(Temidayo Ahanmisi)--A significant number of us would agree that the Arts are
altogether not serving Nigeria beyond momentary entertainment.
If we only knew a bit of history we would be appalled
and indignant at how much our artists have taken from us in terms of human
development and social evolution. This aside the money.
Many Nigerians, by the unfortunate virtue of not having
grown up in a critical culture as most now in their late 30s and beyond did,
are hampered in understanding that art is a veritable tool for cultural
disruption and the motivation of the critical aspects of the zeitgeist culture
necessary to force social change for sociocultural emancipation in any society.
When you grow up watching art imitate the worst of life,
you think art should serve only one function - to validate mutual perfidies,
and to pay homage to brigandage while the artist dances for his supper.
This is partly why a lot of Nigerians tend to become
hostile at the whiff of criticism especially of an artist they prefer. It's a
kind of indulgent patronage bestowed on a favourite pet.
If your fare is Nollywood movies like Azonto babes,
Blackberry babes, (Nigerian) Spider Girl, you would of course bristle when you
hear such atrocities being dissected for the immoral socioeconomic criminality
they honestly are.
To the average Nigerian, you cannot criticise or
critique a movie unless:
- you have been paid to either praise or excoriate the
work and/or its actors by concerned parties.
- you know at least the producer, director or a lead
cast member personally.
Then you hear wailing gripes like "Do you know what
they went through producing that movie? The director lost his sister. Please
put yourself in his shoes. Let us be careful because we don't know
tomorrow."
- you have yourself produced or directed a movie.
Nonsense like this.
It is the same blight that bedevils our politics,
religion, education.
You cannot criticise a government you sustain, unless
you show that you have at least picked up a form to run for local government
chairman.
You cannot criticise a rapist unless you swear you have
never swivelled to check out a woman's backside on the road.
No one holds our artists to any sensible standards. For
this reason, they continue to churn useless fare on cable TV, in the cinemas.
Everywhere.
At least 85% of Nollywood actors, directors, et all
should not be found around a camera, not to talk of a movie studio.
The telenovelas are not only an emerging culture in
Africa, they are making a determined headway into western social culture via
Hollywood.
Zee World has all but pushed aside our pretensions of
soaps like Tinsel, which frankly has gone on for too long, and is so far out of
left field it has now become almost otherworldly.
And the telenovelas and ZW are no less mediocre than
Nollywood. This is what riles more.
How can a country with an Art industry as Nigeria claims
it does not have an accompanying Critics' body?
The last time I saw a film critic column in a Nigerian
tabloid it was by one Onochie Anibeze (?). I am not sure of the last name, but
she was pretty incisive.
There is no serious artiste that hopes to reach
international zeniths across boundaries that would dismiss critics readily as
"lowlifes" or "haters" who don't want them to succeed.
This however is the Nigerian moral standard. You are
accused of "pulling down" and jealousy, for admitting that a movie, a
song, an album, a visual art piece, a book, a poem or even an art event which
you patronised with your own money fell below par.
The so-called actor, musician, writer, director, etc
would amass a following of ignorant, low expectations sycophants to tear the
critic a new one. Woe betide you critic, if you are female over 25 and not
married, or male over 40 and single.
You are doomed if you have ever been mentioned in some
infraction at any time.
In countries of the world where the arts are big
business and rake in billions in the GDP averages, the critics are feared,
loved and hated in equal measures. Their verdicts are waited for with bated
breath. Here the critic has one choice only:
Don't exist. Die.
Go watch our talent hunt shows. Lie down, cry yourself
to death afterwards.
"The way you sang that song was wow! You are bam!
Take a bow!"
"Your dance steps are da bomb! You are on to the
next round."
The contestant does not know what "bam" means.
I don't either. No one knows.
And so contestant goes out and tells you he is hoping to
win an Oscar for his song. The much hyped upcoming actress tells interviewers
she has always dreamt of receiving a Grammy for her acting skills.
Only haters would think their vision unattainable. God
is on their side.
After a long hiatus from my pet entertainment genre,
comedy, I came back from reverie to an introduction to the artiste called Falz.
I am terribly impressed.
I don't matter.
I have read criticisms about his work that I think he
would do well to be apprised of.
He needs to focus on one talent and work it to the max.
His brand of comedy is highly susceptible to wear and
tear. He needs to keep walking and opening new vistas in his creativity.
These criticisms are what Falz needs to hear.
If he has any friend who is reading this, kindly pass on
the information. He is good. He needs to be way better.
I thank all those who criticised Falz's art on my first
post today.
I thank everyone for a very robust and enlightening
discourse. Kudos for your keen eyes and your appreciation of the arts.
Dear critics,
We NEED you. Ignore the praise worship minstrels and
step out to be heard.
Please save the Arts, especially the Nigerian comedy
industry.
Everything else is gone.
Thank you.
grt
ReplyDelete