 graduate of the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu State, he majored in painting and has had numerous successful shows and art residencies in Canada, the United States and Europe.

Jimmy Nwanne is a Germany based Nigerian artist who graduated from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka with a degree in Fine and Applied Arts in 2010.  You can call him a new comer because Connections is his first exhibition in Nigeria.