Art as a Tool for Economic Growth and Social Change

 

Art as a Tool for Economic Growth and Social Change

 

 Preamble

I begin by commending the patriotism and joint initiative of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), the conveners of this conference, particularly during this challenging period in our country’s development. It is a commendable example of the much-vaunted Public-Private Sector Collaboration, which development experts advocate for building a vibrant, sustainable economy.

It is pertinent to mention that this is the perfect time for all stakeholders in our nation to discuss the way forward for our fledgling economy. The theme of the summit captures its essence: “Collaborative Action for Growth, Competitiveness, and Stability.”

I would also like to take this opportunity to formally appreciate the Africa Art Fund for the honor of adding my voice to what is perhaps one of the most significant issues of our time—how to grow Nigeria’s economy and social environment for the benefit of the citizenry.

Before delving into my thoughts on this important topic, I would like to define the main terms from an artist’s perspective. I hope my view will not differ too much from those of my fellow panelists and participants at this forum.

a. Economic growth is the increase in the value of all goods and services produced in a given year. Economic growth is typically discussed alongside economic development, as the former tends to lead to the latter. Economic development, however, concerns the standard of living and the general well-being of people in a defined geographical area, such as Nigeria.

b. Social change refers to the alteration or modification of human behavior and relationships, which results in institutionalized improvements in the standard of living in society.

Surely, these two objectives deserve the attention of all well-meaning citizens of this country at this critical juncture in its politico-economic history, not just artists like me.

Art’s Place in the Economy

Globally, art is a potent force in social and economic development. It serves not only as a means of expression and communication but also provides livelihood for the artist and is a tool for economic growth. This fact becomes even more evident when fine and visual art is seen as an integral part of the broader discipline commonly referred to as the Arts. When we speak of the Arts, we refer to the three interrelated genres: literary arts, performing arts, and fine and visual arts, in which I have, with humility, built a career, an industry niche, and a reputation over the past six decades.

The Link Between Art, Culture, and the Economy

Art is inextricably linked to culture, and since culture stems from tradition, worldviews, and the values of a people, it naturally impacts the economy. Art is a divine gift to humanity; it gives meaning to our lives and helps us creatively explore and communicate our deepest emotions using resources from our surroundings.

The official correspondence to me, and presumably to my fellow panelists, rightly declares that art “is more than just a mirror to society; art can actively shape it by sparking conversations that drive action and influence policy reform.” This summit is undoubtedly sparking the necessary conversations. I hope that for Nigeria’s sake, these conversations will indeed drive collective action and influence policy reform.

My colleagues and I on this panel expect that the Ministries of Arts and Culture—at both the federal and state levels—will take the recommendations from this summit seriously and act promptly to implement them. This is the only way to ensure that art truly starts to drive social change and economic growth going forward.

Underestimation of Art’s Contribution to GDP

It is difficult to obtain reliable and usable data on fine and visual art in Nigeria. Even the available statistics greatly underestimate the contribution of art to GDP, partly because those compiling the data may not fully appreciate the all-encompassing nature and ubiquity of art in nearly all spheres of life.

For instance, the National Bureau of Statistics reports that last year the film and music subsector of the creative industry contributed only US $1.4 billion to the GDP, accounting for 82% of revenues in the sector. This suggests that fine and visual art accounts for a paltry 18%. This, however, is incorrect, as these statistics do not account for contributions by fine artists in architecture, industrial design, fashion, advertising, and other industries.

Furthermore, the impact of art in cultural events, festivals, and carnivals is not captured. For example, what would festivals like the Osun Oshogbo festival or the Calabar Carnival be without the contributions of fine and visual artists? As an experienced professional artist, teacher, and art entrepreneur, I confidently assert that art contributes up to half of all revenues generated in the creative sector.

A Bright Future Ahead

The Minister for Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, is optimistic about the future of the creative sector. She projected that, at the current rate of enlightenment, Nigeria could generate as much as US $100 billion annually from the creative sector by 2030. Though this amount is considered overly optimistic by some, it presents a significant challenge to all stakeholders in the creative industry, starting with the government.

Way Forward: Integrating Art into Economic Development – Recommendations

1. Change the Narrative of Art

Through balanced education and better information dissemination, we must change the stereotypical view of art as an unproductive pursuit. Instead, it should be promoted as a tool for personal development and economic growth, opening doors for talent and showcasing art as a viable industry.

2. Establish Endowments for Art and Artists

We must encourage the creation of endowments for art, led by the government and supported by corporate bodies. Endowments will nurture artists, unleash creativity, and inspire breakthroughs across all spheres of productive endeavor.

3. Leverage Art’s Impact on Health and Well-being

Society must recognize art’s role in maintaining mental and physical well-being. Health, in turn, boosts productivity, which positively impacts the economy.

4. Promote Local Tourism Driven by Art and Culture

Government policy should upgrade infrastructure, leading to a boom in internal tourism, especially during holiday seasons. Nigeria’s art assets can encourage locals to explore the country, benefiting the transportation and hospitality industries.

5. Restore Lost Values and Cultural Identity Through Art

Investing in art can help capture and preserve the essence of Nigeria’s cultural narratives for future generations.

6. Invest in More Art Institutions

Supporting informal art institutions, like the Harmattan Workshops run by the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, will develop grassroots talents and foster self-employment opportunities in the creative industry.

7. Encourage Collaboration Among Stakeholders

Collaboration among ministries, the business community, and art institutions is crucial to realizing the economic potential of the arts.

8. Nurture Culture-based Industries

Sustained support for culture-based industries, such as artisanal furniture making, will strengthen local economies and drive innovation.

9. Art as an Image Builder

Art can enhance the image of cities, making them more attractive to residents and businesses, as seen in Lagos under Governor Akin Ambode.

10. Boost Nigeria’s International Image through Art

Nigeria should establish cultural institutions abroad, similar to Germany’s Goethe Institut or France’s Alliance Francaise, to project its art and culture on the world stage.

11. Exploiting Art in the Age of AI

As AI takes over repetitive jobs, artists can rely on their innate creativity and unique talents, which AI cannot replicate. Society should encourage more people to pursue careers in art as a safeguard against job losses due to automation.

In conclusion, art is a powerful tool for economic growth and social change. With the right investments and collaborations, Nigeria can unlock the vast potential of its creative sector and achieve significant socio-economic gains.

 

Bruce Onobrakpeya 

15th October 2024

And Onobrakpeya wins Nigeria’s Ultimate Medal

Picture Courtesy Novo Isioro

And Onobrakpeya wins Nigeria’s Ultimate Medal

by

Sunny Awhefeada

The Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) was instituted in 1979 to reward cerebral achievement. It was at inception known as the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA). Although the nomenclature has changed, the significance and prestige of the award remains unassailable. The biodata on the back cover of Chinua Achebe’s The Trouble with Nigeria describes the award as Nigeria’s “highest accolade for intellectual achievement”. The prize has remained so. Achebe was the first winner in 1979 and many other distinguished Nigerian intellectuals had gone on to win it. A roll call of the winners whether they are from the Humanities or the Sciences points to the reality that it is actually bestowed on Nigeria’s best. And it must be admitted that Nigeria’s best is the world’s best irrespective of the cog in the wheel of our national development and by extension our hobbled education system. Thus the NNMA, even though it is a national award, could be compared to the Nobel Prize superintended by the Swedish academy.

Some Nigerians are as title crazy as Governor Okorocha of Imo State is driven crazy by his vision! There are many contrived awards in Nigeria! From the one bestowed by the president on himself and friends in the name of national honours to the ones thrown around by tertiary institutions and shadowy organizations to whoever could pay, Nigeria brims with awards. Yet, I dare say that the only one with unimpeachable integrity is the NNOM! It is awarded annually and this year’s winner is the master artist Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya! All the winners from Achebe to Onobrakpeya will top any master class of their discipline anywhere in the world! In truth, whatever modicum of respect Nigeria has earned in the world came through the remarkable achievements of her intellectuals. If the world concedes some measure of respectability to Nigeria, it is because Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, J.P. Clark,  Bruce Onobrakpeya and their ilk in other fields of knowledge are Nigerians.

When words filtered in that Onobrakpeya won this year’s NNOM many concluded that it was long overdue. The Delta State University, Abraka, under the vice chancellorship of Professor Victor Peretomode bestowed its highly regarded honourary doctorate on Onobrakpeya in July this year. Instead of casting the doctorate at the highest bidder, the university chose three worthy Nigerians, the Ohworode of Olomu, the Asagba of Asaba and Onobrakpeya.. The DELSU honour and the NNOM reinforce and justify each other. As university orator, the lot fell on me to do Onobrakpeya’s citation. Part of it reads:

Bruce Onobrakpeya is a living art avatar who shares the same hallowed platform with Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci and Michael Angelo in the universal configuration of artistic influence! He was in the vanguard of the “Zaria rebels” led by Uche Okeke that championed the decolonisation of African visual arts by privileging traditional influences in their practice. Much of the motif of Onobrakpeya’s art is rooted in his Urhobo tradition as he gives visual representation to ethno-philosophy, folklore, politics, environment, religion, modernity... While Urhobo tradition provides his collage, the world remains his canvas.

As a master artist in a class of his own, it didn’t take long for Onobrakpeya’s skilful hands to attract global attention. He became an Artist-in-Residence at Haystack Mountain of Art and Craft in Maine in the United States of America in 1975. He has, since then, held some of the most prestigious Art Residencies and professorships around the world, seven of which were in the United States. He also enjoyed the same rare privilege at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe which is one of the world’s most notable arts galleries.

In the course of his enchanting career as an artist, Onobrakpeya has held more than one hundred art exhibitions. The first of which took place in Ughelli in 1959. Since then his art works have been standing taller than any other at exhibitions in Lagos, New York, London, Berlin, Moscow, Warsaw, Washington, Bologna, Nairobi, Illinois, Toronto, Bradford, Holland, Zurich, Bonn, Zimbabwe, Abidjan, Dakar, Dubai, etc. I must not forget the one at the Vatican Museum in Rome in 1977. I am sure Pope Paul VI must have told God about the marvel of Onobrakpeya’s art.

In recognition of his sublime art, he has received over fifty awards, honours and prizes from all over the world. He is a winner of the Pope Paul VI Gold Medal. In 1989, the University of Ibadan, awarded him an honorary doctor of letters. He was the second person after Chinua Achebe to win the Nigeria Creativity Award in 2010. Many other prizes came from across the seas; USA, Britain, France, Iraq, Czechoslovakia, etc. The Federal Government of Nigeria conferred the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) on him in 2002. Very significantly, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) canonised him as a Living Human Treasure in 2006! Art connoisseurs have long reached a consensus that had there been a Nobel Prize for Visual Arts, Onobrakpeya would have long won it!

Today, Onobrakpeya’s art works can be found in all the continents of the world. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings, Nobles, Commoners, all stand before his works in adoration! Onobrakpeya’s astonishing portfolio of achievements is reinforced by ibiebe an Urhobo alphabetic system he invented, fourteen published monographs and fourteen illustrated books. The number of theses written on his works by art cognoscenti is in the realm of the uncountable!

Before us, today, is one of the most significant artists of global resonance for all times. At eighty-five, Onobrakpeya is the youngest among today’s honourees, but he is the oldest known practising artist in Africa now. Whatever he touches becomes art. Art works immortalise the artist. So let it be with Owena Bruce Obomeyoma Onobrakpeya.

Awhefeada teaches literature at the Delta State University, Abraka.

Sambisa Forest Installation and letter to the Chibok girls by Bruce Onobrakpeya.

Dear Chibok Girls,

This to let you know that our spirits are there with you in the Sambisa Forest where you have been suffering in the hands of kidnappers for a period of over 510 day.  As grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, citizens of Nigeria and the world, we share your pains.  We daily work and pray for your release from the forbidden forest.  I feel intensely what you are going through because I too had been kidnapped as a child during the Ekene festival but was miraculously rescued before being taken away into the forest.

I dedicate this installation called “Sambisa Forest” to you.  It is a prayer to the supreme intelligence for your release.

In the picture protesting mothers parade behind totems which represent you girls, the armed insurgents, denied or delayed laurels and most importantly, starves of empowerment which you will receive at the end of your travail.

Finally dear girls, don’t loose hope, your present state may be a design by the creator to put you at the top of the world

Sincerely

 Obo –me-yoma

09 – 09 -2015