Saturday, July 20, 2013

Nigerian Tribune: 'International writers, artistes to storm Abeokuta for AABF' in Ogun State, Birthplace of Nigerian Composer Fela Sowande


Alan Ashton provided this photo, captioned "Fela Sowandie," from the "1946 Theatre Organ World publication"


Sunday, 21 July 2013
Over 100 Nigerian and international writers, academics and artistes will be in Abeokuta, Ogun State for the maiden Ake Arts & Book Festival in November, ADEWALE OSHODI and AKINTAYO ABODUNRIN report.

APART from the popular Olumo Rock and other tourist attractions, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital is also renowned as the home of creativity. The historical city has produced several creative people who have made their marks on the Nigerian and world stage. 

The city under the rocks produced Africa’s First Nobel Literature Prize winner, Wole Soyinka and the great music composer and teacher, Fela Sowande. Famous Yoruba traditional poet, Josiah Sobowale Sowande, popularly known as Sobo Arobiodu, hailed from the city as did the writer Amos Tutuola and Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti amongst others.

Fittingly, it is in this historical and creativity saturated city that Nigeria’s newest arts and book festival has been birthed. The Ake Arts and Book Festival (AABF) an initiative of writer Lola Shoneyin will happen in the city from November 19 to 24. 

[The Nigerian composer, organist and Professor Fela Sowande (1905-1987), is featured at AfriClassical.com and is regularly featured on AfriClassical Blog.  Dr. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com, is a leading authority on composers of African descent.  He notes that Fela went from choir boy to music student, beginning a "20-year association" with the choir's Director, Thomas King Ekundayo Phillips. The professor has posted an excerpt on Sowande from a manuscript on Black composers at a Web site: www.africanchorus.org/Artists/Sowande.htm  ]

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