Monday, February 4, 2019, marked the birthday of the Nigerian-based Ghanaian Artist EL Anatsui. In appreciation of the enormous contributions and impact of this internationally renowned giant of the visual arts, a series of remarkable events took place in several parts of the globe to honour emeritus Prof. EL Anatsui, African’s most celebrated visual artist of the 21st century, particularly in Nigeria and in his homeland Ghana.
As a close associate of Prof. Anatsui, I was privileged to witness three of Anatsui’s pre-birthday anniversary events that took place on January 31 and February 2, 2019, at both Nsukka and Enugu. And the birthday celebration at the Senior Staff Club University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) on February 4, 2019. The very first of these events that flagged off the rest took place during the Annual General Meeting of the Senior Staff Club on January 31, 2019. Before the AGM proper, Emeritus Prof. El Anatsui was decorated with the status of Life Member of the Senior Staff Club, the highest honour that the university club confers only on highly outstanding individuals. His Excellency Atiku Abubakar and Late Prof. Meriam Ikejiani-Clark were among distinguished Nigerian that have received this prestigious honour in the past.
Anatsui, interestingly, is the first non-Nigerian to be admitted into the university staff club’s circle of life members. His investiture was exceptionally remarkable not only because of his admirable status as one of the greatest living artists in the 21ST century but also because the highly esteemed recognition and admission into the club’s league of life members, signified our total recognition that the Ghanaian-born artist, who has lived a greater part of his life in Nigeria than in any other part of the globe, has indeed become a distinguished son of the soil.
Accidentally, his admission into the league of life members of the senior staff club coincided with the week of his 75th birthday. It was also at that very occasion that the club’s outgoing President Prof. Anselem Onyimoyi, who is also a barrister, informed club members that Anatsui had procured a five-in-one gymnastic work station for club members. On why he donated the state-of-the-art multi-purpose gymnastic equipment to the club, Anatsui explained: “Exercise is key to health, club members, particularly the elderly ones need such facilities for their effective daily work out.”
Under the presidency of Rt Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (the Executive Governor of Enugu State) and the Chairmanship of Chief Ben Etiaba, Enugu Sports Club organised a special 75th birthday luncheon two days before the actual date of Anatsui’s birthday. This was on February 2, 2019, at the club Cinema Auditorium. The climax of which was the conferment of grand patron of Enugu Sports Club Award to Prof. Anatsui by the club’s Chairman Chief Ben Etiaba and his executive council. The Grand Parton Award is the highest honour that the Enugu Sports Club confers on highly distinguished and outstanding figures.
In his conferment speech, the club Chairman expressed the sports club delight in honouring the celebrant thus: “Today, we confer on you, Emeritus Professor El Anatsui our highest honour, Grand patron of the Enugu sport club as we speed up our on-going project towards the completion of our mini museum of sports Artifacts and art gallery which will be named after you, because we recognize that no other single individual has made Enugu state a shining sport light on the global map as you have constantly done with your ever growing international accomplishment in your field as a visual artist. This is why Enugu sports club celebrate you in a special way today, Happy Birthday in advance!”
Still on February 2, 2019 at 3:30pm, invited guests, Enugu Sports Club officials and well-wishers who were at the sports club luncheon accompanied El Anatsui to the National Arts Gallery at 1 Temple Avenue, GRA, Enugu where all the academic staff of the sculpture unit, Department of Fine and Applied Art, University of Nigeria Nsukka flagged off another grand celebration of Anatsui with a special group Arts Exhibition, captioned ‘Igwebuike Exhibition of Sculpture in Honour of El Anatsui (Odogwu At 75 Years)’.
At the opening of the exhibition which was flagged off by Prof. Obiora Anidi, Anatsui promised to participate in the subsequent edition of the art event that has now become an annual ritual.
Some of the leading artists in the UNN Sculpture sub section, whose works featured at the exhibition were, Dr. Chijioke Onuora, Dr. Ekene Anikpe, Dr. Eva Obodo, Mr. Uche Onyishi, Dr. Chike Akabuike and several others. The occasion was also graced by some of the founding members of AKA Group of Artists, the likes of Bona Eze Udu, Chris Afuba, Tayo Adenaike, etc.
The climax of the El Anatsui week was on his birthday, February 4, 2019 and the event was a birthday party exclusively for the elders of the Senior Staff Club at UNN. It was indeed an all elder’s birthday bash in honour of one of theirs. The occasion was garnished with elderly speeches, dance, jokes sand birthday songs, with grand remarks from Emeritus Professor Onyegegbu, Professor Dave Onyejekwe, Professor Nnadozie Inyama, Professor Okoro Ijeoma, Professor Nnaemeka Ikpeze and the new club President Professor Ejikeme. The occasion became even more splendid and colorful when most of the elders joined Anatsui to cut his birthday cake and as an all elders version of the familiar “happy birthday song” was intoned by Professor Nnadozie Inyama. With all the elders singing along with him as they wished Prof. Anatsui many more years ahead.
-Greg Nnamdi Nnabike Mbajiorgu (nuresdef laureate)
University of Nigeria, Nsukka