By Ehi Braimah
When you clock 60 years just like Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo, actor, art connoisseur, culture activist, journalist and man-of-the-people, it calls for celebration and thanksgiving. It’s Jahman’s Diamond Jubilee and you know what, 60 years look so good on him and he is wearing it graciously – like his trademark “Adire” outfits, reminding one of his stage production costumes.
COVID-19
pandemic wreaked havoc, claiming over six million lives globally since 2020.
Clocking 60 years is therefore a rare gift and every day that we live is a
bonus. Nigeria’s current life expectancy is 55.75 years, up from 53 years in
2020, according to World Bank sources.
Under the mentorship of the late Prof Dapo Adelugba (1939 – 2014),
theatre critic and playwright at the University of Ibadan, where he was
director of the university’s theatre troupe, Jahman was encouraged to write
reviews of plays and films regularly which clearly influenced his career as a
journalist.
Jahman always knew what he wanted to be right from his
undergraduate days at the University of Ibadan: an advocate for the art and
culture community and defender of the public interest. It was his own way of
expressing himself and achieving a higher purpose in life.
The intersection of art and society fascinates Jahman during panel
discussions. It is why he uses his prodigious intellect to explore diverse art
and culture themes for robust engagements. For example, music and visual arts
have enabled a thriving cultural diplomacy across borders for the creative
industry with bountiful harvests.
But on the flip side of the same coin, Jahman wants practitioners
in the art and culture sector to be the voices of the oppressed people,
fighting for their rights and insisting on a better society where government is
held accountable. Is Jahman a rebel with a cause?
Through
writing, television appearances, seminars, conferences and festivals, our “birthday
boy” continues to communicate the values of a decent society in the midst of
contrived chaos around us.
Going into the general election season, Jahman is clearly not
impressed with our political leaders and their shenanigans. He believes
strongly that nothing will change because politicians are selfish people who
have only one goal in mind: Primitive accumulation of wealth.
In speaking truth to power, Jahman is always fearless in much the
same way as his mentor, Prof. Wole Soyinka. Jahman has shared an enduring
relationship with the Nobel Laureate over many seasons. Like Soyinka, he cannot
stand people who are not true to their convictions.
Jahman also expresses himself fully in directing, dramatic
theories and literary criticisms. Having bagged a degree in Theatre Arts, this
should not come as a surprise. He has performed in several plays and acted in
Tade Ogidan’s film, Hostages.
He could easily have continued on that path as an actor but he
opted to be a journalist after his encounter with another mentor, Ben Tomoloju,
who had moved from The Punch to The Guardian and established the
only Art Desk of any newspaper in Nigeria at the time.
That was how our “birthday boy” joined The Guardian as a news
reporter, rising through the ranks to become Art Editor, Deputy Editor and
Editor of The Guardian on Sunday at Rutam House. Jahman
spent close to 29 years at The Guardian before retiring in January 2013 when he
was 50 years old. His birthday is January 16.
Since then, Jahman has been promoting and directing art and
culture events with a busy schedule. If he is not directing a shoot or
screening a film, you can be sure he is at a panel discussion or anchoring a
programme.
Whether
it is the Culture Advocates Caucus where he has been programme director since
2009 or the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) which he chairs or the Lagos Book
and Art Festival (LABAF) which he founded in 1999, Jahman is permanently in
work mode. He also finds time to teach young European students media arts and
culture.
His combined roles in culture advocacy groups cut across
literature, film, theatre, visual arts and music, and he uses every opportunity
to promote cultural diversity. Over the years, Jahman drew artistic inspiration
from a distinguished list of academics, scholars and theatre practitioners who
are fond of him. They include Prof. Femi Osofisan, Prof. Toyin Falola, Prof.
Duro Oni, Prof. Tunde Babawale, Benson Idonije, Odia Ofeimun, Taiwo
Ajayi-Lycett and Newton Jibunoh.
Jahman’s role as a mentor is widely acknowledged and his mentees
are forever grateful to him. “Jahman Anikulapo is a great man who sees
greatness in people, and then goes out of his way to ensure that his mentees
achieve their goals,” says Armsfree Ajanaku, Programmes and Communications
Manager, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education and journalist
who also worked at The Guardian with Jahman.
“He is an energetic mentor,” Armsfree adds. Jahman gave Armsfree
the opportunity to cut his teeth in journalism as an undergraduate.
Award-winning investigative reporter, Fisayo Soyombo, tells the same story,
praising Jahman for his excellent mentorship.
Andrew Iro Okungbowa who also worked at The Guardian says Jahman
is highly regarded because of his immense contribution to art and culture
journalism. “He is well connected, yet he is humble and shy from claiming the
podium,” Okungbowa, Tourism and Travel Editor of the New Telegraph, says in
admiration of the birthday celebrant.
In Jahman’s art and culture corner, you will also find
contemporaries such as Toyin Akinosho, his long-time friend who is a geologist,
journalist and publisher of Africa Oil & Gas Report; Femi
Odugbemi, writer, filmmaker and television producer; Dr Shaibu Husseini,
journalist, culture administrator and film curator; Dr Yinka Oyegbile, journalist,
academic and author; Dr Wale Okediran, medical doctor, author and Secretary
General, Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) and so on.
I have known Jahman for close to three decades and we relate as
brothers. He is reliable and dependable with unimpeachable integrity.
When I wanted to float Naija Times, our online newspaper in
2020, I contacted Jahman and dragged him out of his self-imposed “retirement”
from journalism. Once Jahman agrees to work on a project, his commitment is
unassailable. I can attest to his humility, hard work and resourcefulness.
Although lashing out at sloppy reporters is a way of life for
Jahman, he also cares for their well-being because he believes in the humanity
that spreads success and happiness.
Jahman was the one who took on the responsibility of recruiting
the team and creating the different sections of Naija Times in line with
the strategic positioning of the newspaper: journalism in the service of
society.
When I contacted Prof. Darren Kew, an American and director of the
Centre of Peace, Democracy and Development of the University of Massachusetts,
Boston, USA, to reflect on his relationship with Jahman, he told me Jahman is
the elder brother he always wanted to have.
“Jahman is larger than life,” says Darren, a member of the
Editorial Advisory Board of Naija Times, in a glowing tribute.
“He
is like one of the archetypical characters he plays on stage except that he is
real: full of energy and enthusiasm, charismatic, and a powerful intellect that
is only surpassed by his love for people around him,’’ he continues.
“Like a director, he works behind the scenes, helping people left
and right, opening doors when they need them, applauding when they do well, and
taking them out for pounded yam, palm wine and good music when their spirits
are down.
“He holds great influence, but you will never know it if you see
him, since he won’t talk about his efforts unless you ask him, and he will
always downplay his own role. He is always in his car working, so you are lucky
to catch him when you do.
“But when you do meet him, he will smile and make you feel like an
Oba (King), make you laugh and share good ideas to help you solve your
problems. He will call you brother and even tell this ‘oyinbo’ that he is
‘Omowale’, and remind you that all of our efforts to do some good in this world
are not in vain.
“I can never repay his many kindnesses and friendship, but if
someone will teach me the talking drum, I will sing his praises.”
Family
and friends continuously sing Jahman’s praises because he is a great mind and
good man. For all his outstanding service in the arts and culture community,
Jahman deserves national recognition. But I know he is not craving for one
neither is he looking forward to such honour because he will reject it.
On the occasion of his 60th birthday, it gives me great pleasure
to nickname him as “Nigeria’s culture ambassador.”
Jahman’s son, Oluwaseunrere who was also born in January, told me
his father treats everyone around him with care and love. “My dad is a great
man and he cares for his family in a special way,” Seun says. “He does not give
up easily on any assignment, no matter how challenging.”
Seun is a graduate of computer science but he wants to become a
cyber-security expert. His sister, Toluwalase, is based in Germany and they are
excited to see their father move up to the sixth floor of his life.
Congratulations Jahman on your Diamond Jubilee. May your days be long!
*Braimah
is a public relations strategist and publisher/editor-in-chief of Naija Times.
