TGIF! No better way to close this Top 60 @ 60 series than with a Top 10 in the Arts. For we are a Arty and hearty people, finding joy in little things, making hay at every opportunity. Life may be tough, but the Nigerian is built tougher.
Over the past 60 years, as Nigerians dispersed across the world and technology made interaction and exchanges easier and faster, the Nigerian culture (or different variants of it) has journeyed along. Today, the Arts now rival Sports as our biggest Soft Power and image maker.
Art is wide and varied, and it will be possible to pick a legitimate Top 10 solely from any of literature, performing arts and visual arts. But that will be unfair. So a good mix and match is necessary. I have sought to do that in my selection by prioritizing icons in different genres. The first 5 pick themselves so I dispensed with much narrative about them.
Please share your thoughts after reviewing.
1. WOLE SOYINKA
Nobel Prize Winner. He would have made the list for Civil Society as well, so driven has he been about human rights, freedom and democracy. But I had to save a spot for him here. Afterall, being the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature is no mean feat.
2. CHINUA ACHEBE
He wrote “Things Fall Apart” at the callow age of 28. Over 6 decades after it was published, its success is still unrivaled. Other works of fiction and non-fiction followed, further entrenching Achebe’s position as the greatest story teller to come out of Africa.
3. FELA
Iconoclastic musician who created a new music genre (Afrobeats) and combined it with protest lyrics that endeared him to the masses on one hand and set him on a collision course with military governments on the other.
4. HUBERT OGUNDE
The Father of Nigerian Theatre. Over 4 decades of “active service” with more than 50 plays to his credit. Pre-independence, a lot of his plays satirized colonial rule and helped in the struggle for independence. And once the colonials left, he used the same platform to rail against poor governance. An all rounder who also had several music albums to his credit, a number of his plays remain must-watch till this day.
5. BEN ENWONWU
Nigeria’s most famous sculptor and a pioneer African artist. His works adorn some of the world’s most important buildings including the United Nations. He was so good that a crater, the “Enwonwu Crater”, on the planet Mercury is named after him. A National Order of Merit (NNOM) winner amongst several accolades.
6. ALI BABA
Comedy is big business in Nigeria now. And a lot of that is down to the pioneering work of Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, better known as Ali Baba. There were many great comedians before him – John Chukwu comes to mind – but none got a grip of the full potentials of the genre like Ali did. Today, comedy shows are a regular feature of Nigeria’s social scene with Ali Baba as mentor to a never stopping conveyor belt of talents.
7. KING SUNNY ADE
The “King of World Beats”. 6 decades of excellence as Juju Musician and Instrumentalist, outlasting all his competition and still at the top of his game. One of the first Nigerian musicians to sign to an international label (Island Records). Twice nominated for Grammy Awards and a recipient of countless accolades in various parts of the world.
8. LADI KWALI
Potter per excellence. Took Pottery, a traditional art form of the Gwari people, to the world stage, designing and sculpting beautiful pots that attracted global attention and acclaim. Her innovative ways, including drawing geometric patterns (despite lacking formal “western” education) set her apart, leading to various awards including the National Order of Merit (NNOM). Her picture can be found on the back of the N20 note.
9. CHRISTY ESSIEN IGBOKWE
“Nigeria’s Lady of Songs”. For a couple of decades, Christy Essien bestrode the Nigerian music landscape like no lady before her. Her cross cultural appeal, accentuated by her multi-lingual skills, opened the whole country to her and enabled her music to travel far and wide. A pioneer, she was one of the founders of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and was the first woman to serve as President.
In addition to her exploits in music, she made a name for herself as an Actress, appearing in the drama series, “The New Masquerade” as well as several Nollywood movies. A trailblazer!
10. CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE
The one who collected the baton from Chinua Achebe as Africa’s master story teller. Globally acclaimed, she has written several books, each with an African theme that has enabled the world to view the people of the continent in a new (positive) light. Her promotion of Feminism has added to her growing profile, making her a leading voice in gender parity promotion. A potential future Nobel Prize winner.