Entertainment
Julius Agbaje, Asmaa Jama Emerge Winners of the 2023 Access Art X Prize
Julius Agbaje from Nigeria and Asmaa Jama representing the African/Diasporan category have won the top prize at the recently concluded Access ART X.
The two standout talents were selected from an exceptional pool of finalists. The Access ART X Prize, a prestigious platform for recognising and nurturing emerging artistic talent from Africa and its diaspora were able to get these emerging artists from 3500 entries.
Julius Agbaje and Asmaa Jama who were announced at a ceremony, held at Access Holdings’ headquarters in Lagos, are now proud recipients of $10,000 grants and will have the honour of holding solo exhibitions at ART X Lagos 2024.
According to the organisers, the Nigerian winner will embark on a three-month residency at Gasworks, London, while the African/Diasporan winner will enjoy a residency at Yinka Shonibare’s GAS Foundation in Lagos. Both recipients will benefit from tailored mentorship and an invaluable opportunity for cultural exchange.
Speaking on the Access ART X Prize, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, the founder of ART X Collective, expressed her excitement, stating: “Our vision to showcase the depth and diversity of contemporary African art to the world revealed a critical necessity, which was the need to nurture and guide emerging talent on the continent to ensure their lasting impact. The birth of the Access ART X Prize was fueled by an ardent commitment to bridging the gap for early-career artists, empowering them to evolve into adept, globally relevant creatives. We are elated that this platform has endured and thrived over the years, marked by substantial growth.
The increasing number of annual applications underscores both the vital need for our support and the tangible impact we are having. None of this would be possible without the invaluable support of our sponsor, Access Holdings, who has trusted us and supported our vision for the past eight years.”
Herbert Wigwe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings PLC, added, “At Access Holdings, we view the Access ART X Prize as more than an accolade; rather, as a catalyst for change. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to foster creativity and propel the African art industry towards unprecedented heights.”
“Having faced a challenging task in selecting the winners, given the exceptional level of talent and creativity on display, the jury selected Roanna Tella (Nigerian category) and Lawrence Mwangi (African/Diaspora category) for honourable mentions. Both artists will receive prizes of $2,000 and tailored mentorship.
The distinguished jury for the 2023 Access ART X Prize comprised luminaries such as Babajide Adeniyi-Jones (Documentary Photographer), Barthélémy Toguo (Artist), Daudi Karungi (Founder of Afriart Gallery), Emeka Ogboh (Artist), Gabi Ngcobo (Artist, Educator, and Curatorial Director of the Javett Art Centre), and Yesomi Umolu (Director of Curatorial Affairs and Public Practice for the Serpentine Galleries). Jumoke Sanwo served as the curator of the prize for the second year running.
Nigerian Afrobeats singer Davido has claimed that he started his life in a one-room apartment in a public compound, known locally as a face-me-I-face-you.
The singer made the claim on a song titled CFMF, off his fifth studio album, 5ive, which was released on Friday.
He claimed that he is now living a flamboyant life due to Jesus’s divine intervention.
“Take a step and walk into my life…
Started all the way from face me I face you
Face me I face you
And now, I am living real large all thanks to Jesu
All thanks to Jesu oh,” he sings.
His claim has been met with a groundswell of doubts, especially on social media, as the singer is known to be the son of billionaire businessman Deji Adeleke.
This is not the first time Davido has attempted to paint a grass-to-grace story in his music.
On his debut 2011 single, Back When, Davido claimed many ladies rejected his advances when he had no money but began chasing him after he achieved fame and success.
The song didn’t achieve much commercial success, partly due to the doubts that greeted his claims of humble beginnings, as he was known to be from a wealthy background.
Davido finally gained widespread prominence after the release of his 2012 breakthrough single, Dami Duro, where he embraced his wealthy background and boasted that he was unstoppable as the son of a rich man.
Nigeria’s popular stand-up comedian, Oluwaseyitan Lawrence Aletile, aka Seyi Law, has vowed never to support the presidential ambition of former Labour Party, LP, candidate, Peter Obi.
Seyi Law said he would never support Obi’s presidential ambition due to his failure to call the Obidient movement to order.
In an interview on the Teju Babyface podcast, Seyi Law recalled how Obidients attacked his wife and children because he supported President Bola Tinubu.
He lamented that Obi has refused to admit that Obidients attacked those who did not support him.
According to Seyi Law: “I don’t feel down at all because when you talk too much, I swear for you. One of the good things that God has done for me is that my anger doesn’t last long.
“Personal anger for me doesn’t last long. The only place it lasts long is when you leave me and attack my children, mother, and wife.
“The moment you cross that boundary from me to my children, mother, and wife — there is no forgiveness.
“That is why there is nothing on earth that Peter Obi can do that will make me support him. They (Obidients) attacked my children and my wife.
“As long as Peter Obi will not call them to order and he keeps denying that they are doing that, he will never get my support.
“Let Peter Obi wear the garment of Jesus Christ today — he will never get my support. Hate or love me, my personal way of life is between me and God.
“Any organization that does not support free thinking is a cult.”
Davido, the award-winning Nigerian singer, has released his much-anticipated album ‘5ive’.
The 17-track project, initially slated for release on March 14, finally hit streaming platforms in the early hours of Friday.
In the body of work, Davido features Jamaican singers 450 and Shensea, South African artiste Musa Keys, American musicians Chris Brown and Becky G, and French singers Tayc and Dadju.
Victony, Odumodublvck, Chike and Omah Lay are the Nigerian singers enlisted in the project.
The album’s songs include ‘5ive’, ‘Anything’, Be There Still’, ‘CFMF’, ’10 Kilo’, ‘Offa Me’, ‘Don’t Know’ and ‘R&B’, ‘Awuke’.
Others are ‘Holy Water’, ‘Nuttin Dey’, ‘Titanium’, ‘Lately’, ‘Tek’, ‘Funds’, ‘Lover Boy’s and ‘With You’.
Davido had earlier put out ‘Be There Still,’ ‘Awuke‘ featuring YG Marley, and ‘Funds‘, three tracks off the album.
‘5ive’ is the singer’s fifth studio album.
In December, Davido revealed that the album is “my story, my truth and my growth”.
“My people. The journey continues in 2025 with my new album ‘5IVE’. This is straight from the heart — my story, my truth and my growth,” he said.
On April 5, he also kicked off a five-city tour has Europe and North America in anticipation of ‘5ive’.
Born David Adeleke, Davido rose to fame in 2012 after releasing ‘Dami Duro,’ the second single from his debut album ‘Omo Baba Olowo’.
Since his debut album, he has delivered three other projects including ‘A Good Time’ (2019), ‘A Better Time‘ (2020), and ‘Timeless’ (2023).