Kenneth Uphopho (left) played the valet, Samuel in The Inheritors. Here, he poses at the Wole Soyinka Award for African Literature. He is the Production Manager for the Stage Play, The Gods are not to Blame, scheduled for October 28 as part of the Muson Festival. Mary, also in the picture, is a part of the gods too. 

Mike Okorie (left) and Bukky Sanu at the Wole Soyinka award for African Literature, organized by the Lumina Foundation, early July. Both were members of the Cast of the Stage Play-"The Inheritors".  

laspapi hams for the camera at the Muson Centre while waiting to direct the rehearsal of "The gods are not to blame". "Gods" will be presented as part of the Muson Festival-Saturday, October 28 

Lydia Johnson (Joke Silva, picture left) in The Inheritors- tells her kneeling man-servant, Samuel, (Kenneth Uphopho) that his days of scheming are over. 

In the stage play,The Inheritors, Inspector Kamoru, State CID-O.C. Crime(Mike Okorie, in green) lays down the law for Lydia Akintunde H.Q. Johnson (Joke Silva, in yellow) . Her lawyer (Lanre Dele-Abrahams, centre) watches as the other policeman (Tiny Ayodeji, right) stands on guard. 

The Agip Recital Hall of the Muson Centre, Onikan-Lagos, venue of 21 of laspapi's stage productions. The 22nd will be the Inheritors, featuring Joke Silva tomorrow, August 27.

On the 28th of October, I'll be directing Ola Rotimi's "The Gods are not to blame" as part of the Muson Arts Festival.

In the picture is Femi Dada, a surveying engineer who loves to act as lightsman for stage productions. 

Ahmed Yerima's stage drama, Idemili, was presented through the month of August at the National Arts Theatre. Featuring tested thespians like Clarion Chukwura-Abiola, it depicted the pull in different directions, of tradition and religion. In the play, a mother is convinced the goddess, Idemili, must be appeased, throwing her at logger-heads with her son, a catholic priest. 

The 2nd Lagos Comic and Cartoons Festival will hold from the 15th up until the 17th of September 2006 on the grounds of the National Museum at Onikan.
I plan on becoming a comic book publisher myself, before the year runs out-A plainclothes detective being the lead Character- Name-"One Eyed Jack".

The celebrations of the life of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti continue around the world. Of note is the amazing pictorial tribute by a london-based blogger, Mona.

On another level, those who'd like first-hand contact with Araceli Aipoh, author of the novel, No Sense of Limits, will find her at her book-reading on Saturday the 26th. Venue is the Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island.

Footprints, a dance troupe made up of children, pose at Terra Kulture for a photo after their performance as guest artistes at bukARTeria. The two adults are their managers- Sunday the 20th of August. 

The dance company, Crown Troupe of Africa, performed its monthly "feast", bukARTeria , atTerra Kulture, Victoria Island, on Sunday the 20th of August. Here, members of the Troupe flex their muscles before the show. 

The former Inspector General of Police and Presidential aspirant, M.D. Yussuf (left) sits with Francesca Emmanuel, an original member of Wole Soyinka's Masks in the 60's and former Permanent Secretary, at the Crown Troupe performance.

The singer, Yinka Davies (right), and her friend were guests at the Crown Troupe Event. 

The dramatist, Makinde Adeniran (in glasses), chats with the Stage Director and Actor, Najite Dede, at the Crown Troupe Event. 

The monthly bukARTeria of the Crown Troup managed by Evolution Media took place on Sunday the 20th at Terra Kulture. As a side attraction, V.O.G. (Virtues of Grace) , a ballet company of young girls, performed for the audience. Here two of them prepare. 

Fela-versation: The Friends of the Arts, Lagos(FOAL) on the platform of CORA organized a conversation between 2 authors, Professor Tejumola Olaniyan of the University of Wisconsin and author of the book, Arrest the Music, and Dr Sola Olorunyomi of the University of Ibadan and author of the book, Fela and the Imagined Continent. Venue was Cinema Hall II of the National Arts Theatre on Wednesday the 23rd of August.

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Wale, a member of the Crown Troupe, a leading Nigerian dance company was at the Wole Soyinka prize for Literature in Africa Award which Sefi Atta won. In the background of the picture is Chuxx Ohai, Arts Editor of the National Mirror. 

Eyimife Gold, member of cast for "The Inheritors", lightens things up after rehearsals.  

Jennifer Osammor (left) and Bukky Sanu rehearse for "The Inheritors". 

The winner of the Nigerian Music Awards, D'banj (far left) was part of the celebration at the surprise birthday party for Funmi Iyanda on the 27th of July. Here Funmi introduces a new dance. We called it "The New Dawn". 

Joke Silva, foremost Nigerian Actress, prepares herself at rehearsals for The Inheritors. A stage play at the Muson Centre on Sunday 27th August at 3pm and 6pm.

Tickets N2000 apiece and N1000 for Students with I.D. 

The Committee for Relevant Art met last Sunday. Celebrating the Arts after the meeting, Members of CORA and friends of the House. From left, Jahman Anikulapo-Editor Sunday Guardian and President CORA, laspapi, Inna Erizia the actor and dancer, Ayo Arigbabu-Architect and writer, Deji Toye-Lawyer/Writer, Jide Ajibola-An Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Culture, Toyin Akinosho-Sec.Gen of CORA and Joe Musa the Director General of the National Gallery of Art.

The inscription on the wall was photographed by a non-resident of Nigeria on his way to the airport and out of the country-I was driving. "Do not urinate or s**t here". There's a proverb- "The way you present your goods is how others will judge the value". This inscription, on a very major road less than 5 minutes away from the International Airport in a fast car, is not one to be proud of. 

The Sixth ArtHouse Forum presents a conversation on Fela Anikulapo Kuti in honourof Benson Idonije who turned 70 last June. Two Nigerian Authors on the music of Fela, the University of Wisconsin-based Professor Tejumola Olaniyan and Dr. Sola Olorunyomi of the English Department of the University of Ibadan will be the discussants of the topic. Date is Wednesday August 23 at the Cinema Hall II of the National Arts Theatre. Time: 1pm.

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Professor Femi Osofisan (left) and Professor Olu Obafemi, both playwrights and both former Presidents of the Association of Nigerian Authors were at the Award Night for the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa on Saturday, August 5. Professor Osofisan who was part of the jury that decided on Sefi Atta as the winner, is also known by the pen-name of Okinba Launko. Venue was the Shell Hall of the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

I just couldn't resist posting this. It was a banner placed in the interior of the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, displaying sponsors of the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature. It had N25 billion giants like Zenith Bank, Eco bank and Intercontinental and then the names of two individuals, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi and Wole Oguntokun. That would be me, laspapi. Don't ask what I did to be a sponsor, but learn a lesson-Its not always through cash.