Nigerian artist, Yinka Shonibare MBE, last week became the first African artist to display artwork in any public space in Great Britain, when he unveiled his work “Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle” in London’s popular Trafalgar Square. The artwork is sponsored by Guaranty Trust Bank of Nigeria which earlier in 2010 registered another first when it sponsored Chris Ofili’s collection at Tate Britain, making it the first African corporation to sponsor a major artwork in Great Britain.

Nigerian born painter, Kunle Adegborioye who is currently based in UK is back in Nigeria with a special message to inspire and engage the Nigerian audience through his latest solo exhibition titled, My Voice; Exhibition of Paintings. The exhibition which opened on the 22nd May at Nike Art Gallery, Lekki, Lagos will run till May 29th 2010.

The first official visit of the newly appointed Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Abubakar Sadiq Mohammad to parastatals of the Ministry , penultimate week in Lagos was an important eye opener to the immensity of tasks expected of the Minister before the expiration of the 2011 national election year.

As the vibrancy of the stalactite catalytically fuels the mesomophic characteristics of the stalagmite, so also the insightful, effective and constructive usage of cartoons can precipitate multifaceted societal development. Hence essayist aldpous Huxley (1894-1963) said, “Parodies, cartoons and caricatures are the most penetrating of criticisms.”

The one day capacity building workshop organized for Culture Journalists under the theme; Media and Cultural Orientation by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation, NICO was a significant attempt at finding an interface through which the two institutions of Journalism and Culture can work together towards the socio- political development of the nation.