A THIRTEEN-man cast and I just returned from performing the London showing of Shakespeare’s play, ‘The Winter’s Tale’, on a stage built in honour of the bard himself. Shakespeare’s Globe is a replica of the one William Shakespeare practised on as an actor and playwright, and it played host between late April and early June to 37 international touring companies from around the world including the Nigerian-based “Renegade Theatre”of which I am artistic director.

IN every sense, it was another interesting session of talent hunt as school pupils drawn from about 50 schools, last week gathered at the Cinema Hall 2 of the National Theatre for the 2012, National Troupe of Nigeria for the troupe’s third edition of story telling competition.

NIGERIA can be a beautiful haven if we don’t allow her oil wells to soil her soul. She needs the creativity and the magical touch of the mystery of Arts. The nation is good but it needs to allow the Arts and entertainment to make her beautiful. We need to rebrand her but we need the clean artistic touch on her education, morals, environment and culture to make her beautiful.

AN anthology of poetry, Reverberations Abroad, a 107 page book with a lovely gloss paper-back recently published by Authorhouse, United States of America, is a collection of poems which echoes the voices of some Africans who live and work outside the continent.

Unoma Azuah and Chika Unigwe are two Nigerian contemporary writers that have through their works attracted international and local attentions. The two writers, who both graduated from the Department of English, University of Nigeria, Nsukka have been very prolific in their writing and have consistently used their Diaspora experiences to comment on contemporary life and debates.

Prompted by certain developments in Bayelsa state, King Robert Ebizimor, the living music legend of Ijaw from Angalabiri town, has artistically cast his Royal Majesty A. J. Turner as the Liberator of Bayelsa whose unsolicited liberation activities have given him immortal colours in the state and beyond.

Lagos State Governor, Mr.Babatunde Fashola and his Anambra State counterpert, Mr. Peter Obi and Chief Sunny Odogwu are among eminent Nigerians expected to grace- Ojukwu ceremony of tributes and presentation of the book: Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu: a Man of History, with the theme: “True Federalism, Citizens Rights and National Unity,” scheduled to take place today in Lagos.

Owo is a town in the present Ondo State of Nigeria, whose traditional ruler is Olowo. The city of Owo lies half-way between the cities of Ife and Benin, about 140miles away from Benin City, on the eastern border of Yoruba-land.

In recent times, there have been concerted efforts aimed at discovering talents early in children especially in the area of stage performances both by schools and non academic organizations. Such efforts have seen the young ones reenacting before the public, best selling works of literary icons in Nigeria and Africa.

Alex Nwokolo is one of Nigeria’s artists who engage in the exploration of forms and new media of expressions. As a talented colourists, Nwokolo explores artistic possibilities with his body of works, but in his latest exhibition titled, Authenticity of Thought, he is seen to have shifted his experimental ground from the usual paintings to the exploration of materials in a new body of works in mixed media.

Recent controversy sparked off following an exhibition of painting that depicts the genital of South African President, Jacob Zuma at Goodman Gallery , South Africa, has again brought to the fore the power of art as both an instrument of debate, criticism, commentary and social control.

IT was not the usual yuletide season for songs. But the Shell Hall, Muson centre venue of last week’s choir extravaganza event was decorated with brilliant colours that foreshadowed the season with lights dimming on and off. But it was not the season; rather it was another created moment for relaxation put together by the Musical Society of Nigeria, MUSON as part of its 2012 New Era Artistes concerts which have been running since January 2012.

AFTER several months of tinkering, altering and reconfiguration to develop into new forms in the exploration of materiality and the extant possibilities of working in various media in very creative ways, Auchi trained painter and one of Nigeria’s most talented colourists, will present his new body of works in a solo exhibition titled Authenticity of Thought, an exhibition of artworks in a mixed media .

Judging by the decency and simplicity that graced Femi Onasanya’s book presentation recently at the Function Hall of the MUSON Centre Lagos, it will only be fair to describe the launch as unique. The organisers, chief host and guests especially, the Chairman of the occasion and former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; former Minister for Industry, Chief Mrs Nike Akande; former President of ICAN and Chief launcher, Mrs Adenike Adeniran and many others must be commended for sticking to time.

During these years, we saw the gradual transition and the build-up of the nation’s entertainment industry.