By Henry Akubuiro
At the second edition of ArtMiabo International Art Festival (AMIAF 2023), themed Art of Afrobeats, held from April 27-May 1, 2023, at Ebonylife Place, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently, selected music professionals went home with extravagant smiles.
Also, over 20 visual artists, from Nigeria and other parts of the world showcased about 200 artwork, in what the organisers described as colours of Afrobeats. The Art of Afrobeats award night, dedicated to the increasing popularity of the genre, celebrated some individuals whose contributions to the development of the initial Afrobeat genre date back to several decades.
Benson Idonije, 86-year-old former Manager of Fela Kuti
gave the first Afrobeats Award of Artmiabo International Art Festival AMIAF 2023 to Chief Tony Odili, a.k.a ‘Akapapa (96)0 the former percussionist of late Rex Lawson, who also performed bits of his legendary percussions to the delight of his fans during the award night.
The founder of AMIAF, Miabo Enyadike, recalled that Idonije had watched Chief Odili play since the 60s when Fela’ s band and Rex Lawson’s were among the most popular in Nigeria.
Other recipients of the AMIAF Afrobeats Awards included
Onyeka Onwenu, Laolu Akins, Babatunde Banjoko, Lemi Ghariokwu, Obi Asika, Eddy Lawani, Ed Keazor, Chris Okoro and Ayo Animashaun, Dayo Oduneye D1, Weird MC. Others were DJ Abass, Babatunde Banjoko, Akinyemi Johnson (JAJ), Clarence Peters, Kenny Ogungbe and Yeni Kuti.
During the award night, Onwenu said her generation didn’t try to play like Micheal Jackson but were original.
Applauding the popularity of Nigerian music now, she noted: “I love where we are, I love where we are going. I love what the young people are doing.”
Apart from the major exhibited artists, the festival also showcased artworks of young participants under a newly created space known as AMIAF Slot 2023. It was a talent space for young artists between ages 25-35, which had 12 shortlist finalists from 100 entries.
Paul Ogunlesi, Oladele Ogbeyemi, Kakulu Ehime, Ganiyat Oriyomi, Faith Michael, Adeniyi Adewole, Daniel Oruwhone, Azeez Salami, Adedamola Adeyemo, Alu Kofoworola, Atiye Afolabi and Popoola Nurudeen were the 12 finalists.
Interestingly, one of the AMIAF Slot artists, Ogbeyeni, was among those whose works were sold earlier during the event. Obinna Makata’s work was also sold just as Onwenu collected one of Enyadike’s paintings. Other exhibited artists included Kalill Jacobs Fantuazzi, Sotonye Jumbo, Lemi Ghariokwu, Yves Midahuen, Babatunde Banjoko and photographer, Bolaji Alonge,
The sub-events of the AMIAF 2023 included Live Art Painting Sessions, which had art enthusiasts use the canvas easels; and some musical performances from Kizomba Afrobeats’ dancers Maya Hautefeuille and François Goudiaby from Dakar, Senegal.
The musical parts took off from Day-one when Port Harcourt-based music star and Queen of Oshikiri music, Jikume Bethlehem performed to a delighted audience.
Enyadike used the event to announce what she described as “official Legacy Portrait of Jikume.”
“I just ordered and received mine this morning, it will take center prominence in my Joburg, South Africa gallery, “ Enyadike added, urging the artist’s fans to “support this music performing dynamite.”
To assert the essence of the Afrobeats theme of the festival, the exhibition booths deviated from the traditional white walls. Enyadike explained that the artists selected for the exhibition were deliberately chosen to project the colours of Afrobeats.
“There is a sense of colours everywhere in the exhibition hall, representing the real character of we Africans,” Enyadike stated during the day-one of the event.
While taking visitors through the exhibition stands, the curator of AMIAF, Yusuf Durodola, said the AMIAF 2023 gave participating artists windows to express themselves, mostly in colours that energise the real essence of art.
“ArtofAfrobeats inspired the artists in representational forms of the colours that surrounds our everyday lives as Africans,” he added.
AMIAF 2023 supporters, like Piql, Cabal, Multichoice Nigeria, Ebonylife Place, JCDecaux, and Translucent S.I. Communication, were also present at the event.