FNC: Every session students all around continue to produce beautiful
Masterpieces either as assignments or as projects; only to be awarded marks in
return. For example I saw a beautifully done hand painted motif by one of the
students in the textile Department and I believe that such prototype should be marketable
for the Textile industry. What effort are you making to invite Art collectors
and other stakeholders in the industry as a whole to pick the interest and
regularly come into our institutions and buy some of the works at a discounted
price and for some to scout for upcoming talents and potential employee after
graduation? Or do you think that such
exercise would distract the students from concentrating on their studies?
Answer: - No. You see, before now we missed it somewhere. When I
was in school, even before our graduation; Art directors, scouts and talent
seekers would come to the school and search for upcoming talents. I have
witnessed that during my time. But all of a sudden it disappeared when the oil boom
came and as a result, everything began to slip off. And those in the industry
that were supposed to do some thing about the situation just don’t care
anymore. Before you know it people will bring in their brothers or relative to
fill in any available slots in any industry, they just don’t care about
professionalism or hunting for talents anymore, it is man know man now. And it
affects all of our national lives, our sports, our education and everything.
You know, attitude they say, is habits die hard. But maybe with the present
dispensation, things will a little bit improve. When power supply is
stabilized, more works created; companies and factories do shifting and there
will be more need for staffs to work. But now, where are the companies to
invite? The Aswani textiles, the Dunlops, Cadburys, ATMs and others are
completely run down and are gone out of the country. But notwithstanding that
doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t have to try, effort is needed too on our parts.
The relationship between our
students and our industries should be like a town and gown thing, with our
students being the gown and our industries being the Town. During their industrial attachment, our
students are sent out to the industries to acquire industrial experiences. So
when they return to complete their academic training then the town should be
ready to welcome them once again when they are properly and better trained.
Everything depends on structure. And not until there are better structures in
place before we can move on as a nation and see the Nigeria of our dreams. I
remember that during our own time, just before my graduation I already had 3
jobs waiting for me, I just chose. First I worked with the Guardian newspaper
for a year, and then moved to another printing press, and then I became the Art
director of African boxing magazine. And asides that I was doing my own thing,
I was designing greeting cards and post cards because the challenges were
there.
Yes, some industries will come
and close up the others but it always avails another opportunity. For example, before
I said we were designing cards, but now the telephone text messages came and
the internet but you’ll agree with me that it is still the same artists that
will create contents for them, so the artist is still very much more relevant!
FNC: During the last
presidential campaign of 2015, one of the political parties made extensive use
of illustrations and computer animation in some of its campaign. And as I can
see, it is obvious that no tertiary institution in the country presently offers
any of these as a course of study. It is either one goes abroad or study this
in any of the vocational centers available.
Could it be as a result of lack of competent instructors?
I have seen some highly skilled digital artists, that are either self
taught or had acquired some of their experiences in the industry after
graduation. What efforts are you making
to lure such ones into academics maybe as a lecturer? And what suggestions do you have for those at
the helms of affairs at our various tertiary institutions?
Answer: - Yes we do illustration, although at present we don’t
offer animation. But as I said earlier times have changed. And this message
goes to those who approve for lecturers to go for further studies abroad, they
should oblige. Because when you apply for such study, they say that there is no
money, and you are expected to source for the fund by yourself. But when you
return you are expected to use the knowledge you have acquired for the system.
They have forgotten that when you train a teacher, you train a whole community.
But you wouldn’t be surprise to see some of those responsible
for the approval going abroad with their friends to just relax and enjoy the
money, because of inherent corruption in the system. Some of them don’t even
have anything to do with academics.
There should no longer be sending
of our raw talents abroad anymore. And that is why the country continues to
experience brain drain. I remember that about 2 years ago when I went for a
course abroad, I almost had 2 employments waiting for me. I was tempted not to
return, but I did. Some even blamed me for doing that but I know that every
community has its own challenges. No matter how highly valued you are outside
your country you are still viewed as a second class citizen, I don’t want to be
a second class citizen.
I know we will get there.
Presently some of our children are already training abroad now, maybe in future
when they return and the system absorbs them things will be better.
So digital arts will come, okay?
But as for now the quality of teachers to teach the subjects are just surfacing
for now. And if they are allowed to be employed within the system they will be
able to make the needed changes. We are conscious of this and that is why I
made sure that my students are conversant with the computer. For example in my
illustration class in HND 2, almost all of them did their second assignments
with the computer after they finished the first using the manual method.
FNC: Flinger nose comic’s blog
(http://www.flingernosecomics.blogspot.com), gives an authoritative News and
Info about Visual Arts, Cartoons, Virtual Entertainment and interviews with the
relevant stakeholders, with viewers from all over the world. Someone, some
people or organizations out there may be facing some similar challenges of
upgrading from conventional to Digital art forms. While still maintaining the
conventional Art approaches, what advise would you have for such ones that
perceive software as a complicated tool to learn and use, most especially with
the advent of the internet where most of the Graphics must be digitally
handled?
Answer: - They can go online and download tutorials for private
practice, as a lot of people are doing that today. They will learn and improve.
But as a matter of fact, some of
the software we have here are pirated copies. And there is a level it will take
you to and it stops working. For example if you are to count from 1 to 10 using
the original version, the pirated ones will count 1, 2, when you get to 3, then
you are stuck. For example when my son studying Animation in the US showed one
of the pirated copies he had obtained from Nigeria to one of his lecturers, his
lecturer quickly told him to throw it away and get an original one, which he
would obtain a single license for. An
original one can cost like $350 to $600, depending on the type, whereas here in
computer village, a pirated one can go for as low as N100 to N150, which is
less than a dollar. So you can never compare a man with the full edition of the
software with that of an incomplete one. One has a full dosage while the other
doesn’t.
FNC: Could it be as a result of
the poor Naira, Dollar ratio?
Answer: - Well I can say that is the ruggedness of the Nigerian
people. But to say the truth we have a weak copyright law here in this part of
the world. And not until when something is done about it we can’t go anywhere.
FNC: You have seen it all, as a
student, as a critic, an instructor and a veteran artist, what advise do you
have for students and people that want to follow in your footstep in order to
succeed?
Answer: - My suggestion for upcoming ones is that they should sit
back and learn properly, do it well. For example, for my graphics students I
just introduced something new to them that had not been introduced for the past
10 years. This is the first time in recent years that all their practical
examinations will be in done in the studio. We cannot trust some of their works anymore.
Some will go and contract their assignments to someone in Shomolu, others in
Mushin and others in Bariga. The whole works have been compromised and we say
that they are students under our nose and we are passing them out and we cannot
even be sure that all their assignments are done by them. So I said; well,
since this is a practical examination, let all the lecturers involved submit
their questions for me to moderate and see if it up to standard, it should not be
too simple or too tough.
That was how we were trained, and
my students have come to see that it is normal. Initially it may look hard on
them but they now realized that they have to sit down and learn. No more
business as usual. So, that alone is an indication that things will have to
change.
I had this experience when I and
seven others, went as a guest lecturer to the Art Institute of Chicago, in
America, I noticed that the way students wee taught there will make it hard for
them to forget. Because immediately they finished any training, students are
being tested. The students are grouped together and made to rub minds and
participate in a group project or discussion.
I think that is schooling. So when they ask you if you can do something?
You know you can do it.
With the present system that I
introduced, about 20 to 30 students were grouped together to participate in a discussion.
And with that you see the way others do things and will be compelled to learn,
not just to pass examinations alone. I am not interested in the result, what I
am most interested in is the process. Not the end justifying the means, but “How”
it is done! You see, with that they have
been more serious than ever. They look
at the examination questions and some thinker this way, others thinker the
other way. So our students must now begin to know that times are changing.
There are no more short cuts, hard work and consistency of working and
sincerity of purpose is the only way and not just to be awarded certificates. It is so unfortunate these days that when our
students graduate and go back to their communities they are still the same,
instead of them to be better or refined.
FNC: Don’t you think that the
overall system contributed to it? Students can hardly concentrate when they
have no rooms to sleep after working tirelessly in the studio.
Answer: - I remember that during our time here in 1984, we also
slept in the studios too, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t have a room to
myself. There is that comfort I had knowing that after finishing a day’s work
around 2 – 3:00 Am, I have a room to go to and sleep. So this goes to all the stakeholders and our
students. We need to begin to see this nation as a project for us to develop.
For example what you are doing at your Exconc studios is contributing too to
nation development.
FNC: We know you are the Director of Kunle Adeyemi Studios, and also The
HOD, Can you tell us a little bit about your other accomplishments?
Answer: - As I said earlier on, certificate is nothing. I can
decide to tear down my certificate and still live because it is what I know
that takes me around the world. Oh yes,
people can say he is a doctor (PhD), but it is not about that alone. I know
some doctors that are below par and cannot even measure up to the standard.
For
example, in my area of expertise, Studio Area, I happen to be the first, PhD
student, to God be the glory. So of
recent the VC of one of the university in Osun State , Nigeria, placed a call to
me and asked if I could prepare a proposal for the building of a Museum for the
university and I said, “Why not?” this is someone I don’t even know previously.
I was so busy the first time he called that I didn’t pick up his calls, and
then he later sent me a text. It is on this proposal that I am working on right
now, combined with some other things that I do.
FNC: WOW! It is really not very easy combining all those. But we at Exconc Studios Services will
continue to pray for you to succeed in all your endeavours and wish you all the
best. We thank you sir for your time and patience.
Answer: It’s a pleasure having you too.
QUOTE:
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