Safety Round-Table Talk
The “Safety Round-Table Talk” is part of the advocacy projects designed by Mr. Danfo to promote community engagement and safety education. As a survivor of a fatal road crash about four (4) years ago, the artist has since used his practice to raise awareness and educate the public on road safety. In May 2023, he launched the children’s safety workshops to educate children on the importance of road safety and foster interactive learning by integrating artwork creation centered on street signs and signals.
He believes that beyond his artwork, there is more he can do as a Nigerian citizen to foster safety education; hence, he launched the “Safety Round-Table Talk”. This programme is designed to commemorate the United Nations Global Road Safety Week, typically held in May yearly. Due to logistical issues, the maiden edition was moved to September and held on the 14th of September 2024, from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM at the Alliance Française de Lagos / Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi. This year’s edition theme was: “Integrating Safety into Our Culture” (I).
In Nigeria, it is common for people to take safety more seriously during the ember months, but after December, attitudes often become nonchalant and carefree again.
This project aims to be an annual event with a new focus of discussion each year. For this year’s edition, we focused on promoting road safety culture. Hence, our speakers were professionals from the road transport sector. Mr. Danfo believes that by collaborating with the various safety stakeholders, his voice will be amplified, and the right policies will be made for the public’s benefit.
The program was structured into two sections: a panel discussion and public lectures. Our keynote speakers were Prof. Asenime Charles Ojima, Dean of the School of Transportation and Logistics at Lagos State University, represented by Dr. Adenuga Adeolu, and Famoyegun Michael, Operations Manager at Bolt Nigeria. The panel discussion that followed was moderated by Elizabeth Osayande, a freelance journalist with Vanguard Media Limited and the founder of the Female Freelancers Network. Our panelists included Dr. Benjamin Oluwatosin Olowojebutu, National First Vice-President of the Nigerian Medical Association; Philip E. Ogar, psc, MNIM, Chief Route Commander, Ag. Unit Commander RS2.14 Lagos Island of the Federal Road Safety Corps; Mr. Bakare Oki Olalekan, General Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, represented by Deputy Manager Mr. Jubril Oshodi; and CSP Sonola Nurudeen of the Nigerian Police Force, Lagos State Area A Command.
As part of their support for promoting safety awareness, the following companies sponsored the event:
- Bolt Nigeria offered discounted rides to attendees.
- Lagos Traffic FM and TV360 provided media sponsorship.
- Fifisoven and Addmie sponsored refreshments and souvenirs
On his team, Mr Danfo had:
- Oghenerukevwe Ruth Edokpa
- Karen Abah
- Elizabeth Osayande
- Ohaji Gregory Abayomi
- Gabriel Ologeh
- Chidinma Okere
- Adebola Aderonmu
- Oyindamola Adegboro
Safety Workshop for Children
Welcome to Mr. Danfo’s Safety Workshop Project, a unique initiative that emerged from the captivating Safety and Street Signs Series, which commenced in July 2022. The workshop officially launched on May 20, 2023, at the prestigious Alliance Française de Lagos, with an enthusiastic participation of nearly 40 children aged between 5 and 15 years.
Our primary objective is to engage professional safety officials who will educate children on essential safety precautions. Through interactive sessions, we aim to establish a deep understanding of safety and caution signs, while encouraging the young participants to express their creativity by creating artwork using safety signs or themes.
In our inaugural edition, we had the privilege of hosting esteemed guests from the Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos Island Command, led by ACC Esther E. Uzoma. Accompanying her were ARC O. Odebiyi and RC R.O. Baji. Together, they skillfully imparted knowledge to the children, elaborating the significance of various traffic signs, shapes, color, and signal designs in our everyday lives.
Throughout the workshop sessions, Mr. Danfo’s captivating paintings from his Safety and Street Sign Series were displayed. These stunning artworks served as references and inspiration, igniting the children’s imagination and creativity.
Looking ahead, Mr. Danfo envisions a grand group exhibition featuring nothing less than 100 children. Set to take place in 2024, this exhibition will be a testament to the lasting impact of our workshop series.
By nurturing young talents and arming them with substantial knowledge in safety, we aim to raise a generation of safety-conscious and outspoken children who can also express themselves artistically.
We are truly grateful to have the support of numerous passionate individuals, both within and outside Mr. Danfo’s profession, who have come together to contribute their unique talents and expertise to this remarkable project. Here is a list of the exceptional young people who are wholeheartedly supporting this initiative in various capacities:
- Karen Abah (Project Team)
- Oghenerukevwe Ruth Edokpa (Project Team)
- Elizabeth Osayande (Project Team)
- Ohaji Gregory Abayomi (Project Team)
- Gabriel Ologeh (Project Volunteer)
- Susan Oko (Project Volunteer)
- Mecca Akello (Project Volunteer)
- Agomuo Daberechukwu (Project Volunteer)
- Eyimiegha Preye (Project Volunteer)
- Nwajiaku Uche (Project Volunteer)
- Sulaimon Ismail Abidoye (Project Volunteer)
- Enem Okala (Project Volunteer)
- Abikoye Tolulope (Project Volunteer)
Create and Curate
Create and Curate was designed to help children learn the aptitude to creatively make decisions and take risk , the ability to express their emotions through opinions they portray in their works, develop a fine eye-hand motor coordination, the ability to communicate to people verbally (with proper use of body gestures), and to build their profile.
Art is part of the growing process of every child and programmes I have organized in the past have revealed that every child can create art and should be encouraged to do so, as it will help them develop mastery motivation, the ability to be creative, appreciate images, respect the opinions of their peers and get exposed to cultures/ history.
The programme held at the Negro Art Gallery in Surulere on the 27th and 28th of May 2018. You can find more about the programme here-
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k7FTHnRUjRvu3sKWt33ZRGGXVLQhzPg8/view
Iconic 87 Birthday Workshop in Honour of Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya
Eyimiegha Seidougha Linus organised a workshop in honour of Onobrakpeya, a recipient of the 2006 Human Living Treasure Award by UNESCO and 2010 National Creativity award by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Marking his 87th birthday through the iconic ’87 art workshop’, there was also a moment of an interactive session with the kids.
Designed by him to keep Onobrakpeya’s legacy alive in the minds of these young ones, Linus said, “the programme was created as an avenue for children to interact with him, ask questions about his life, the creative process of his works, and his contributions towards the development of the Nigerian art industry.”
Prior to the question and answer section, videos and slides about him and the Harmattan workshop were displayed through a projector before the participants, numbering 25 from ages five to 17 years.
Talking about his works, Onobrakpeya said they “do not fall under any movement since his themes are drawn from the African traditions as they dominantly discuss the history, philosophy, and folklores of our people, especially the Urhobo culture.”
The second part of the programme, which was the workshop segment, started immediately after the discussion session with Adetola Adenuga and Boluwatife Caleb Ayodele as key facilitators.
The participants were divided into four groups based on their age brackets. The range of activities includes drawing and painting with pencil, crayon and marker pen for ages 5 to 10, basic printmaking technique and drawing for ages 11to 13 and drawing for portrait of Onobrakpeya for ages 14 to 17.
A total of 22 prints were created, seven portraits of Onobrakpeya and four still-live drawings and 14 other artworks.
The project, which held at the Mushin studio of Onobrakpeya, was designed for children and teenagers to interact with and reinterpret the works of Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya.
The project coordinator, Linus, has a first-class portfolio in art project management. Several of his projects, just like this one, are designed to help young people interact and appreciate art from their locality.
This project had an exceptional value-added to its package because the participants had the privilege to interact with Onobrakpeya, no doubt, “they realized he was at some time, many years ago as young as they are through the stories he told about his works that relate so much with his childhood days,” said Linus.
According to Linus, the original idea was to have 87 children create 87 artworks to mark the birthday of the artist, however, due to challenges beyond what could be managed, “we were able to accommodate only 25 and we look forward to making this bigger next year.”
Said Linus: “However, the quality of works that were produced at the workshop is good enough for an exhibition.”
Most of these young people Linus said have been part of programmes he organised in the past. “I selected them from four different art projects and I’m helping them network with themselves from now.”
Not all of them, he reported will end up practicing art, “but with the level of information they are being exposed to, they will grow up valuing and appreciating art.”
The last session of the programme was the cutting of the birthday cake. This was done in segments based on the age brackets starting from five to seven, eight to 10, 11 to 13 years, and 14 to 17 years. Then facilitator, visitors, and parents also had the opportunity to take photographs with Papa Bruce.
Source- https://guardian.ng/art/iconic-87-art-workshop-in-honour-of-onobrakpeya/
Abeoukuta Secondary School Art Competition
This was the major art project of Seidougha Linus Eyimiegha during his service year at Abeokuta, Ogun State. It was a competition he organized for secondary school students that earned him a Letter of Recommendation from the Ogun State Ministry of Education.
The programme which started on the 25th of January, 2016 exposed the students to drawing, painting, sculpture and graphics classes for 2 weeks and ended with an exhibition at the National Gallery in Abeokuta on the 1st of February, 2016.
The above painting was from one of the outstanding participants (Onifade Boluwatife) of Abeokuta Grammar School.
NYSC Camp Art Challenge
Lyno World, in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) scheme, Lagos State have been organizing the NYSC Camp Art Challenge, also known as Kopas Art Jamboree and Seidougha Linus Eyimiegha have been the key figure in the design and running of this project.
From 2017 to date, seven successful editions have been held at the Lagos NYSC camp with over 50 active participants and thousands of passive participants that have come to witness the competition during the orientation camp period. Professional artists and art bodies have been part of the programme mostly as juries and sponsors. The Yaba College of Technology School of Art, Design and Printing Technology, the Cartoonists’ Association of Nigeria and Society of Nigerian Artists, Lagos State Chapter were part of the earliest partners and the programme have been sponsored by AB Art World, GT Bank, Negro Art Gallery, Dempco Studio and a couple of other corporate organizations.
Outstanding participants are usually recognized and given award of excellence and every other contestant gets a certificate of participation.
In a bid to add colour to the event, corps members in some editions of the programme have been engaged in live painting, face painting and graffiti.