Sola Osofisan
01-29-2008, 05:22 PM
The Artist: Dreamer Or Realist An Appraisal Of Bode Osanyin's Writers' Resort
Daily Independent (http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=120&a=9800)
And since the first outing in 1987, the resort has played host to established artistes and well-known names in the field of literature and theatre. Writers like Segun Olusola, T.M. Aluko, Hamid Taju, Malam Bilya Bala, Frank Aig-Imoukhuede, Daniel Ayo, Kole Omotoso, Niyi Osundare, Femi Fatoba, Bunmi Oyinsan, Rasheed Gbadamosi, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Karen Aribisala King and many others have been featured at the resort.
The resort has come to be identified as the rallying point for all creative writers, literary artistes and lovers of arts in general. Segun Olusola once described it as "a cultural fountain where energy is renewed".
Folake Doherty in Lagos Life, July 18, 1987, writes: "The idea behind the resort, a non-profit making venture, is essentially to give both known and unknown writers, publishers and patrons of arts a modest form for creative interaction."
Ajike Osanyin (2003:164) comments on the resort thus: "Even though it was a small art organisation, it became the rallying point of all creative artists and the Nigeria 'Mecca' for artistic excellence for black and African writers, artistes and art patrons the world over."
The idea one seems to get at first is that the resort is mainly for writers and literary artists. No doubt, because of the background of the founder himself as a writer, he desired the resort as an avenue where literary activity will be strongly encouraged and where publishers will pick up new manuscripts, but at the same time he also wanted the resort to be a popular performance venue.
Apart from the fact that there have always also been performances alongside the reading sessions, there is a grand plan to make theatre performances the ultimate event at the resort. I believe that Bode Osanyin, whether consciously or subconsciously, wanted to use the literary culture to draw upon and nurture the artistic and performance culture. He is a promoter of both cultures and probably knew that one can take off with limited infrastructural investment such as the initial bungalow that was first constructed in 1985.
He knew that one should precede the other and that where literature and drama stop, theatre begins. That's why when Duro Oni asked him what his considerations are from "Drama to theatre", he replied that, "Drama is the content of theatre". Continuing, he stressed,
"To qualify to be called a theatre, a building, a structure, a space must have vibrant content."
"The first duty of a dramatist therefore, is to create, to provide a viable play, drama, dance, pantomime or music worthy of the sweat all the anguish of rehearsals and production period and above all, worthy of the respect of the audience." (Duro Oni 2003:189).
Talking about some of the performances, which have taken place at the resort, Ajike Osanyin (2003:165) reporting about community participation, reveals how excited the Ijoko Ota citizens "felt at different times that stage performances were presented by groups and individuals such as Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, then under the leadership of Gbenga Sonuga (now oba). Veteran actress, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Akuro Theatre, Ade Oduduwa, Ojikutu Adimula-Oak, Segun Davies, Tunji Sotimirin, Segun Akinkugbe, Stella Oyedepo, Golda John and Bimbo Macaulay's Ogun State Centre for Arts and Culture Troupe etc.
She also reports that some talented artists even from among the touts at Ijoko garage brought their theatres to thrill the audience regularly and that a certain Ojikutu theatre, which was the relic of the defunct Yoruba trave;ling theatre, was like the resident theatre of the resort. All these performances were done in open-air, on a make-shift stage in front of the bungalow, where the reading sessions also take place. But as noted earlier, Bode Osanyin had grand plans for in-door theatrical activities. Attesting to this fact in an interview with Duro Oni, he discloses:
"Since inception in 1987 the resort has had considerable physical development. More land has been acquired for a 2000-seater
arts theatre and chalets for accommodation of writers and dramatists. This is near completion. It is envisaged that in a couple of years from now, the resort will be fully residential and full-scale theatre productions will commence. The idea is to make the resort a mecca of cultural activities and artistic excellence" Duro Oni (2003:157).
In furtherance of this resolve, he concludes this vision when he was asked in the same interview how he would like to be remembered. "I want my Writer's Resort to outlive me and to be a shining example of what an individual can do to promote literary development in Nigeria. I want the 2000-seater Arts Theatre of the Writers' Resort to be a popular theatre, where productions are regularly mounted and a testimony of an example of a privately--owned theatre; and encouraged others to do the same so that there would be a proliferation of theatres and theatre productions in Nigeria. I believe that theatre can perform wonders for the black and African peoples for their development and emancipation. Writer's Resort should be seen as what an individual can do to promote the development of arts and culture without government subvention. Above all, I recommend hard work and prayer for artists."
Bode Osanyin in his own little way, has consciously set the stage, where, according to Umukoro (1993), the course of the arts in Nigeria can be nurtured and directed, and also where artistic and creative potentials in drama, dance and music can be explored and developed. He denied himself of every necessary comfort and spent all his earnings to develop the resort as a gift to the art community.
Bode Osanyin can therefore, be described simply as a "great advocate of creative expression both in the literary and performative genres". He has done his best and left the rest, as if he knew he would be exiting the stage before the theatre is completed for performances. Bode Osanyin had a dream premised on vision and foresight and this has been turned into physical reality. Given that we live in an environment where selfless efforts such as this are hardly appreciated, I believe Bode Osanyin deserves our commendation and applause.
The resort, which more or less should now be referred to as the "Artist's Resort Complex" has the following features a 2000--seater, purpose-built theatre with library, gallery, rehearsal rooms, conference rooms, offices, chalet for lodging, parking lot, etc.
The complex, however, is yet to be completed and the main problem is funding. The onus is therefore on all of us here to ensure the full realisation of the resort's vision in its completion. And let's not deceive ourselves; it is not certain that the Nigerian government can be of much assistance in this regard. A government, which has practically failed in its primary responsibility to invest in artistic institutions through development of cultural infrastructure, can hardly help. A government, which declared its intention to put on sale the only national infrastructural heritage of the arts the National Theatre will never understand the meaning of this resort's initiative. A government, which thinks the arts are like financial institutions and staple foods, which should be subjected to market forces and the economics of buying and selling, is certainly an ignorant one. Let us therefore, direct our searchlight elsewhere, a place where the purpose of art is well-understood. Let us turn to foreign institutions such as the Ford Foundation for assistance. I wish to now recommend to the Bode Osanyin Foundation and the family and everybody present here who can help that a comprehensive proposal should be packaged for the attention of the Ford Foundation.
I believe that if the Ford Foundation gets information in a proposal, detailing the origins and the idea behind the resort, its goals and aspirations, its activities, achievements and future plans, and an estimate of the required completion fund, the resort will be ready for commissioning within a year from now. And so, the third annual Bode Osanyin Memorial lecture can hold at the newly completed writer's resort theatre complex in 2008. This proposition, nay, idea ... is another dream, which I strongly believe can become a reality.
Daily Independent (http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=120&a=9800)
And since the first outing in 1987, the resort has played host to established artistes and well-known names in the field of literature and theatre. Writers like Segun Olusola, T.M. Aluko, Hamid Taju, Malam Bilya Bala, Frank Aig-Imoukhuede, Daniel Ayo, Kole Omotoso, Niyi Osundare, Femi Fatoba, Bunmi Oyinsan, Rasheed Gbadamosi, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Karen Aribisala King and many others have been featured at the resort.
The resort has come to be identified as the rallying point for all creative writers, literary artistes and lovers of arts in general. Segun Olusola once described it as "a cultural fountain where energy is renewed".
Folake Doherty in Lagos Life, July 18, 1987, writes: "The idea behind the resort, a non-profit making venture, is essentially to give both known and unknown writers, publishers and patrons of arts a modest form for creative interaction."
Ajike Osanyin (2003:164) comments on the resort thus: "Even though it was a small art organisation, it became the rallying point of all creative artists and the Nigeria 'Mecca' for artistic excellence for black and African writers, artistes and art patrons the world over."
The idea one seems to get at first is that the resort is mainly for writers and literary artists. No doubt, because of the background of the founder himself as a writer, he desired the resort as an avenue where literary activity will be strongly encouraged and where publishers will pick up new manuscripts, but at the same time he also wanted the resort to be a popular performance venue.
Apart from the fact that there have always also been performances alongside the reading sessions, there is a grand plan to make theatre performances the ultimate event at the resort. I believe that Bode Osanyin, whether consciously or subconsciously, wanted to use the literary culture to draw upon and nurture the artistic and performance culture. He is a promoter of both cultures and probably knew that one can take off with limited infrastructural investment such as the initial bungalow that was first constructed in 1985.
He knew that one should precede the other and that where literature and drama stop, theatre begins. That's why when Duro Oni asked him what his considerations are from "Drama to theatre", he replied that, "Drama is the content of theatre". Continuing, he stressed,
"To qualify to be called a theatre, a building, a structure, a space must have vibrant content."
"The first duty of a dramatist therefore, is to create, to provide a viable play, drama, dance, pantomime or music worthy of the sweat all the anguish of rehearsals and production period and above all, worthy of the respect of the audience." (Duro Oni 2003:189).
Talking about some of the performances, which have taken place at the resort, Ajike Osanyin (2003:165) reporting about community participation, reveals how excited the Ijoko Ota citizens "felt at different times that stage performances were presented by groups and individuals such as Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, then under the leadership of Gbenga Sonuga (now oba). Veteran actress, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Akuro Theatre, Ade Oduduwa, Ojikutu Adimula-Oak, Segun Davies, Tunji Sotimirin, Segun Akinkugbe, Stella Oyedepo, Golda John and Bimbo Macaulay's Ogun State Centre for Arts and Culture Troupe etc.
She also reports that some talented artists even from among the touts at Ijoko garage brought their theatres to thrill the audience regularly and that a certain Ojikutu theatre, which was the relic of the defunct Yoruba trave;ling theatre, was like the resident theatre of the resort. All these performances were done in open-air, on a make-shift stage in front of the bungalow, where the reading sessions also take place. But as noted earlier, Bode Osanyin had grand plans for in-door theatrical activities. Attesting to this fact in an interview with Duro Oni, he discloses:
"Since inception in 1987 the resort has had considerable physical development. More land has been acquired for a 2000-seater
arts theatre and chalets for accommodation of writers and dramatists. This is near completion. It is envisaged that in a couple of years from now, the resort will be fully residential and full-scale theatre productions will commence. The idea is to make the resort a mecca of cultural activities and artistic excellence" Duro Oni (2003:157).
In furtherance of this resolve, he concludes this vision when he was asked in the same interview how he would like to be remembered. "I want my Writer's Resort to outlive me and to be a shining example of what an individual can do to promote literary development in Nigeria. I want the 2000-seater Arts Theatre of the Writers' Resort to be a popular theatre, where productions are regularly mounted and a testimony of an example of a privately--owned theatre; and encouraged others to do the same so that there would be a proliferation of theatres and theatre productions in Nigeria. I believe that theatre can perform wonders for the black and African peoples for their development and emancipation. Writer's Resort should be seen as what an individual can do to promote the development of arts and culture without government subvention. Above all, I recommend hard work and prayer for artists."
Bode Osanyin in his own little way, has consciously set the stage, where, according to Umukoro (1993), the course of the arts in Nigeria can be nurtured and directed, and also where artistic and creative potentials in drama, dance and music can be explored and developed. He denied himself of every necessary comfort and spent all his earnings to develop the resort as a gift to the art community.
Bode Osanyin can therefore, be described simply as a "great advocate of creative expression both in the literary and performative genres". He has done his best and left the rest, as if he knew he would be exiting the stage before the theatre is completed for performances. Bode Osanyin had a dream premised on vision and foresight and this has been turned into physical reality. Given that we live in an environment where selfless efforts such as this are hardly appreciated, I believe Bode Osanyin deserves our commendation and applause.
The resort, which more or less should now be referred to as the "Artist's Resort Complex" has the following features a 2000--seater, purpose-built theatre with library, gallery, rehearsal rooms, conference rooms, offices, chalet for lodging, parking lot, etc.
The complex, however, is yet to be completed and the main problem is funding. The onus is therefore on all of us here to ensure the full realisation of the resort's vision in its completion. And let's not deceive ourselves; it is not certain that the Nigerian government can be of much assistance in this regard. A government, which has practically failed in its primary responsibility to invest in artistic institutions through development of cultural infrastructure, can hardly help. A government, which declared its intention to put on sale the only national infrastructural heritage of the arts the National Theatre will never understand the meaning of this resort's initiative. A government, which thinks the arts are like financial institutions and staple foods, which should be subjected to market forces and the economics of buying and selling, is certainly an ignorant one. Let us therefore, direct our searchlight elsewhere, a place where the purpose of art is well-understood. Let us turn to foreign institutions such as the Ford Foundation for assistance. I wish to now recommend to the Bode Osanyin Foundation and the family and everybody present here who can help that a comprehensive proposal should be packaged for the attention of the Ford Foundation.
I believe that if the Ford Foundation gets information in a proposal, detailing the origins and the idea behind the resort, its goals and aspirations, its activities, achievements and future plans, and an estimate of the required completion fund, the resort will be ready for commissioning within a year from now. And so, the third annual Bode Osanyin Memorial lecture can hold at the newly completed writer's resort theatre complex in 2008. This proposition, nay, idea ... is another dream, which I strongly believe can become a reality.