I shall dedicate this paper to Hubert Adedeji Ogundemuren of blessed memory, the first artistic director cum choreographer of the National Troupe of Nigeria who first introduced the contemporary dance art into Nigeria without us taking notice. The popular “fishermen dance” in Nigeria today is not the traditional fishermen dance but the one modernized by Hubert Ogunde himself.I shall attempt to make this as simple as possible because my immediate target without doubt are the dancers, most importantly, the practicing dancers. The practicing dancers here constitute mostly, the so-called “contemporary dancers” or “dancers of the contemporary age”. Now, before I veer into this excruciating and almost bizarre realm in our cultural failure, I shall first say WELL DONE to “Dance Meets Danse”, its pioneers and the French Cultural Centre for helping us (Nigeria) at least to sustain our cultural heritage even though some believe it is another neo-colonization move by the French. In my view, globalization has helped to empower cultures of the world, the people and consequently, our practices amongst which we have the dance art.
Globalization and Empowerment
It simply translates that the people of the world; races, ethnic groups, tribes etc, etc are one and by virtue of that togetherness, we have become stronger or should have become stronger. My views here may not be entirely right but correct me if am wrong, cultures must be opened up to one another to foster our world today. However, rather than getting stronger, countries in Africa have degenerated into oblivious sentiment termed CONTEMPORARY. Let me step a little further to unwind this discourse. What is contemporary? Contemporary means; TODAY, things in fashion, igba to de or n kan igba tode, and like I mentioned in one of my books, that no fiction can be achieved without its reality lurking around somewhere. If the African cultural institutions had done enough over the years to preserve their culture(s) the right way, the issue of cultural neo-colonization would not have arose. These freelance dancers or dance companies of today are merely reacting to global sensitization. Would it be right then to blame the French or any other European, American or even Asian countries as we have seen lately, of cultural enslavement? For years, African countries have recorded politics and only politics as the only contemporary issue. We have recorded the histories of successive coup-de-tat, step asides and democratic manipulations so well that primary two pupils render them like poetry recitation in our schools but they have done that without consideration for other items of governance especially for the Arts - one of nature’s gifts to humanity. Today, we shout wolf where there are none.
Infrastructural Empowerment
When the necessary tools of work are not available, one is likely not to produce anything. That has been the lot of the practitioners here before now. Therefore, when the FCC came with their anxiety of a new way of dancing or making dance relevant in the world of today tagged CONTEMPORARY DANCE, it was a way of helping to prepare our dancers for what is to come in the cultural sector in Nigeria I suppose. Well, quite rightly, Mr. Frank Ogbewu – the Minister for Culture and Tourism hooked onto it by yielding to the right advice, re-fixing the National Arts theatre. Infrastructure is a basic principle of empowerment: it is simply building a road to success. Let us step away briefly from this patriotism sentiments. The FCC over the years had not only provided infrastructure but also finances too to ensure that their campaign of contemporary dance in Africa is firm. Therefore, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism should not relent in its current bid to revamping the cultural sector by just providing or re-fixing infrastructures as he is doing with the National Arts Theatre presently. The Ministry must also provide the initial funding to initiate good programmation to lure investors both within and outside the country to participate fully and actively in the culture sector. After all, liberalization is the keyword in the investment of culture/arts and tourism. The culture of a people is not a mere commodity of livelihood but life itself and you do not sell your life to correct it. The culture of a people is a veritable organ of governance; therefore, the government must do everything to protect and preserve it and not give it away to “wolves” all in the name of privatization rather, the government should liberalize it while holding on to its nucleus. The recent appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer for the National Arts theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria by government is indeed the right direction to go. To privatize the culture/arts of a people is like giving away the governance of a nation. Privatization is outright sale while liberalization is about making the right policies to open-up and foster the growth of the sector for investment opportunities and funding adequately. Charles Soludo, the governor of The Central Bank of Nigeria came in and helped to empower the Banks. Today, the banks are bracing up to invest in creditable businesses. If the government helps the culture/arts and tourism sector very well to package itself to liberalization, our culture, arts and tourism is worth more than oil I dare say.
Associational Empowerment
It is a shame that none of our professional associations; Dance Guild Of Nigeria – DAGON, National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners – NANTAP of which DAGON is an affiliate is capable of organizing a festival of such consistence that is capable of empowering the individual dance artiste. Rather our associations organize annual festivals for executive show-off; to give impression that they are still in charge. Therefore, the festival has no particular agenda but a fiasco or “gyration” as usually called by the dancers. Once again, I say well-done French Cultural Centre, Lagos, merci monsieur Joel Betrand for helping to organize the idea of these young lads into that which will empower them to serve themselves, the nation and the continent better. However, there are slips, which I believe could easily be taken care of if the members of committee Dance meets Danse are able to suppress their greed for power and unnecessary manipulations, nepotism and all other negative attitude towards developing the dance meets danse festival and at large, the Nigeria dance industry. If our professional association are failing to give the dance practitioners the required integrity yet, those of you who have opportunity of being a part or partners in organizing this mini dance festival, should institutionalize it properly instead of making it look merely like a French Cultural Centre affair. By institutionalizing, I mean, registering the festival with Cooperate Affairs Commission or any other such agency responsible for festival registration in Nigeria.
2. Set up a board of trustee of notable and influential people in Africa.
3. Set up a board of directors of notable practitioners in Nigeria.
4. Identify the group of technical partners of which government agency and French Cultural Centre should be members.
With this arrangement, focusing the festival to empower the nation will be more firm, and to empower a nation is to build the integrity of an individual ultimately. I hope that our associations will take examples from these arrangements to provide adequate security to members, return to our trenches to re-organize ourselves for the challenges of tomorrow and consequently the successes. It is pertinent that we begin to learn how to do things properly without politicking where professional conduct and decisions are required rather than revel in assumptions and mediocrity.
The Dancer
The average dancer in Nigeria and perhaps in Africa is a college dropout presumably. I may sound crude and insulting but this is our reality, and it is better to know the problem in order to know the easiest way to fix it. Dr. Ahmed Yerima once wrote in one of his articles that we were dancing on one leg, but now, I think we are beginning to dance on a toe. I expect that by now, some of the most senior dancers who have gained the opportunity of enough education in theatre/dance and have had the responsibility of helping to organize and train national troupes of other countries outside Nigeria, should have known that the nation needs dance colleges now more than ever. Nigeria is one of the under-developed countries of the world and one of the reasons is illiteracy. In trying to step-up its activities in education sector, the federal government of Nigeria privatized universities and colleges. Now I think is the right time for the likes of Arnold Udoka, Bakare Ojo Rasaki and Peter Badejo who are presently the “achievers” in the dance practice to canvass for a Dance College. To put their resources together to begin to agitate for a formidable dance industry through articulation of the already yearning and ready to learn students of dance as seen with different displays of dance troupes resident at the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Iganmu Lagos. It is your time to help empower them. Western form of learning is not the only form of education. Dayo Liadi, Abel Utuedor, Aliu and some few others are a typical example of learned fellow in the art of dance through firstly, Muyiwa Oshinaike who later lost focus in dance practice sooner than later. Then they moved on to the Dance School of Choreography in Senegal under the tutelage of the notable Jamine Achone. Today, they are like a brass, come rain, come sun they shine… and before I forget to mention it, to start a dance school would only cost us at the beginning, the registration and a dance studio then other things follow.
Conclusion
The spate of brain drain that has occurred over the years in the art sector particularly the dance industry is heart aching. The Nation has lost notable youths to their assumed green pastures in other countries, they always assume this greener pastures, only for them to get there and find out that those greener pastures they assumed are actually grey and sometimes black pastures. What more then, they turn to clean tables and sweep the street in Europe or sometimes work in some remote farm where their salaries are not paid directly into their own account but into the account of the “slave master” who helped them to cross the red sea into Europe or America. We have seen worst, so many talents, gone! The one that pains more is the illusion of performing abroad under which many dancers are practicing now, and when they finally perform abroad; their pay packs are not commensurate to the work. Therefore, the dancer is forced to make the decision of either running away or come back home and face the shame. Then there are many who impersonate the artistes to seek for visas to travel abroad… this problems are too numerous, but be assured that if everyone of us are ready to do our bits to empower these young lads, these ever promising professional dancers in Nigeria, including the Government agencies, edumare knows, the sky is the limit. Once again, I say happy celebration to you all.
Makinde Adeniran
A paper delivered at Dance meets Danse 2006
