Minister Mutuuzo, the Nigerian Commissioners together with ambassadors from Tanzania and Eritrea showcase drumming skills/photo credit Bayan Nalubwama
It was a show of cultural diversity as the commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the company of cultural ambassadors from Tanzania and Eritrea joined the Ugandan Minister of State for Gender and Culture Peace Mutuuzo to showcase the different drumming cultures from their states.
This was during the official launch and awarding ceremony of “My Impression Art Competition” that was held at Nommo Gallery.
The audience which included Nigerians in Uganda, representatives from Turkey, Ethiopia, and Ugandans watched in amusement as Ugandan and Nigerian dancers cavorted to the sound of the drums.
The audience was later treated to a Nigerian dance by Nigerian dancers before they blended with the cultural performance by House of Talents.
While presiding over the event, Hon Peace Mutuuzo advised artists to consider the available market while creating their art pieces for purposes of making sales and earnings.
“We need to know how to market the product we make. We make very beautiful products. If you went in there (Nommo gallery) you would want to carry a piece of Art but if they ask for the price, someone will tell you a million and a half so it will not connect with somebody’s pocket with ease because of social status and how we are used to cheap things so we need to produce in bulk and also reconnect with the market so that we make sense to everybody,” she advised, adding that the ministry is in the process of securing land for artists where a one-stop center will be constructed for easy access of a variety of art pieces.
Nigerian dancers join house of Talent/Photo credit Bayan Nalubwama
“We shall be able to develop our Art industry and use it to impact national development and upload accepted norms of culture,” she added.
The High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Uganda, Ismail Ayobami Alatise, used the platform to commend artists for using their skill to put out things that words sometimes can’t. Like a parable of a proverbial elephant and the blind man, the commissioner said artists depict a not- very-pleasant impression about a particular culture or society with their imaginations.
It’s an international language that anyone from anywhere can understand. Consequently, I am confident that these are the inspirations of our young experts gathered here which would speak to the national consciousness of our two countries and discretely push for a change with just paint and a brush in hand in apolitical and non-violent positive change,” he said.
He expressed hope that the collaboration enhances cultural relations between Uganda and Nigeria citing Africanism will be sustained.
Andrew Kasekende, a Ugandan student emerged victorious after beating 52 other contestants from Ugandan and Nigeria. His art piece “Venice of Lagos” was inspired by a place in Nigeria called Makoko that looks exactly like Venice of Italy.
“In Italy, there is a place with water and houses on top so I saw the same place under the biggest bridge in Nigeria. There is life; there are houses, and businesses going on, just like it is happening in Italy. I want people to know that there is life in Makoko even though people see the place as dirty and underdeveloped,” Kasekende explained.
He walked home with an accolade and a Shs2M cash prize. Hillary Agaba’s art piece Naija Vibes took the second position with an accolade and 1.5 million while Nigerias Awesu Gafar Sewanu’s piece titled Atupa (Lantern) took third place with an accolade and shs1 million.
The Nigerians were amazed by how Kasekende painted his imagination with color as each one that saw the piece could easily tell that it was Makoko in the painting.
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