By PRISCA SAM-DURU
The Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation’s (CBAAC)  annual Black History Month celebration held  last week at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan with a stunning number of Professors and distinguished men and women in attendance.

Tagged “Women in Africa and African Diaspora History and Culture”, the event was unarguably, a  programme richly spiced up with cultural performances that ignite  pride  in the  Africans.

Aside the cultural performances, there was a very accepted lecture delivered by  Prof. Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome whose researches on Africa and African women span over three decades coupled with an Arts exhibition which was woven around  the theme of this year’s celebration.

*Prof. Tunde Babawale, DG CBAAC addressing the audience while others listen

A special performance

A performance by National Association of Theartre Arts Practitioners(NANTAP) set the ball rolling. It was a dance drama that  had Africa and  the Diaspora citizens in focus and thus, prayed the people at the helm of affairs to strive to preserve Africa’s heritage and to  promote  peaceful coexistence where people will  live happily without fear of  any  forms of  terrorism, civil wars, fuel subsidy removal  and  all other  troubles in Nigeria and Africa.

Another performance by Kay-Jimmirri Song and Storytelling from Black Worlds had the duo of Dr Karen Wilson and Mazi Ajimmiri Amaechefu, whose names formed the group entertaing as they decried some forms of  bastardisation of culture in the name of civilisation through their well rendered folktale.

Ayanbinrin and the Tiwan tiwa  Band  also gave the most outstanding performance as  it  thrilled everyone with women drummers, leading in the drumming while the men responded, which was a testimony of how well women could perform giving the enabling environment. The group exposed the good taste of Black African History and culture.

The Honourable Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation High Chief Edem Duke, in his address, said ”the roll call of distinguished guests and accomplished individuals present at the event makes the Black History Month celebration, a memorable platform for the celebration of achievements of African Women and Women in African diaspora and the appreciation of their modest contribution to continental growth and development.”

The Minister who was represented by his Director of culture, Alh. Murktar Abdulkadir noted that this year’s celebration which honours women, is aimed at “redirecting attention to the importance of women in the society particularly in the quest for  appreciation and proper placement within the society, adding, that weaving the theme around women speaks volume of the nations desire to return Nigeria to the path of greatness with women playing vital part.”

Continuing, he  added that “Women have been breaking barriers and changing the way the world functions, and this year’s theme is appropriate and timely because despite the different climes and situations in which women operate, they still work hard to contribute their quota in support of their families, earning a living and living decent life”, He explained.

In her detailed lecture titled “Gender, Power and Leadership in the Culture of Africa and its Diaspora”, the guest lecturer,  a professor of Political Science at  Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Prof. Okome,  said that one of the undermining factors to women’s development is that when people behold powerful women, they mistakenly term them aggressive and also, when women enter politics, the media focuses on trivialities such as their fashion sense rather than engaging  their skills and  all the resources that  they have  to offer.

She also noted that women are badly represented in politics and that there exist some cultural contexts which produce some dreadful  handicaps to the public appreciation of woman’s worth  and therefore warned that people should not take a simplistic understanding of culture as a final word, since African culture is homogeneous.

Citing Prof.  Bolanle Awe who was Chairperson at the event as an example of a powerful African woman in African history, Okome noted that Awe and other pioneers such as  late Nina  Mba, Princess Inikpi of Igala , Efunsetan Aniwura, Iyalode of Ibadan, Madam Tinubu, Queen Amina of Zaria, Queen Kambassa of Ijaw, Owari of Ilesa and Fumilayo Ransom-Kuti as some  of the women who began the work of recording African woman’s history, an effort which makes them relevant to contemporary social needs.

In his welcome remarks, Director General of  CBAAC, Prof. Tunde Babawale  said that  the Black History Month is used to direct attention to matters of concern to Black and African peoples across the world and to reecho the triumph of Africans over forces of  domination, discrimination and exploitation as well as to showcase to the world, the tremendous contributions of Black people to world civilisation.

“Choice of theme this year was informed by the need to acknowledge, showcase and celebrate contributions of women in Africa and African diaspora and also to direct attention to importance of women to the desire for national and continental development and bring to the fore, challenges African women face and ways to surmount them”, He stated.

Capacity building, a priority — Edem Duke

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke has reiterated the commitment of his Ministry to enhancing capacity in the creative and cultural industries.

Speaking in Abuja while receiving the Chief Executive Officer of Educor Africa, Mr. Julian Kannigan and Director, Trade and Industry, South African High Commission, Louisa Buthelezi, Edem Duke said the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation has a huge mandate for training and would ensure that capacity in the creative, cultural, hospitality and tourism sectors is strengthened in order to take advantage of the existing and emerging possibilities in these areas.

He described Educor as a partner in the provision of education with strong culture content, one of the platforms Nigeria requires for national rejuvenation and  sustainable development.

The Minister said the Government of Nigeria is creating a conducive environment for investors in the creative, cultural , tourism and other industries that could galvanize the economy and lead to social transformation.

Responding, the representative of Educor in Nigeria, Mr. Julian Kannigan said his organization is poised to providing multimedia education and training for Nigerians in Broadcasting, Acting, Directing, Animation, Photography and other areas of creativity. He expressed the readiness of his organization to work with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation in this regard.