… As Afegbua Ibrahim wins  LIMCAF’s star Prize  

By Henry Akubuiro

It was a night many faces were creased with smiles and intermittent laughter. Above all, it was a night Afegbua Ibrahim laughed the best in the Coal City as the Overall Winner of the 2017 edition of LIMCAF (Life in My City Art Festival), with a prize money of half a million naira.

The grand finale of this year’s edition of LIMCAF, one of the most recognised art competitions for Nigerian youths, took place last Saturday in the Enugu State capital, Enugu, with the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe; and Ambassador Christopher Kolade adding glamour to the event.

Facing the Giants by Afegbua Ibrahim (from Lagos Zone), which became the Overall Winner, is a work of binding wire; while the Best Painting/Mixed Media/ Drawing prize went to Nsiobodo Doris with Obscured Ideas, a work of painting, earning her ₦250,000. Two other artists who went home with ₦250,000 included Daaduut Judith for Best Sculpture Installation/Ceramics category with her work Cliché, a work of installation; and Raji Bamidele Abdulgaffar for Best Graphics/Multimedia/Digital Art/Photography/Video, Multimedia category, using charcoal on canvas.

Seven artists were also rewarded with prizes endowed by some goodhearted Nigerians aimed at nurturing talents. In this regard, the Justice Anthony Aniagolu Prize for Originality was won by Ugwuagbo Godwin Ejike with his work, Pro-Life Campaign: Please Can We Just Stop (₦100,000), while the Dr. Pius Okigbo Prize for Technical Proficiency was won by Ayeye Igbeyawo with a work of wedding).

Other winners were Mfon Usoro Prize for Outstanding work from Uyo/Calabar Zone, entitled Reality of Our Heritage, won by Essang Etim. E., ₦200,000; Thought Pyramid Prize for the Outstanding work from Abuja won by Onaolapo Bolaji with The Struggle (₦100,000); Thought Pyramid Prize for the Outstanding work from Auchi/Benin/Delta won by Armstrong Obialo Grillo with Social Embrace, (₦100,000).

Also, the Lawrence Agada Prize for the Most Promising Young Artist was won by Fatola Israel with The Story of My Life (₦100,000); the VinMartin Ilo Prize for the Outstanding work from Enugu won by Ayogu Kingsley with Valley: The Failure of Time (₦50,000).

Besides, 14 consolation prizes were given to other artists who didn’t win the major and endowed prizes, ensuring that all the 25 finalists had something to go home with, having come a long way from a list of 100 promising young artists  who made it to the 2nd round of the competition.

In his address, Chief Joe Musa, former Director General, National Gallery of Art, who chaired the Grand Jury in the absence of the original chairman, Kolade Oshinowo, who stayed back in Lagos on health grounds, said other members included Amarachi Okafor and Jeff Ajueshi, and a pep of the French Embassy.

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The jury membership, he said, also covered several eminent professional artists of esteem repute from all the represented zones, who presided over the selection of works for the diverse zones: Abuja, Auchi/Benin, Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, and Uyo.

Based on the quality of works they encountered in the process of adjudication, he had no doubt that the young artists had a bright future ahead of them, describing them as “the next line of pop artists in the molds of Julian Schnabel’s, Jean Basquaint Damian Horsts and the Andy Warhol’s of our time.”

In his remarks, Elder Kalu Ukah, Chairman, Board of Trustees, LIMCAF, said after 10 years, Life in My City Art Festival “is now full in place as the most credible, biggest, longest running art event in Nigeria today”, ranking among the top 3 in Africa. Likewise, the Enugu State Governor described it as the most credible art festival in Nigeria, promising to give all necessary assistance sustain the high-profile festival.

Also, in his goodwill message, Ambassador Christopher Kolade, a friend to the Executive Director of LIMCAF, Ken Ejiofor, said he had known him for 62 years ago, and he was impressed with how he had moved the festival to a world class event.

Fascinated by theme of the festival he said, “I believe that what you mean by ‘In the Midst of Realities’ is that, these artists who we are celebrating in tonight’s festival, have been able to express what they are expressing in the midst of some realities that may have been negative, unpleasant, discouraging or frustrating but they have managed to bring us together to know things they have produced and to admire those things.”

For Donald Duke, art is a measure of civilisation. He congratulated the organisers of the festival for sustaining it for that long at a time many art events hardly last in the country, just as he extolled the rare talents of the 25 artists. “It goes to show what we can do as Nigerians if given the opportunity. There is nothing like earning a living from what you are doing,” he said.

Igwe Achebe, the patron of LIMCAF, recalled that it was love at first sight when he was approached to be the patron. He was delighted that LIMCAF had succeeded in contributing to the celebration of art outside Lagos, which hitherto had been the centre of art concentration in the country. He commended the organisers for discovering new talents and uniting the country.

To this end, he said, “I believe Enugu is ready and should be able to grab the opportunity to begin an international week of arts festivities: literature, poetry, dance, drama and, of course, visual art.” Ken Ejiofor, the life wire of LIMCAF, cut a smiley face as he thanked all for coming, amid infectious music by musical groups from Uyo and Enugu.

Indeed, an icing on the cake was the announcement that the 25 finalists would be participating in an international art event in Senegal, all-expense paid next year, courtesy of the veteran scholar-artist, El Anusi, one of the sponsors of LIMCAF.  Needless to say, these are good days for young, Nigerian artists to make hay.