jumoke Sanwo

VVF

2016-01-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

...the trailing scent of waste
Potentially fingers and isolates
She makes her way to tell her story
Her recount of events
Leaves a sense of heaviness
She is left with the pungent reminder of an encounter she would rather forget
The lingering scent of our waste land.
Leaves a feeling of hopelessness
Thoughts on mans inhumanity to mankind.

Love in the Time of Transition

2015-09-06T03:19:00.000-07:00

I lost the will to write... I arrived at this stage gradually from a variation of stages I went through since my last post. Initially it was due to love... That state of been that allows you to mentally and physically exclude all but one. I wanted to bask only under the glow illuminated by the soul of an individual, then it was due to heartbreak that wrenching pain felt from a loss especially one which came unexpectedly. As an aquarian my feelings are little more intense (I guess than normal) but with intensity comes a general aloofness and detachment to emotions when necessary, and this mode I often employ especially in the last few months to deal with my current reality... logically, then it was due to the fact that I was happy... the sort of giddiness that comes from inner joy and contentment ...I was overwhelmed by my art and all that came my way this year as well as the possibilities of what is to come.

I constantly evolve as a being and this coupled with life's ups and downs results in my constant review of my views on life and the notions of how we are meant to live. I think the best way to live is to live, Day by day onward and open to change, which is the constant. Evolving through the dynamics, learning not to get in my own way and letting nature take its course.

As a citizen of the country of my birth and the place I call home I experienced a shift in our collective consciousness in the last 12months which culminated in the change in government. For the first time in our history as Nigerians we transitioned peacefully and the good guy won! I am learning to be a good citizen after years of abusive dispensations it is important to note that in reshaping our collective destiny we must first shape our individual outlook. But the story is just beginning...

2015 was the year I fell in love, with a remarkable individual with a depth of soul, in their struggle with life and trying to understand their existence, this person continually lived in order to understand their role in life, irrespective of challenges and sometimes missteps, this individual keeps evolving, as a tumble weed in autumn taking shape as the wind pushes its direction, this person was me.
I realised I had struggled all this while to love and to try to love without showing myself the same intensity. I sort outwardly what I out to bestow on myself and constantly expecting reciprocation with disappointing results. Been a true romantic I have a somewhat idealistic notion of love; show love and surely you would be shown but now I realise people can only give what they have. Dry sand only keeps absorbing it is pertinent to accept this. I was once on the other side so I understand this behavioral pattern. Through life I have learnt to tamper my expectations with heavy doses of worst case scenarios this allows room for eventualities and usually those often come but when they do it is less daunting to surpass.

My idea about life is simple, everyday is a new day fresh with possibilities and everyday could very well be my last all hopes could come to naught. This realistic perspective makes me view each day as a gift, like a child unraveling a present I wake up full of gratitude and happiness,this puts less strain on the soul, it makes it easy to live to the fullest, It makes me kinder in my dealings, it makes me focus only on the important things.

Through self love I have found the control to choose who I surround myself with, my countenance depicts how I wish to be treated by others, the list is endless from acquaintances to friends to siblings to parents to relatives and most importantly to lovers. I find that due to my intense self- love affair I expect and demand less from people because I am already coming from a place filled with ampleness of being, full and overflowing therefore I am less needy nor demanding... because I am full I come into my relationships like a fountain overflowing with abundance ready to give. I am no longer seeking someone to complete me. I am coming from a place of wholeness.

Life has become great shades of brightness, and through this a certain realisation sets in, certain energies can no longer inhabit my space. I have inturn ended a few liaisons that no longer serve me. I began the process of investing in myself and through this I now have the compassion to genuinely be of help to others.

So I kickstart my posts for the year in transit, the most glorious space to inhabit the possibilities within the place of transition is endless and it is through this limitlessness that I view the world.

Love in the time of Ebola

2014-09-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

It felt like a perfect script for a movie... The airport scene everyone looking at the other person suspiciously as we waited in line to cross immigration at the departure lounge of the Murtala Mohammed International airport in Lagos... A total of 13 counters and only 5 immigration officials attending to the huge numbers of travelers waiting to cross.
As each person is scanned checking for high temperature and anyone looking in any way unwell you will realize the huge impact the scare of the hemorrhargic fever otherwise known as Ebola has on the ever ready to "check out" citizens of Nigeria.

We were in line for 2 hours, the air-conditioning was not functioning or probably it was but was incapable of cooling down the temperatures of the huge number of passengers desperate to cross the borders . There was shuffling and arguments and as I plugged in my headphones and listened to the cool song of Bana which slowly transported my thoughts to that of my love.

I slowly moved away and became oblivious of my immediate environment... My thoughts raced from our encounters, our Whatsapp messages and over 5,000 images we had exchanged in the last few months... We are not vain ... We are both photographers and choose images to convey our thoughts and feelings preferring to find pleasure in sharing our experiences synchronizing our thought process via our mutually exclusive affection for each other

Love for me has been a tricky subject and it has eluded me and often left me with more questions than answers. The more I searched the deeper I became resolute, it exists... I grew up with a fantasy about love, The old fashioned getting swept of your feet... rush of emotions... afterall I was born in the late 70's and experienced my first love in the 90's. Things were much different back then devoid of social media, mobile phones and other distractions.

I am very traditional in my beliefs about love and I equally require a partner who has managed to remain a relic in the 21st century holding on to those ideals that today seems almost impossible to attain.

I was brought back to the present by raised voices that seem to be sipping into my blocked ears and the ladies who appeared animated in their demonstration of anger which seemed misdirected at each other about someone jumping the queue, the main questions ought to be why are the immigration stalls empty? why do we have only five officers on duty when their are 13 stalls?

I shuffled along till I crossed over and this was in-between rants and unsatisfactory complaints about the poor service at the airport. Why do we live in this way and why do we continue to accept this sort of activities as a way of life?.

I finally boarded my flight en route Palermo with stops in Madrid and Rome it was indeed a long way to go. The Iberia flight out of Lagos was nothing to write home about we were sandwiched into an aircraft fit for a 30 minutes domestic flight cramped with no leg room and least of all no IFU (Inflight Entertainment Unit) on a nearly 6hour-flight, my thoughts drifted back to the realities of living as a Nigerian. We are constantly abused, disregarded and our rights infringed on because we are regarded as sub human based on the way we are portrayed and regarded by the institutions we have put in place in our country.

We arrived Madrid and an announcement from the cockpit jolted us to the realities of Ebola, one of the passengers onboard the flight had thrown up in the lavatory in the course of the flight a normal occurrence especially as we have been flying through an area of turbulence but in the times of Ebola this needs further investigation. The passenger needs to own up otherwise we would all be subjected to further tests and made to do some paperwork before disembarkation. As you can imagine no one did and this meant another hour onboard, subjected to temperature checks by Port Health authority officials decked in protective suits, it looked like a scene from one of those doomsday flicks. We filled out forms divulging all our activities in the last few months and where our final destinations were... then we were allowed to proceed.

My mind rose above these minor inconveniences, I kept my thought away from the trivialities and inconveniences of movement. The goal was to be in Palermo.

In Palermo our friend Fabio was at the airport to receive me 'A' was out of the country on assignment and it was nice to arrive in his city before he did. Make my first impressions without bias. My love for the island of Palermo was at first sight. The aerial breathtaking views greeted me warmly as the plane circled to land.

I imagined what awaits me between the rocky mountains and the sea.

Palermo is a city over 2,700 years old located in northwest of the island of Sicily by the gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian sea. It is known for architecture, culture, history and gastronomy. It is the capital of both autonomous Sicily and the Province of Palermo.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palermo

Fabio introduced me to Palermo as we made our way from the airport to the city. Pointing out a few places I need to look at once I settled. We eventually settled for ice cream at the Al Gelatone and I was also introduced to the possibilities of having my ice cream sandwiched in between a "Brioche". The Sicilians love their bread and would have it even with an ice cream. Do note that you haven't had ice cream until you taste a 'Gelato' and please do so in Sicily, it must indeed be on your bucket list next to " "visit Egypt to see the Pyramids"... you will probably get the same satisfaction or maybe not!
I wanted to know as much as possible about the Palermitans, the culture of the Sicilians, what life was like walking the pavements looking at magnificent baroque architecture on a daily basis. Surrounded by so much beauty and smells of intensely amalgamated spices and herbs serving as base for recipes handed down thousands of years ago.

I asked Fabio what Palermo was known for?, with a cheeky grin on his face and heavily accented English he replied "The Mafia".

We arrived home and it was as I imagined every inch a reminder of world exploration, maps, images books and little mementos signs of an explorer. While I explored the apartment I discovered a little hand writing note from "A" welcoming me home and hoping I enjoyed my stay...

MH 17

2014-07-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

A crash over Ukraine, another Malaysian Airline aircraft in the news. This time the fate of the 295 passengers and crew onboard was immediately known. A cartrastrophic end to full lives now reduced to numbers... Part of statistics...their lives now in full scrutiny of the whole world, their social media pages bombarded by strangers ... flipping through their messages... pictures... what they had for dinner the night before, Searching for clues.... The randomness of the tragedy makes it the more chilling, I imagine their act of purchasing a ticket with decisions of choice of airline based on other factors such as budget | arrival time | possible lay over time... never about the politics of the world, the civil war in Ukraine... their likely flight path.

Our lives have now become globalized to a point that nothing can be taken for granted when cross border movement is involved.We now have to pay attention to every single detail because our lives and that of people in another region is tied in a twisted stroke of fate we probably just don't know this at this moment.

As a former cabin attendant I imagine what the atmosphere on board was, how these individuals were oblivious of what was coming at them... meals been served ... "Chicken or Beef?"... passengers flipping through inflight service searching for the right movie to watch... some fast asleep not knowing what hit them!

We take our shoes off ...our belts and go through rigorous searches at the airport only to be shotdown Mid-Air! ... In the words of Alanis Morriset " Isnt it Ironic?"

To the souls of the departed... May you find peace with your maker and to those of us still here may we rethink our choice of leadership, our policies, and our collective decision to continue to take innocent lives directly or indirectly... because I still wonder "Can't we all just get along!"

Makoko

2014-06-20T13:13:00.001-07:00

Image from an Ongoing Silhoutte Project on Lagos State

Baale Emmanuel Tehemede

A visit to Makoko a community established in the 18th Century situated in the city of Lagos West of Africa is bound to elicit emotions especially as an artist choosing to be ethical interms of showcasing Africa in general... One of the things I am passionate about as an Artist is to Re-Image the African continent through positive potrayals of our lifestyle and culture. My images with a feel of lifestyle using natural light... the camera... an extension of my view of the world ... My quest to explore Makoko community was thus going to be significantly challenging... There is the school of thought which clearly view the inhabitants of this community as victims of a failed state as well as victims of constant exploitation by artist and photographers who like "Poverty Vampires" constantly feed on the picturesque imagery generated from this community to push an agenda. There is another school which views the theory of victimization as an imposed reality thereby ignoring the unique nature of this community,with the potentials of capitalizing on the natural draw the community portends as a tourist destination which would further enhance the lives of the inhabitants... As I approached the community with other fellow artist due to ongoing and prior conversations; I was faced with the challenge of viewing the Community not from my perspective but from the perspective of other artists exploring their fear of misrepresentation... Do note that the brain of an artist soaks in all that surrounds him... and these includes fears both personal and external,emotions and the actual imagery right before him... In the course of wading through the water we began to have a dialogue about this community, the idea of invading peoples space to make imagery the ethical responsibility of an artist and the picturesque imagery right before our eyes... To make or not to make? During the course of our first visit we hadnt sort proper permission from the Baale of the Community and had only gone in with an indigene who was to do the introduction granting us access to move freely and engage the space... I found that the artist who had initially refused to make photos was more comfortable to do so on the second visit after we had sort permission... Did we become less of a Predator once we sort permission? Did the images become less exploitative with permission? I pondered about the complexities of ethical art and how the rules and lines are blurred not necessarily due to the situation but based on the psyche of the artist and the comfortability in the perception of right or wrong... The people of Makoko wake up daily observing their daily rituals almost like a performance and what changes each time a camera points at them is the perception of the eyes behind it...

The Auction Room London - African Contemporary Photography Auction 28th May 2014

2014-05-23T02:01:00.001-07:00

The Auction Room London

Industrialization and the African Demons ( Interlude Post)

2014-04-07T12:28:00.001-07:00

This post came about after reading a friends facebook post on which he commented about the demons peculiar to Africa and how this demons seem not to affect the growth of more industrialized countries. We are talking about the "African localized demons"...

We have an endemic situation in which churches have taken over the industrial areas, those areas earmarked and booming with varied manufacturing industries in the 70s and early 80's now home to churches and other affiliates.

I believe a country that lacks the ability to produce goods will forever be at the mercy of countries who do. I believe industrilized nations such as China have their own fair share of witches, probably they used their powers to produce that flat screen TV you have in your home today ...pure witchcraft!

The advent of pentecostal churches in the early 80's in Nigeria saw a new wave of men who perpetuated the faith of prosperity. Their approach is similar to that of a sales man, they looked the part therefore it was easier to sell the product.

Fastforward two decades later and the church has turned into a multibillion dollar industry and men of God now listed on Forbes wealthy list. They are not known to be in manufacturing yet they command huge empires which consists of assets never before imagined of a man of God...unquestionable wealth... And as the economic situation worsened so did their sheen with many boasting of private jets amongst other luxury goods

Going back to earlier times of convents where a vow of poverty was the norm and men of God where expected to live as Jesus Christ did, albeit a simplistic lifestyle... I know a few have giving the example of Jesus Christ riding a donkey and a donkey at the time been equivalent to a Rolls Royce in todays terms!But he actually didn't own the donkey... Interestingly so many of this men command huge numbers every sunday. People that willingly bring 10% of their earnings to the table every month! In anticipation of blessings and rewards from God. "God does bless the child that gives" but the blessings is not a function of the physical church but as a reward of your relationship with God

God will bless you accordingly if you help your neighbor who cannot afford to send his child to school and maybe that poor child who needs urgent medical attention.The art of giving should be towards charitable deeds as well, It is ironic the men of God do not see the need to preach this a little more even if it is bad for their business. I have had debates in the past about tithes and how convenient it is to omit the part that instructs on what to do with these offerings... "Bring the Tithe into the Store house that their may be food in my house"...So maybe the homeless can have somewhere to eat daily...

There is also the school of thought that advocates that our God is not a poor God! I believe that if men of God use the platform giving to them to actually better the lives of their flock, the emphasis on prosperity will decline and the finger pointing to other people(Enemies) responsible for their living conditions will stop. People will then hopefully focus on the true tenets of religion which is a focus on the love of God and that of your fellow human... The wells are indeed running dry if people are not living their best lives the quality of "10%" will eventually decline.

Now this posting is not about religious affiliations neither is it about your beliefs... but to address the growing mediocrity surrounding the Church especially in the most populous african country in the world and how this has affected our growth as a nation. if we constantly look up to the skies for the most mundane things obviously we cannot grow. As they say "Heaven helps those who help themselves"

I hope that the religious leaders will see and understand the irony in situating churches in industrial areas and seek to have a congregation of individuals who are mentally capable of creation and innovation... and hopefully turn these areas around to their intended use of production and manufacturing...

Accelerating Youth Employment in Africa II

2014-04-02T18:02:00.001-07:00

...One of the challenges affecting the youths in Africa interms of employment is education or daresay the lack of it. The current curricula in most parts of the continent does not reflect the current realities nor a deliberate effort to educate the youths to harness and utilize the abundant resources within the continent an hinderance to the continents push for economic relevance. By under utilizing the mental capacity of the youths the continent continually outsource majority of its key roles to individuals and groups from the West as well as the Eastern spheres of the world. In understanding the decay in the system we must establish the current statistics which reveals the Literacy quotient of the continent. Zimbabwe takes the lead in-terms of its literacy ranking in Africa with a recorded 90.70% average followed closely by Equatorial Guinea with 87% and South Africa at 86.4%. Nigeria lags behind at the 21st place with a 68% literacy rate. Although information on literacy may not be the perfect measure of educational results it is undeniably effective and valid for international comparison

Micheal Opeyemi Ige

On the Forefront of this drive for change through education is a remarkable young Nigerian Micheal Opeyemi Ige. Michael has spent the last 19 years serving the society as a social worker and dedicating his life to improving that of others in different socially responsible Institutions, Associations and NGOs. A member of the Red Cross Society for over 2 decades. During this period he has played numerous frontline roles he was the Communication Officer West African Red Cross Youth Network in 2008, In 2006 he was the Nigerian Representative to Israel/Palestine for Journey for Justice International Youth Exchange. He is currently the Vice-Chairman, G25 Think Tank for Nigerian Youth and Governance a role he assumed since 2009

He relocated to Ghana to further extend his reach within the continent and commit his time to human development and societal regeneration. Since relocating to Ghana, Michael has been appointed to serve in several organisations including

Ghana Representative of the Future Nigeria project

Member, Steering Committee African Youth and Governance on ratification of the African Youth Charter;

Ghana Liaison for the West African Youth Network

Ghana liaison, Student for sensible drug policy SSDP (US)

Coordinator of the Concerned Africans Youth Forum (CAYF)

Co-Founder of the proposed Arab/African Youth Forum A-AYF

Project Head, Rehoboti Consults, Ghana

He is the Founding President of the National Association of Nigerian Students in Ghana, an association he founded in 2009. He is an Awardee of the Nigeria High Commission Ghana’s Distinguish Achievement Award March 2012 as an “Outstanding Student”.

He is a graduate of National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) Ghana (PDNIIT, Networking Engineering) and a graduate of Information Technology from the University of Winneba Ghana

His dedication to his work earned him the “United Nations Youth Ambassador of peace” honours, an award bestowed on him in May 2011. He was also appointed the Chairperson of the Trade and Investment Committee at the just concluded Africa Youth Economic Forum, May 25 2013, in commemoration of the AU at 50 celebrations. He was an AU Delegate at the just concluded 22nd Heads of State meeting at the African Union.

Micheal had this to say about his Addis experience:

"I would describe my experience at the just concluded Africa Youth Forum Organized by Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation along side the Youth Division of the African Union Commission as worthwhile, because we had the best platform to engage our Leaders and present our recommendations. "

His Organization The Concerned Africans Youth Forum (CAYF) is a Continental African Youth Leadership forum for young Africans concerned about the development challenges facing the African continent. CAYF was established on 1 October 2008 as an outreach organization, the Forum brings together leading figures from across the continent and beyond to determine how best to engage Africa's most valuable resource - its Youth.
The organizations focal Areas for positive Youth Development Are:

Mobilization

Participation and Empowerment

Education and Training

"We advocate and disseminate our findings and insight with our key stakeholders, as widely and freely as possible. As a catalyst for change and an effective advocate for Africa's interest in global matters, we convene to formulate the best ideas on Africa's youth growth and economic transformation"

Mission Statement
Leadership: We encourage sterling initiatives and ownership by young people to provide ideas and practical solutions to foster development and growth.

You can contact Micheal Opeyemi Ige concernedafricanyouthforum@gmail.com for more information about his projects

Accelerating Youth Employment in Africa

2014-03-10T02:20:00.000-07:00

I had the rare privilege of attending the just concluded African Youth Forum on "Accelerate Youth Employment in Africa" 29-30 January in Addis Ababa Ethiopia which cumulated in attending the 22nd AU Summit on the 30th of January to deliver our recommendations to the Heads of State. This forum was organized under the platform of the African Union and the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation. It was a great opportunity to share ideas and revise the road map for Africa that would push the continent into 2065. We are all aware of the varied challenges plaguing the youths in the continent, unemployment been paramount. Today 60% of all unemployed Africans are youth. It is estimated that the continent will have more people of working age than either China and India, by estimation a total of 122 million will enter into the work force in the coming decade. How can we harness this huge potential to the growth and development of the continent?
I was impressed by the selection of youth leaders at the forum a combination of highly intelligent and determined individuals who irrespective of the challenges in their varied communities ranging from instability, to lack of good governance,to health are desperate to contribute their quota to the growth of the continent.
My focus is to introduce these individuals to you and share their experience about the just concluded forum and how they continue to engage the government in their varied countries constructively to effect a change. I start with a remarkable lady who is not only passionate about the continent but using her core discipline to channel the cause.

Judith is a business psychologist and organisation development consultant. Born in England, she has lived in the UK, Nigeria, Austria, Sierra Leone, Indonesia and Japan, and has worked in a range of sectors including finance, defence, academia and aviation. She is passionate about Africa, leadership, knowledge management, education and the realisation of the many benefits of applied psychology in the workplace.

Most recently employed as the Organisational Intelligence Consultant at British Airways but now on a 3 year sabbatical, she is the managing partner of Imisi Consulting, has joined the Africa 2.0 movement, is a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster (UK) and is doing doctoral research on leadership archetypes in Africa.

JUDITH OKONKWO

Judith had this to say about her experience in Addis: "As always I was moved by the connections that are made at these gatherings, we who want change are so many. If we partner together, if we insist the change starts with us, it will happen".

Please contact Judith (judith@imisiconsulting.co.uk ) if you would like to work or partner with her on education reform, leadership, organisation development and/or knowledge management.

A final word from Judith - Our time is now; as we say at Africa 2.0 "We are the ones we have been waiting for”!

Warri No Dey Worry

2014-01-21T12:06:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure of taking a trip to Warri, a city in the Southern Region of Nigeria known for its abundant oil and all things well I would say "Waffi"
Waffi is a typical term used in addressing the average citizen of this city just as you would a Londoner or a New-yorker the Waffi indigene takes tremendous pride been addressed thus...
I wanted to know a lot more about the town the minute I arrived, I wanted to know about the people, the food, the culture and most of all How the famous phrase "Warri No dey Worri" came about.
I was given a crash course... a peek into the psyche of the average Waffi man and woman by my host... It was at a sit down at the Sports bar in one of the biggest hotels in Waffi land "The Hotel Excel"...
Straight from the Airport we were whisked away into a voyage around the city with an introduction into the Waffi way... I was informed that a typical Waffi man works for two reasons firstly for the women and then for the hotels in a remarkable ratio 70/30%! I imagine alot of women flocking to this part of town after reading this! There is an understanding amongst the genders in Waffiland...
A Warri man has learnt the art of wooing a woman simply by providing for her and in exchange he expects to be the center of her world... Oh Romeo!
All social activities centered around hotels and guest houses with many seen around different parts of the city... AWaffi man lives to protect his image and would rather die than not be seen and acknowledged by his peers... A town where everyone considers himself king and are never intimidated... no matter how rich you are, a Warri man sees himself as a contemporary just a step away from attaining the same status albeit by all means necessary! He would buy everyone a drink and send Champagne your way even though he didn't know of your existence a few seconds prior! Or Worst still he might be spending 80% of his earnings tonight to achieve this! By sharing the same space with a Waffi man you have indeed become buddies.... Life is one big Party and for that moment he is the King ...

It was good I arrived on a friday the official social night out and it was even more interesting as we went from one social hangout to the other experiencing the lounges,bars and clubs first hand... As the Champagne flowed so did the laughter and gaiety which filled the air with reckless abandon... The women loved the attention and the men, like peacocks basked in the euphoria of the emotions they elicited in these women.

I imagine that this was the center of enjoyment... I imagine been surrounded by "Blackgold"created a different outlook to life in this city... I imagine as constant as the gas flares so is the display of abundance from my Waffi Brothers! I came to an understanding that living for the moment was the bane of this lifestyle and the reason "Warri No Dey Worry"...

The Congo and Other Travels (The New Year Message)

2014-01-02T10:24:00.001-08:00

I am quite intuned to life in ways that leaves me constantly seeking to find the vibes of a space. As an artist I look for the undelining vibes, the rhythmic flow of all life forms in a geograpic location. Every country I visit is a continuation of the last in that it begins a new chapter in my ever growing quest to visit and explore as many cities on the face of the earth. I often wonder if people continue to exist once you are no longer in contact or simply cease to be part of a present reality and become implanted in our memories in a dreamlike state.

In the fascination comes the undertone of much battles to survive extinction. As humans the challenges of living is further compounded by our facination for all things new. In creation there is always an element of reform and a bridge between birth and death... To complete the process of creation, something has to die or take another form and through this process a new object or being is formed.

I lay in total amasement at the world, often taking the role of an observer watching as the world continues to evolve right before my eyes. I feel resposible to document imagery that depicts this stage of evolution, I feel our existense is nothing but a flicker and one moment lost can never be regained. So I journey through Africa, as well as the world with a personal obligation to record, to note the lifestyle of humans of the 21st Century. As we transitioned into the New year thoughts of revealing such treasures comes from a place of acceptance that this process of making Art is incomplete without a viewer and This completes the process of inventory and stock taking. I am looking forward to share my journey with you in the New year through a Series of exhibitions and Reveals, 2014 is the year where all things will come to bare...
Be part of the Big Reveal... starting from March 2014
Warm Welcome to 2014!

*Love in the time of cholera

2013-05-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

This post stems from an encounter at the Rego mall in Queens New york...

I saw an elderly couple probably in their late 70s or early 80s approaching, the husband was carrying the grocery bag while the wife walked beside him. He seemed frail... the pair looked hunched over due to age but they seemed very much independent and determined. The man struggled as it seemed the weight of the bag was too much for him, his wife even though appeared frail seemed more energetic of the pair, she made to take the bag from him as he struggled to keep his balance, but he declined and continued walking albeit slower. He laughed at her wanting to take the bag from him and insisted he'd carry the grocery, there was a twinkle in his eyes when he looked at her ... watching this transpire right before my eyes was quite refreshing to say the least...

It made me more resolute in my decision... I often have friends and family ask me what I want in a man since it seems I appear not to be in a rush nor pressured about settling down, (Queries, coupled with the innuendos and unsolicited special prayers is often the fate of any single girl above the age of 30...The subject of spinsterhood is reserved for another blog entry!) my answer to this has always been:

" I seek a companion rather than a husband, someone to grow old with, someone who would be able to accommodate my personal as well as my professional growth and not feel threatened by it, someone to laugh with at the toughest of situations...someone to share my success with...someone that would be able to look at me in my 70's with my fine wrinkles, body parts gone south and still think of me as the most beautiful person he has ever seen...This doesn't seem like too much to ask for or is it?"...

I want a companionship that borders on spiritual partnership, I feel relationships especially marriage is not for now...when we are young,energetic and in our prime... still experimenting trying to figure out what life is all about, how would someone who finds it difficult to love you at your prime when you are at your best, love you when you are old and grey?... it is easier to love someone at their best, what is there not to love?! Just like there is no guaranty that you would find such a partner at a later age there is non neither on that person you settled for at an earlier age growing old with you ... at the point you truly need the companionship

I feel companionship is for that stage of our lives when we are old and grey, and if unlucky not at our best health wise, at this point outer beauty as well as friends have dwindled, and we simply need someone to sit with us in silence...

I want to be like that old couple at Rego Mall... old,frail but still very much in love... and in that persons company life seems complete...

So until this person emerges I will continue to enjoy this amazing period of my life, young, free enjoying this beautiful adventure called life...

*Title credit to Gabriel Garcia Marques

The Culture of Giving

2013-03-19T08:07:00.002-07:00

Who is a giver? I had this question answered by Reverend Ajelabi during one of his midweek sermons at my Church whilst growing up. His approach to spirituality left an indelible mark on me and he has served as a yardstick to which I measure "Men of God".

A giver to me is someone that bestows on another in need a tangible item or gesture without judging the recipients life choices or lifestyle nor expecting the gesture been recipocated His answer resonated with my concept of what trully matters. I find this attitude intrinsic in a few and it was refreshing to see demonstrations of this in a city like New-york.

New-york is often referred to as the "Big Apple", "Concrete Jungle" and a "Cold City" not in terms of its climatic conditions but due to the general aloofness that characterizes the average New-yorker. The hustle mode activation makes it nearly impossible for any form of interaction... On the subways, the forlorn looks and silence whilst respecting the other individuals personal space to avoid any form of interaction, in an almost performative art rhythm, socially imbibed by the performers... very interesting to observe . Anyone who ventures to chatter with a stranger is often viewed as insane, quick and precise responses often characterizes queries. I had a good laugh about this with an artist I met on the "R"train to World Trade Center. The disconnect is encouraged especially by the pharmaceutical companies it has pushed up the sale of "mind-expanding drugs" the anti depressants... We are social beings intrinsically, we cannot alter this socially.

It was then a refreshing turn of events to observe a unique culture of giving, it was almost a strange juxtaposition of being. In the inner city you will notice at the entrance of fast food restaurants a few individuals who solicit for help they do not ask for money but simply ask that you buy them a meal, it is now the choice of the giver to either go in an get a meal or give them cash to provide a meal. They will then proceed to have a meal upon which they retreat back to the streets to continue with their usual daily activities. They are often obliged by patrons of this restaurant, it is easier to give a meal than cash to some, there can only be one outcome with a meal.

Hunger is a leveler, we have all experienced the pang at one point or the other regardless of our social status. In its relatabillity it elicits compassion, In the words of Reverend Ajelabi, "Give for the sake of giving, no judgements,no expectation of rewards just because you are in a position to meet that persons need in that particular moment"

Save The Children

2013-03-14T06:42:00.003-07:00

As I listened to Marvin Gayes 1971 song Save the Children, images of my recent encounters flash by me. I am perturbed by the life the future generation will encounter.

"Who really cares"?

I sat at the station waiting for my train, I encountered a group of black male teenagers. I couldn't help but listen in on their conversation, they were loud enough to hear from the next station. The trade mark sagging pants, tattoos and most of all their incoherent dialogue amidst swear words. I imagined what future awaits this bunch of ignorant souls.

"Who is to blame?"

A system that celebrates the dregs and surprised why the average youth embraces disfunction? We celebrate thugs, adore misfits, indulge in a daily fascination of violence and fund tools to perpetuate... The russian roulette of our daily existence is pre determined by a force beyond our control or so they think?! A vicious cycle constantly replayed

Fast existence,fast food,slow deaths, obesity, obligation to medicate,obliging diseases slowly eradicating en-masse...

They referred to their women as "bitches", they traded stories of their sexual encounters, they plan to procreate...

"Who is going to save the world, that is destined to die?"

I wonder... is existing the same as living? Should the fundamental human right to life be changed to "Right to Exist?"

excerpts from the lyrics of Marvin Gayes Save the Children(1971)

Of Slavery and Freedom

2013-02-27T07:39:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading an amazing book by Harriet Ann Jacobs titled Incidents in the Life of A Slave Girl Written by herself and this coupled with my recent experience delving into the significance of Chattel Housing pulled me into deep thoughts about what slavery as a lifestyle represents for the average African. I choose to relate to this in continuous tense as I see it as an ongoing discuss which brings to the fore after years and centuries of abolition, a new wave of slavery, Mental Slavery. Why has the African remained shackled in a self imposed state of stagnancy in an obvious free world? Why have we decided to abolish slavery yet imbibe the instruments used by the colonialist to perpetrate in the name of organized religion?

African continent still remains till date in a state of disarray with 54 Nation states recovering from or presently in conflict over religious and ethnocentrism induced uprising. We are grabbling with constant abuse of humanity in the name of religion, fighting for our grandeurs life in paradise whilst we watch our resources depleted and our physical world of chaos turning to a representation of hell or maybe we are in purgatory.A strange space between life and death... Not quite alive yet not dead either we have indeed forgotten to live.
My recollection of my childhood is quite fascinating as I did not know the difference between religious beliefs because we were made to understand we all served the same God. Within my family we had muslim relatives. My father although born a catholic was a Free thinker for many years, he had very close Christian and Muslim friends. From a childs' perspective it just simply meant we were surrounded by people who had different beliefs and opinions but were loved still because they are friends or family, we got to celebrate a lot of holidays, I have somewhere to go to during "Ileya" and I was glad to see my relatives during christmas. Can we then say that our parents were less religious? The high level of Moral decadence versus the number of religious establishments is a logical anomaly. We have thrown rational thinking in the dumps to adopt a strange version of mental slavery.

Even Prisoners have a time frame to which they remain incarcerated, we have passed this on to the next generation a never ending cycle. As Harriet Ann Jacobs rightly said and I quote " I admit that the black man is inferior, But what is it that makes him so, It is the Ignorance in which white men compel him to live; It is the torturing Whip that lashes manhood out of him;It is the fierce bloodhounds of the south and the less cruel human bloodhounds of the North, who enforce the fugitive slave law, They Do the work" This was written over a century ago the words resonate now more than ever.

Chattel Housing

2013-02-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

I am fascinated by the concept of Chattel, this stemmed from my ongoing project on Rural Urban Migration. Chattel by definition is a "tangible, movable or immovable property", this term was also used to describe slaves during the slave trade era.

Chattel housing came about when slave owners leased land to their former "Chattels" to build on during the abolishment of slave trade. Although the former slaves owned the property the land belonged to the slave owners. With this dilemma, came an ingenious solution and mobile housing came to be.

With history as far back as the plantation days and its close association with the island of Barbados (although this term is equally used in Trinidad), Chattel Houses where built using pre-cut timber of 12 to 20 ft on blocks and ground sills rather than it been anchored to land. This allowed for the house to remain mobile and encouraged migration, the design started out as a 2-bedroom design and additions were attached as time went on, this gave a general look of sections and variations in height to the initial building came as a symbol that represented the home owners improved status in the society.

Can this be solution to the current chaos and dilemma faced by town planners in combating the effects of Rural/Urban Migration in the 21st century?. If town planners introduced lots within cities owned by government but leased out to citizens at affordable monthly rates with the aim of citizens building under close supervision of the government or through sponsored initiatives, the aim then would be to encourage citizens to own their homes without the exorbitant cost of land, while the land remains the governments. Housing for All by the year ???? might be feasible after all!

Using the concept of chattel housing and improving on the initial design to meet the challenges of sanitation in the 21st Century, will provide a possible solution to urban squalor and destitution in mega cities and third world countries, while also solving the chaos associated with Rural/Urban drift...

This is open to comments and criticisms...

Lifestyle Re-Invention

2013-02-19T09:49:00.000-08:00

As a photographer I am fascinated by the lifestyle of people in general. I seek to find a way of life which is intrinsic in people and represent this through images and text. My subjects range from the average fellow on the street to high profile executives. What I have come to realize over the years is that

everyone can have a unique outward representation of themselves regardless of what your earn, your level of education, your background etc. These are often parameters we use as a means to enforce social strata which often times does not represent style. Style is universal,it transcends art, fashion, design and human physical appearance. It is a unique representation of an individuals inner being. I will use this platform to represent my interpretation of Lifestyle focusing on all aspects of life, celebrating the uniqueness of being.

Bicycle Age

2012-02-24T23:12:00.000-08:00

New-York City simply is unique with a vibe that can be described as a synergy of all major cities. The pace and vibrance has been described by numerous writers over the centuries. `with the vibrance and bussle which is second to none you find that the average Newyorker is in their world slowly living out a dream... I am facsinated by the bicycle culture and I will like to share a couple of the images I took while I explored the city of dreams....

The Brief 2- La Campagne Tropicana

2012-01-27T11:39:00.000-08:00

One of the locations I most enjoyed is the La Campagne Tropicana Resort. Tucked away a few kilometers from Epe town, The splendor and the calmness I experienced was simply divine. As I took a tour of the facility I was slowly introduced to the dream and hard work of a gentleman who saw the need to recreate paradise on the shores of Lagos. Do visit the website: www.lacampagneng.com for information about bookings and reservations.

The Brief

2012-01-25T11:47:00.000-08:00

A Couple of months ago i got an amazing brief to document interesting places to visit in Lagos for an International Airlines Travel Guide on Lagos. It was a great opportunity for me to combine my love for photography with the love I have for the city of Lagos. Lagos is most often than not portrayed as a mega slum with all its shortcomings over emphasized.

I plan to showcase some of the images I captured during this project and I hope at the end of it all we would all have a different view of Lagos. I start this chronicle with Legacy Museum (Railway Compound Yaba Lagos)
An amazing place to catch up on the history of transportation in Nigeria. Seun will be on hand to take you through this journey.

Jumoke Sanwo

2012-01-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

Jumoke Sanwo

Need Ur Votes

Ethiopia

2011-12-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

Addis the capital of Ethiopia is an amazing blend of arts culture and a self preserving aura that is not typical of an African country. On arrival my first impression was that of skepticm as I was just out of Khartoum which was an experience beyond our initial expectation. I have heard so much about Addis so I was going in with a lot of expectation, usually disappointment is naturally meant to follow this unwarranted expectations after all I am still in Africa. We were blown away by the picturesque views as we made our way from Gonda to Addis. i found myself wondering how such a beautiful country has not managed to be the number one tourist destination in the world. As we slowly made our way into Addis I noticed the juxtapositioning in their architecture a precarious blend of old and new buildings side by side with no apparent discrimination between the rich and the poor. I had to adjust to this as the days went bye as this was a peculiar style which stems from their lack of colonialization

I saw Addis through the eyes of one of the cities renowned photographer Mulugeta Ayene and I was able to explore Addis enjoying the beautiful scenery, Injeera, Machiato... I will post Images for the next couple of days to show the beauty of Addis

Makato Market

Injeera-

Mulugeta Ayene having his shoe shinned a regular scene on the streets of Addis

As we Crossed into Addis this image represents the triumph of reaching a destination

Sufi Festival Khartoum, Sudan

2011-12-05T01:22:00.000-08:00

The Sufi Festival dates back to the 15th Century and its a celebration of Saints and Sheiks. It is usually a gathering from all works of life and a testimonial to ethic diversity. The event is characterized by dance and chants, a very beautiful and spiritual event to behold.

Dance and gyrating movements characterizes the event....

Brotherhood is displayed in full view and this is beautiful to behold.....

N'DJAMENA

2011-12-02T06:07:00.000-08:00

N'djamena for me was a city filled with ironies... a country that is colourful yet just a single "known photographer" in the entire city. People Literarily fear cameras, they walk freely amongst military personel who brandish guns and knives yet they fear cameras more than the weapons in full view.

We were forbidden to take pictures and some of my colleagues who dared to spent over 6hrs in detention for simply taken a picture. Freedom took a new meaning for me in Chad. I have never seen that many *beer parlours in my entire life. I began to watch people anesthetize themselves from the reality of their existence. Everyday and indeed every hour is a time to drink. This you will have to do with the legions of Flies and mosquitos that has taken residence in N'djamena.

As you get to a restaurant or cafe you are also given your own personal mosquito repellant spray just as you would be offered bread or nibbles in another city to make you comfortable.

I managed to capture a few Images in Chad.

Pix 1- Title- N'djamena- Image That Represents N'djamena for me

Pix 2- Title- N'djamena II- Barbed

Pix 3- Title- Artist Spotlight

Pix4- Back of a Lady-

Pix 5- Chez Merci

Pix 6- Lady Menu

Overall the people we met in N'djamena made our stay bearable. Special Thanks to all our friends too numerous to mention.

Jos to N'djamena Part 2

2011-11-30T13:33:00.000-08:00

As we crossed the Nigerian Border into Cameroun I noticed how countries are intertwined in an almost Invisible Way, one step to the left and you are in a new Country with its laws, language and unique culture. We were warmly received at the Cameroun border as soon as they realized we are Nigerians. I remained in the taxi at the border while Emeka and Ray went with our Passports to clear us. They came back with some news which we thought was strange. We have a Ghanian in our party and was told that though Ghana was part of the ECOWAS its citizens requires a visa to cross and this should have been obtained in Maiduguri. For once it seemed cool to be a Nigerian across a border! We watched the sun set while we tried to figure out the best way to resolve this dilemma. Maiduguri was Miles away not necessarily an option to go back as it was already 8pm at this time. We were at the Border no other soul in sight and we had the possibility of sleeping at the border staring us in the face. We have been on the road for the last 13hours, we were exhausted but the most worrisome part was the fact that we still had to cross the desert tonight!. All i kept thinking about was the Janja weed bandits, No single soul had passed in the last 2hrs probably not a good idea to begin to think this way I thought to myself.

We realized that the immigration officials wanted their palm greased surely they didn't expect us to make our way back to Maiduguri tonight. Our Border Drivers got more impatient and were ranting away in french they demanded they wanted to be paid before we proceeded. We were dealing now with the Immigration Officers who seemed to be running a racket with the cab drivers who were also in some sort of collaboration with the money changers. We decided to show the cab drivers the money we intended to pay them upon which I made a comment that we would pay as soon as we arrived our destination so we could deal with our immigration issue. This did not go down well with the drivers who went berserk and proceeded to remove our bags from their vehicle with a firm warning they would be leaving us here to return to Gamboru. We had to pay them. The skies grew darker, going back to Maiduguri was an unlikely option, we were exhausted and not sure how we would make it across the desert. The officer insisted on been paid CFrancs and so did the drivers we did not have a lot of Francs in our possession at this time though we had some other currencies with us but we didnt think it will be a good idea to make this known to these collaborators, we may never be found! We were tailed to this point by some black market money changers who also seemed to be part of the racket as they offered outrageous exchange rates knowing fully well we had very little option. Finally a solution sprung out of no where as the drivers decided to lend us the fares paid to them to sort the Immigration guys so we could proceed. It was nearly 9pm and we departed for the border town of Kousseri. The funny thing about fear is when you are faced with a threatening situation it seizes to be nothing but a compilation of thoughts. My mind trailed off as we made our path through the desert we were now at the mercy of two fierce looking french speaking drivers who up until a couple of hours earlier did not exist in our reality. As they drove making intermittent stops to speak to the Nomads we met on the way each stop seemed like a well planned out robbery incident. I waited for that moment when I would see a barrel to my face or hear that explosion that would slowly redefine my world. As these thoughts raced through my mind reality began to mesh with fiction as i dozed off in mental exhaustion, a deep relaxing sleep. I woke up when we made our way into our stop for the Night, A brothel called hotel Dassie. At this point I was glad to have a shelter over my head , as we dragged our bags into our room which is to be shared with Kemi and Nana reality hits. We were actually going to pass the night at a dilapidated brothel in Cameroun. The thoughts of the number of bodies that had graced the bed both washed and unwashed, the stench from the room ,not to talk of the bathroom the gloom over this room cannot be described in words. I went into a state of total quiet, I was indeed lost for words. I decided to sit through the night i couldn't bear the thought of laying down on a laden bed. My colleagues where worried at my decision and came to check up on me severally. The boys then took it upon themselves to take a tour of the hotel in search of a better room. They found a 'VIP' room which came with air-conditioning and broken faucet! I had to oblige i felt sorry for them after all we are all going through this ordeal together I shouldn't make their lives worse than it is.

I sat through most of the night deciding to take pleasure from the images captured enroute. This brought me enormous satisfaction and the hours rolled by. I began to feel uncomfortable and I took a look at my feet which was now swollen from the long trip. I need to lay down, even if for an hour as I still have some journey ahead of me in the morning. Nana bought a piece of handwoven fabric in Jos, this served as our bed cover and a sheath against what might be lurking in the sheets beneath. i woke up an hour later and it was morning, This Morning we crossed into Chad, we had a brief exchange with the cabbies who told us in Plain french we were going to 'get it in Chad if we continued with our attitude. At this point we changed taxis for the Chadians that will now take us across the border. Our driver was a really cool guy who tried to entertain us by playing the 'latest jams' we couldn't help but laugh as we got to the Chadian border we were warmly received as Nigerians but again Nana the Ghananian wasn't and was told she had to return to Nigeria to obtain a visa to travel into Chad, we showed all documentation to back her entry but all fell to deaf ears. They allowed her to go in with us after a nearly 2hr delay but held her passport she was asked to return within the hour to pick up and return back to Nigeria. At this point we breathe a sigh of relief as we drove into Chad Finally we have crossed the border.

(I have to choose between documenting my experience in writing or sharing images I chose the later…. For the next couple of days will only share images to catch up with my current location Keep Checking for the story continues.......)