By Uduma Kalu
The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Lagos branch recently held a Patron’s Day for the late former managing director of the Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB).

Shortly after the event, Uduma Kalu sought the opinion of Kayode Aderinokun, elder brother of the banker who was a patron for the writers and the writers, including the chairman of the group, Daggar Tola, the novelist and lecturer, Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo and the art critic/journalist, Ben Tomoloju.

We plan to immortalise him—Kayode Aderinokun

Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle, Aderinokun’s inspired work in central London.

Many did not know Tayo quite well. He was a quiet operator. He was a writer, not the conventional trend but he loved the literary art. He was an avid art collector. He was a promoter of the performing art. He was an inspiration to anybody who had any creative component in him or her. He just loved to encourage. He read voraciously.

I know of about three people who want to write books about him. Somebody wants to write his biography. There are too many parts of him that have not been reported or captured well enough. And of course he can serve as an inspiration. In Nigeria, we need models. We are very short of role models. Tayo will serve as a a wonderful role model. The now generation and the generation that will come after we are long gone, Tayo will be wonderful. So he needs to be documented. In writing in film. In all kinds of mediums that are available.

Hope his death won’t dissuade your family from the arts?

Not really. As a matter of fact, it will further inspire us to do more. Because one of us is gone- we were five, leaving the four of us…. we will now be more energised, more inspired, become more involved in the promotion of art and culture. As you know, some of are writers. Some of us are into painting. We will not relent. We will even become more and more involved now.

ANA will establish a foundation for Tayo — Akachi Ezeigbo

Tayo deserved the Patron’s Day and more. In fact, if they can institute a prize in his name, that will be wonderful. He was such a perfect patron. How many persons in the corporate world are funding arts? And he starting doing it even before most of them started.

In those days, he was the only one. And he was just a perfect patron. I remember in those days, I recall, being one of the writers, we would go to his his house once every year for that dinner or lunch he gave us.

Tayo Aderinokun, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Yinka Shonibare at the unveiling of the artist’s sculpture at Trafalgar Square, London in May 2010.

He was very motivating for us. He encouraged us. He made us realise that as writers, we can be hopeful. That we can look forward to a bright future. So I really appreciate him. That’s why am here. I had other things to do but I couldn’t do them when I heard that would be done for him. Let’s honour him.

A prize and a foundation

The chairman of ANA said they were going to start a foundation in his name. May be, they will have to scout for money. Maybe, a few of us may have to make some donations, no matter how little, so that the foundation can come up. Also, his brothers should be in it, I mean his family. ANA should also has a prize instituted in his name.

Daggar Tola —Chairman ANA Lagos

The honour for Tayo was not only for literature but for his contribution to the entire arts. For somebody who clearly understood the difficulties the arts are in this country and what we are going through, the kind of level of support he has provided has come in very handy to all categories of persons and individuals that have benefited from him.

Last year, he gave ANA Lagos a N100, 000. Coming from the kind of regime we were coming from, with a bank account that had not been touched, it was with that resources that we resuscitated the account of ANA Lagos. And it was like a big thing. He provided enormous support to artistes. He supported our Lagos Poetry Festival.

We are yet to get another patron. But on the literary prize, we’ve started discussion on that and people are beginning to indicate their interest. The family has also indicated their interest. We are sure we will soon have something for the generation public.

Ben Tomoloju —He built an empire

Tayo was a great gift to the Nigerian arts community and gift from God. We will do everything, from the point of his transition to prosperity with true reverence. Because he left, and plunged us into a sobering moment. But that sobering moment allowed us for great reflection. And such reflection makes us look at the man of the Nigerian cultural patronship.

I can say categorically that in terms of commitment, the advancement of the Nigerian creative arts, somebody who is supposed to be outside and who had no direct financial benefit to think about is about the greatest art patron that we have had. It’s no exaggeration.

Point number one. Point number two is that he causes us to begin to redefine the personages in the cultural landscape. Because we have had statements and statements. But we know that from the ancient time, it’s documented that a great statesman must also be a patron of the arts. We have some patrons like Newton Jibunoh…. We could look out for even Tayo’s views on the arts.

He could have done far more. So what is an empire? Let us look at the metaphorical empire and interpret it to mean somebody who builds a business empire…

And Tayo falls along that line. His business empire networks around the world. GTB is established all over. And as the bank is established, arts is taken into it to a point that he had to commission a great work of art to be mounted in the central part of London produced by a Nigerian artist based in London. When you look at this, you will see that we cannot do anything than to immortalise him.