FOR THE CULTURE The vanguard shaping Lagos’s creative scene

Words HELEN JENNINGS Photography LAKIN OGUNBANWO

These Lagos leaders are moving Nigeria’s creative industries forward

FOR THE CULTURE

“It’s vibrant, it’s diverse, it’s fresh, it’s energetic and it’s organic. It’s very much for us, by us,” says Lakin Ogunbanwo, the pioneering photographer behind this story with Nataal. For him and his peers on the cultural vanguard of Lagos, Nigeria’s (and Africa’s) most populous city is now being defi ned by the undeniable dynamism emanating from the visual arts, music and fashion scenes. After bubbling up for the past decade, this megatropolis is now part of the global creative conversation — thanks in no small part to the endeavours of the individuals profi led here. The socalled ‘Lagos hustle’ is real, and despite, or arguably because of the signifi cant infrastructural, political and social challenges facing its inhabitants, there is a devotion and belief that drives the artists and entrepreneurs who are proudly pushing things forward. It takes a certain verve to maintain one’s vision and to refuse to give in to mediocrity here. As such, those who have stayed true to promoting what makes Nigeria unique are rightfully rising to the top. From art fairs and music festivals to beautiful objects, fi lms and sounds, it’s about looking inward to build outward. “Lately I’ve felt the strong need to document my culture as I see it, and not how the West wants to engage with it,” adds Ogunbanwo. “It’s important to recognise the people who are birthing these new conversations. To see how they constantly drive and thrive is very exciting.”

“I believe that creativity in Lagos is fuelled by the energy at its core. It’s not something you can explain but those who know, know,” says Chin Okeke. “Not everybody can harness and channel it but those who can are the ones we’ve been seeing succeed over the last decade.” This entertainment entrepreneur is one of those people. He initially worked in talent and brand management and then co-founded Eclipse Live events. In 2014 his team established Gidi Culture Festival, which has gone on to become West Africa’s biggest music festival. This year’s edition featured a line-up of stars from across the continent such as Patoranking, Blinky Bill and Moonchild Sanelly, alongside a host of new talent, continuing to offer an inclusive environment for the city’s urban youth. Okeke’s latest initiative, The Echo Music and Arts Foundation, is a non-profi t organisation aimed at further building the native music industry. It set sail with Lagos Music Week and the Echo Music conference, a series of happenings in April anchored by Gidi Fest. “We see a commerciallyviable music ecosystem in Nigeria where professionals are equipped to succeed locally and in the international music market,” says Okeke. “Our wider challenges are to do with structure, collaboration, data and transparency, but I hope that what we’re contributing now will give us a stronger sense of identity and allow us to offer an authentic representation of our culture globally.”

With her signature pom-pom braids, audacious fashion sense and soulful voice, Falana is spearheading a brave new sound in Lagos. Born in Toronto, she studied music in Havana and released her debut EP, Things Fall Apart, in 2014. Subsequently relocating to Lagos, she took her time to develop a deep appreciation for Nigeria’s musical legends. “I’m inspired by music from the 1970s and have spent some time mentoring with Odion Iruoje, who has worked with the Lijadu Sisters, Fela Kuti, Chris Okotie, Sonny Okosun and many more greats,” she says. “My current style and sound sit at the intersection of contemporary and vintage, both sonically and visually.” This year has seen the much-anticipated release of her sophomore EP, Chapter One, featuring the singles ‘Ride Or Die’ and ‘Repeat’. Its positive, sultry lyrics speak about love and perseverance, while the syncopated beats and live instrumentation take us on a journey from Etta James to A�a, via Lauryn Hill. Having hosted intimate live events and sung for Orange Culture at Lagos Fashion Week, Falana is among the fi gureheads of the city’s alternative scene. “Our creativity is fuelled by a passion for our culture and a dedication to exploring ways to present it on the international stage on our own terms, in our own words, and in our own way,” she says. “I hope to make timeless music that stretches the understanding of the Nigerian sonic landscape, and to become a role model who incites younger generations to be unconventional and disruptive.”

Papa Omotayo Not many cultural moments go on in Lagos without Papa Omotayo’s guiding hand. The architect is CEO and creative director of MOE+ Art Architecture, a design studio rooted in a reinvention of African modernism. He’s also the founder of A Whitespace Creative Agency, offering consultancy, artist representation, fi lm production and event activations, with clients such as Nataal and ART X Lagos. And that’s just the start of it. The agency also hosts the Big60 arts festival, which has travelled from Lagos to London and this year heads to New York. And they’re currently working on a public space project along the MacGregor Canal on Lagos Island that will open by the end of 2019.

“My desire is to build viable, sustainable spaces that have a strong sense of openness and generosity towards sharing,” he says. “Our work is inspired by this amazing city we love and this maddening but addictive country we call Nigeria. I’m constantly driven by the idea that through investigation, collaboration and pushing that little bit with every new project, you’re achieving more positive results.” Omotayo wryly notes that the speed at which the city’s creative scene has grown over the past few years has in some ways been selfdestructive: “The hustle was starting to choke and make everything feel saturated and regurgitated, even before we’d really begun,” he comments. “Thankfully, we’re now fi nding room for new independent voices and more inclusive dialogue. There are incredible women creating world-class platforms that will exist long after the now. And there is the sheer crazy recklessness and ’by force’ energy of the young population driven by the frustration and a lack of representation from the political classes.”

Having worked as a strategy and marketing consultant for the creative sectors in Nigeria for several years, Tokini Peterside identifi ed a critical gap for an annual contemporary art fair in Africa’s second largest art market. Now as founder and director of ART X Lagos, she looks forward to its fourth edition in November 2019. Highlights have included keynotes from Yinka Shonibare MBE and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and the fair has expanded to include the ART X Prize in support emerging artists, as well as ART X Live!, which brings music, street art and pop culture into the art fair’s experience.

“I’ve always wanted to change the way the world sees my city, my country and my continent, and in turn, elevate the way we see ourselves,” Peterside says. “The businesses and brands I am now building are centred on celebrating our collective identity, and the brilliance that exists within it, through our creators.” Being a frontrunner means that she’s often had to build the necessary infrastructure from the ground up, but alongside accordant events such as the Lagos Biennial, LagosPhoto and Art Summit that all happen around the same time each year, she is helping to make Lagos a serious destination. “The city comes alive,” she says of this culturally rich time of year. “This fuels its growing reputation as a cultural capital and enabling the thousands of creatives living here to engage an increasingly international audience.”

“The kids are really not playing. If Lagosians want it, they go for it,” states Amaka Osakwe. “The creativity and tenacity out here is so inspiring. It’s been years of this, but 2019 is showing that the world cannot sleep on Lagos.” This designer is one of the main reasons we’re wide-awake. Osakwe launched her label Maki Oh in 2010 and has found acclaim with her reinvention of adire. Traditionally made by Yoruba women in southwest Nigeria using indigoresist dye techniques, she turns it into silky, sensual womenswear that whispers its mischievous messages through cut and cloth. Osakwe was shortlisted for the 2014 LVMH Prize, has had pieces acquired by major museums, shown at New York Fashion Week, and counts Michelle Obama, Solange Knowles, Lady Gaga and Lupita Nyong’o as fans. She’s also recently moved into menswear, and from her exquisite, tucked away atelier in Lagos, she’s quietly planning further expansion. “Maki Oh 2.0 is in the works. I’m drawing more, making art, wanting to learn and wanting to make change,” she says. “I want young Nigerians to know that they are enough and that they can never dream too big!”

Arie Esiri is one of the vital voices in Nigerian fi lm that are breaking away from the Nollywood mould. He started out assisting on Biyi Bandele’s 2013 adaptation of Half Of A Yellow Sun, and soon after had his fi lm B For Boy premiere at the London Film Festival. His short Goose was selected for the LA Film Festival and he recently directed a fashion fi lm for Maki Oh’s debut menswear capsule, Because Men in Silk Shirts on Lagos Nights. “Right now I’m in postproduction on a feature fi lm I co-directed and produced with my twin brother,” he reports. “Set in Lagos, it’s a socialrealist drama that follows two characters, an electrician and a hairdresser, in search of greener pastures. But the ultimate goal for me would be to create something that resonates politically.” While Esiri does not deny the problems holding the industry back, such as the lack of government grants and facilities, and the defi ciency of quality fi lm schools, he has confi dence in the irrepressible attitude of young creatives. “Improved connectivity is allowing Gen Z to stay clued up on what’s happening globally and fi nd like minds to collaborate with,” he says. “They’re creating content with an amount of freedom that I didn’t have when I started out. It’s producing a wealth of self-taught talent in the visual arts space here – they’re great at forming opportunities for themselves.”

This burgeoning menswear designer has impressed with his dedication to reviving aso oke, the storied Yoruba handwoven fabric. He crafts his own take on this luxurious and colourful textile and then turns it into relaxed yet inventive silhouettes that are stocked worldwide. “I relate strongly to my heritage so it’s important to express who we are and where we are from through the label,” says Ize. “We work with local artisans to promote and build their communities and to nurture their traditions. It is about opening up these techniques so that they form a territory for future traditions.” Notable clients include Naomi Campbell, Childish Gambino and Beyoncé, and in 2019 he has been shortlisted for the LVMH Prize, and launched a womenswear line during Arise Fashion Week in Lagos. Ize has also collaborated on an accessories collection with Sagan Vienna, and is working on moving into bespoke prints, lace and embroidery to further expand the brand’s scope. “Fashion is playing a central role in the growing local design and arts scene,” he says. “This community is contributing to the new cultural infrastructure. The exposure we’re receiving has made foreign audiences more aware of the nuances of our culture, and the connections that are now being made can lead to creative spaces that we can explore together.”