AMAE holds maiden exhibition to address sea blindness in Nigeria
By Genevieve Aningo
Curated with the goal to eradicate sea blindness among Lagosians, Nigeria and Africa at large, the African Maritime Art Exhibition (AMAE) has held its debut art exposition to raise awareness on the invaluable gains in the maritime sector.
The AMAE by Hazi’s art took place on Saturday at Alliance Francaise, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi Lagos.
The novelty event was witnessed by maritime stakeholders, academia, artists, admirers of the industry, maritime archeologists, historians and lawyers as well as the Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo who was represented.
In an interview, the chairman of the event, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju, bemoaned the level of sea blindness among Lagos residents and other parts of the country.
Olukoju, who is a maritime historian and researcher in the Arts/Humanities, condemned that the maritime industry is discredited and hidden despite its economic value to Lagos state.
He said: “The number of people who came to this exhibition may be at most 1,000 but Lagos has a population of 20 million. That tells you that lagosians suffer from what is called sea blindness. It’s a concept that says people who live close to the sea or anywhere are not conscious of the sea.
“They don’t see the sea as being part of their daily lives. Lagos is what it is because of the sea but people focus on land; whereas 80 percent of the world’s bulk shipping is carried in the sea. So, this kind of exhibition would refocus our attention on maritime. It has given us a source of appreciation, aesthetics and education”.
Olukoju also said Lagos deserves to own a maritime museum in order for citizens to appreciate the sea better and also help in enlightening the younger generations about the potentials of the marine environment.
He said: “This exhibition speaks to a very big vacuum in Lagos and in Nigeria, the absence of maritime museums. A city like Lagos ought to have a maritime museum where people come not just on one day of the year but every day, every weekend to help the children learn about the industry.
“Let us catch them young, let people begin to appreciate the sea and the sea environment from an early age. We need to teach maritime history from the cradle, primary, secondary school till the university level”.
Meanwhile, Captain Suleiman Baiyee, Chief Executive Officer Genero Engineering Limited, commended the AMAE for creating awareness of the maritime industry through pictures and advised for the exhibition to be part of major events in the sector to reach a wider audience and make more impact.
“This exhibition is a medium of raising awareness in the maritime. it s commendable and it’s a bit innovative but my only concern is that it cannot stand alone. It should be a part of a major event,” he said.
“It’s something people have to be physically there to see; therefore make it as part of a bigger event. It cannot survive on its own except it’s in a permanent site but if you do it in a day; how many people can come? For art, it’s either you make it permanent or you put it in an environment where people can see it like an advert.”
He also implored the AMAE team to incorporate storytelling in future exhibitions as this year’s Art lacked a zest of tale and historical display of the Nigerian maritime industry.
He explained: “It does not tell the history of the maritime world because I cannot see any paintings from 50 or 30 years ago. It should be able to tell us a story in time as well as the story of now. It’s about us and we should make it about us as well. I am happy I came and I think it can be expanded to go beyond this.
“An example is that they are people who build canoes, let’s show them while chopping the woods. We should be able to show the various aspects of the industry”
Also speaking, Mrs Oyeronke Mojisola Adegbile, a marine conservationist and Managing Director of Ronkylamix, said AMAE is unique among other art exhibitions as it is an avenue for people to have a first contact with the maritime industry.
She said: ‘’The unique selling point of this exhibition is that it would allow people to have personal contact and interaction in the marine environment because a lot of times, the marine environment seems very abstract to people, because they cannot interact with it the way they interact with the land; but bringing to this kind of event is like bringing it home”
She applauded the event and advised that next year, the exhibition should include live elements.
‘’The convener has done beautifully well, for the first time because this event has actually come to stay. We can add some live art to it, like having a water display showing the ocean itself. Old marine vessels or shipwrecks, whale bones, turtle carapace and so many can be displayed in miniature forms. This is a very broad industry so there is still a lot to be added” said Adegbile.
In her remarks, the Convener of the AMAE, Ezinne Azunna, recognised the value of the maritime industry in Africa and urged guests to support the initiative poised to stamp out sea blindness in Africa.
“Every art here connects with the sector and shows how crucial the maritime industry has become to our everyday living and in linking Africa to the rest of the world. We believe every piece of art resonates with you, which you take along supports the drive to eradicate sea blindness in Africa from your corner in the world,” she said.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Jean Chiazor -Anishere, applauded the convener for her imprints in the maritime industry. She reeled off: ‘’ It’s a brilliant concept; it’s a very fine innovation. This is the first of its kind. I congratulate Ezinne for being able to put the maritime world to pictures in art form. I celebrate her for this innovation”.
The exhibition featured maritime art from Ekene Ngige-the coffee Artist, Christine Nnaji-the Autistic Artist, Olayemi Thomas, Textile Art Director, Taiwo Akinyele, Visual Artist, Ronkylamix, Marine Conservationist and Peter Bassey, the Water Hyacinth Artist.
The event was in collaboration with the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron and Female Seafarers Association of Nigeria (FESAN)