By Japhet Alakam

The Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) in collaboration with The Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) last week, again demonstrated its readiness to meet its mission of taking art to another level of relevance with the successful hosting of the 1st International Convention on Art and Development (CONADEV), 2010.

The 2 day event which brought art lovers, patrons, artists, art scholars and others from all parts of Nigeria and beyond with the theme, Engaging Art as a Tool for Sustainable Development was held at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island.

( L-r)- Prof. Adetoro, Mrs. Ekene Okoroma, rep.of the Ag. DG National Gallery and Uwa Usen, SNA President.

For the two days event, art scholars and patrons from all over the country especially those, from the tertiary institutions brain stormed on a number of important topics, which looked into the correlation between art and the nation’s development in the last fifty years of Nigeria as an independent country and how that nexus of relationship can be improved upon in another fifty years.

Different presenters
In all, a total of 32 papers were presented by different presenters at the event and despite the fact that most of the programmes did not come out as planned, a situation that made the organisers resort to shifting arrangements for the lapses, the conference lived up to its bidding as it succeeded in examining the various aspects of arts, how it has faired, its challenges and contributions to national development.

The day started with a key note address by the master print maker and one of the patrons of the art industry, Dr Bruce Onabrakpeya. In a well thought address, the man who has taken Nigeria art to many corners of the globe debunked the views of those who felt that art has not done anything to the development of Nigeria by saying that art has done much but argued that society has failed to realise this.

He went on to highlight some of the contributions of art to the nation. According to him “our art works which were formally in the shelves can now rob shoulders with others all over the world.” Art, he said, has helped to give expression to people’s feelings”and led to the development of the industries and have provided jobs to many jobless youths. Art has also generated a lot of income to many Nigerians as art works are now sold in millions.”

Continuing he recalled that the great FESTAC ‘77 hosted by Nigeria brought to Nigeria, the building of the Festac Town, the National theatre, the Durbar Hotels and other hospitality homes for the country. For this reason “many communities and towns have become tourist sites because of art including Oshogbo, Abuja and Calabar.”

In Onobrakpeya’s view “ the evolution of the secondary art market and, the galleries have brought many artists to limelight through series of exhibitions. The introduction of the art auctions by the proprietors of Nimbus gallery and Chellerams was another development that changed the face of art collection in Nigeria.

Another important contribution”according to the Septuagenarian artists was the development of art industry through workshops, an informal educational system that train young artists like the Harmattan workshop that holds at Agbarho Ottor in Delta State, Nike Art Centre in Lagos and Oshogbo amongst others.
Despite all these contributions, Dr Onabrakpeya also disclosed that there are many things that should still be done better. He suggested that government should ratify conditions that can make the practice of art viable in the country and that the copyright council should enforce the edict that allows an artist to continue to enjoy royalty from his works.

Dr Frank Ogiomah of University of Port Harcourt who presented the lead paper stated that art has been a very good tool in the development of the nation because it is central in fostering development in all human initiatives. But he pointed out that the place of art in our school curriculum are not relevant to the new trend and advised for the need to borrow from others if art is to move forward, for according to him “old cultures must give way for new ones to come up.”

Many other papers were presented by those whose papers were ready, among them were Kehinde Adepegba, who presented a paper titled, Se Owo N Ya?: Rhetoric and Reality of Economic Viability of Art Criticism in Nigeria; Change and Continuity in Igbo Pottery Production: Theoritical Perspective by Dr. Egwu Ali Vincent; Art as an Instrument for the Promotion of Culture and Tourism in Nigeria by Lawani Sunday; Fostering the Social Integration and Empowerment of Nigerian Youths: The Role of Visual Arts by Dr. Ebeigbe Sweet among others.

At the end of the conference, a communique was issued which read that after 50 years of professional art and design practice in relation to sustainable development, art is yet to be integrated into governance and society. The communique therefore demanded that governments and NGOs should encourage research through the appropriate bodies in art design and cultural development. Secondly, that government should publicise research findings and encourage their utilisation, and thirdly, that government should implement an art endowment fund.

Earlier in his opening address, the national president of SNA, Uwa Usen described CONADEV as a product of sustainability and a constant reminder of how the goals and aspirations of projecting into the future can be developed to their highest levels.

The event also featured an exhibition that featured about 40 works of some SNA members and some international artist at the Harmattan Gallery, Victoria Island.

Among those that graced the occasion were Prof. Sheriff Adetoro, Dr Bruce Onabrakpeya, Kolade Oshinowo, Chief Frank Okonta, Mrs Ekene Okoroma who represented the DG national gallery, Prof Tony Mereni, Mr Sam Ovarati, Oliver Enwonwu, Uwa Usen, Dr Best Ochigbo , Dr Frank Ugiomah, Ademola Azeez and others.