By sheer coincidence, the year 2009, which marked ten years of democratic rule in Nigeria also celebrated 50 years of television in Africa. This coincidence obviously gave Nigeria an enviable status in the comity of nations, but in the real sense of it, it also called for sober reflections on the gradual decay of infrastructure and dwindling socio-economic and cultural fortunes in the country.

Fifty years ago, the then Western Nigerian government of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo brought the Television novelty into the country with the establishment of the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (WNBC) at Ibadan. The station whose TV arm has since metamorphosed into the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) was later replicated in the Eastern and Northern parts of the country. The WNBC thus became the pride of Africa, having brought honour to Nigeria aside creating training and employment opportunities for all categories of broadcasters of that era. The new TV station then equally opened doors to culturally rich entertainment programmes, including drama, music and dance.

But it was rather ironic that the Federal Government did not deem it fit to celebrate 50 years of television on a grand scale in the out-going year. Except for the modest celebration by the NTA management and a private sector initiative spearheaded by Ambassador Segun Olusola, veteran broadcaster and creator of the rested Village Headmaster series, it was rather unfortunate that the 50th anniversary of television in Africa was not considered a national event worthy of celebration. This was a repeat of what happened last year when the Federal Government could not organize a national commemorative event to compliment the global celebration of 50 years of Chinua Achebe’s classic novel; Things Fall Apart.

But early this year, Nigeria got a UNESCO category two centre for culture in Osun and Ogun states. Although the location of the centre (in Nigeria) had been a subject of controversy, following Professor Wole Soyinka’s objection to a UNESCO centre within the Olusegun Obasanjo national library complex at Ota, the approval given to it by UNESCO General Assembly in Paris finally sealed the project in favour of Nigeria. So as early as January 2009, the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU) was formally inaugurated in Osun state capital with Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola serving as chief host and life custodian.

Shortly after the inauguration of the CBCIU in Osogbo, the year 2009 also witnessed the transition of Susanne Wenger, the 94-year old Austrian artist and founder of New Sacred Art in Osogbo. Wenger who was until death, the chief priestess and custodian of Osun Groove was widely mourned across the country by fans and art protégés. The Osun state government and royal families in Osogbo took special interest in mourning her and celebrating her legacy. Her sojourn in Nigeria since 1950s was characterized by her rare and genuine passion for Yoruba culture, a virtue she crowned with her robust creativity in sculptural and textile works.

With Wenger’s death, a dark cloud hung over the popular Osogbo Arts School, which she co-founded with her former husband (Ulli Beier) and later Georgina Beier in the early 1960s. But the presence of a handful of products of the school such as Jimoh Buraimoh, Muraina Oyelami, Yemi Elebuibon, Twin Seven Seven, Nike Okundaye among others portend greater hope for the arts and culture community in the area.

Like the sudden death of Wenger, the year 2009 was almost halfway gone when the news of the death of Michael Jackson, the world acclaimed king of pop was broken. The music legend whose popularity traverses racial and geographical locations around the globe died shortly before a major concert organized to mark his 50th birthday in London. His death was received with shock and disbelief by millions of fans while reports had it that some of his fans in some countries actually committed suicide. He was however criticized for his excesses in drug addiction and several failed attempts to use artificial means to change the colour of his skin.

At the level of government, the arts and culture sector in 2009 had its fair share of challenges. After the replacement of Prince Adetokunbo Kayode with Senator Bello Gada as Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, the sector for some months witnessed a lull. Although the same ministry tried to support the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), which held in Minna, Niger state, the unveiling of the Tourism Village by the Segun Runsewe-led NTDC in Abuja, as well as the yearly Abuja Carnival anchored by Professor Ojo Rasaki Bakare, it could not actualize this support financially. But there was every reason for the sector to look forward to better days as some of the chief executives used resources at their disposal to execute programmes. The hope was equally brightened by the resourcefulness of culture-based parastatals like the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC), Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN) and the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB). Other parastatals such as the National Gallery of Art (NGA), National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) and National Theatre Management (NTM) were faced with challenges that caused changes in their management cadres.

As for artists and culture workers, the year 2009 was full of internal wrangling, occasioned by petty rivalries and leadership tussles. While the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN) tried to resolve its crisis with the election of Segun Arinze, the latter’s victory sparked off yet another controversy and the body of actors is yet to know peace.
On a similar note, the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) seemingly got a relief in the year when Dele Abiodun was declared duly elected president by the law courts. But the fortunes of members of the once boisterous association are yet to change neither has the leadership addressed the problems facing the body of musicians. Unlike AGN and PMAN, the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP) has been relatively stable both at the national and state levels. But the Lagos branch of the association, now headed by Mufu Onifade promises to turn around the fortunes of theatre profession. It started this vision with an eventful ITD early in the year and the recent celebration of the seventy years of theatre icon and teacher, Professor Dapo Adelugba. The latter who turned 70 last March was well celebrated by hundreds of his students and protégés who used Lagos and Ibadan venues as center stages of action.

In the literary community, the year 2009 was quite eventful and promising. A number of writers among who are Chimamanda Adichie, Remi Raji, Ahmed Yerima Seffi Atah emerged with new works. At the yearly writers’ convention organized by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr Jerry Agada took over from Dr Wale Okediran as president, with a big challenges posed on the new executives of the association, this is because according to writers, Okediran’s tenure was quite remarkable with many programmes, some of which include, the 20 Years of Soyinka’s Nobel and the Golden Jubilee of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (2008).

But the circle of writers was somehow treated with disdain in the out going year when the NLNG Company, organizers of the Nigeria prize for Literature said it could not award the $50,000 prize to any of the nine short-listed writers. Like it did in 2004 when it could not award any of the finalists, jury of the 2009 NLNG literature prize came under criticism when it announced in Abuja that none of the nine poets merited the award.

Although some of the entries had earlier won awards in diverse categories, the NLNG jury headed by Professor Ayo Banjo declared to the world the NLNG cash award for 2009 would go to the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL). This decision was traced by criticisms from writers and observers who doubted the sincerity and transparency of the jury.

A total of nine works of poetry were announced for the prize, they include Litany by Omo Uwaifo, Love Apart by Hyginus Ekwuazi, Songs of Odamolugbe by Ademola Dasylva, Eaters of the Living by Musa Idris Okpanachi and From a Poem to its Creator by Diego Okenyodo. Others include Nengi Ilagha’s January Gestures, G’Ebinyo Ogbowei’s Song of a Dying River, Ahmed Maiwada’s Fossils and A Memory of Rivers by Lindsay Barrett.

But Lindsday Barret, who incidentally was one of the NLNG prize hopeful, queried the inability of organizers to extend formal invitation to all the short-listed poets during the award presentation ceremony. According to him, “I find it difficult to understand why the Panel of Judges called a formal press conference to announce the short list when they were not sure that they were going to award the prize. I did not attend the Award Night because I was informed that no one among the nine of us would be given a formal invitation … I found this demeaning to our dignity as well as suspicious.”

While criticizing the decision of the judges to have awarded the $50,000 prize money to the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Barret said, “The Nigerian Academy of Letters is an institution that was established by the Nigerian Federal Government, a major shareholder in the NLNG Company. At least three of the members of the Panel of Judges are Fellows of the Academy. It has an abysmal record of inactivity as far as enhancing the cause of literature in Nigeria is concerned. Its acceptance of the prize money meant to encourage writers, whether young or old, adds to the impression of its uselessness.”
In his own reaction, Dr Musa Idris Okpanachi, another short-listed poet described the excuse of lack of merit by the jury as contradictory because the same jury had earlier paid glowing tributes to the high quality of the works when they were short-listed.

Meanwhile, the year 2009 also recorded a boom for reality TV shows with scores of producers and multinational coming out with different shows. Some of these include Maltina Dance Hall, Amstel Malta Box Office, Project Fame, and Peak Talent Hunt just to mention a few.
But the high point of reality shows in the year was recorded in the Big Brother Africa (BBA4) competition, otherwise known as The Revolution, which produced a Nigerian winner in Kevin Chuwang. The 27-year old entertainer and native of Jos, Plateau State participated in the 91-day show in South Africa and eventually became winner with a cash prize of $200,000. At the presentation of his award on December 6, Kevin made Nigeria proud as millions of TV viewers saw him covering himself with Nigerian flag and burying his face on the ground in ecstasy.

It would be recalled that during the 2007 edition of the BBA, another Nigerian, Ofunneka Amanda emerged first runner-up in the continental reality TV show. The victory of both Kevin and Ofunneka was a confirmation of the fact that Nigerian youths are not only talented but are aggressive in their pursuit of excellence.

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