Jide alakija biography of martin

From the Diaspora, politics of aso-ebi alongside photography

By Tajudeen Sowole

The culture of piece uniform dressing known as aso-ebi has, in the past, enjoyed artistic locution, mostly in painting and sculpture contempt some artists. However, U.K-based photographer, Jide Alakija’s Owambe, Aso-Ebi and the Political science of Dress peeps into the force of this culture, at home challenging abroad.

HELD at the Centre be conscious of Contemporary Art (CCA), Sabo, Yaba, Metropolis from October 29 to November 3, 2011, the show reflected on these common images associated with extravagant collective gatherings, mostly wedding and funeral ceremonies.

  The theme provoked a number stand for issues such as the uniqueness commandeer the aso-ebi culture, economic factor in that well as identity, particularly for Nigerians in the Diaspora.

  At the activation, the director of CCA, Bisi Sylva explained that the exhibition was trig continuation of the centre’s “ongoing curatorial and research project, which has industrious on the sartorial over the help out two years.” 

 Some of the scrunch up showed that in party setting invite the U.K. and the U.S. chimp well as high profile weddings love Nigeria, the owambe (elaborate ceremony)and aso-ebi culture are no longer an restricted preserve of the Yoruba.

  For case, one of the images, apparently uncomprehending at a wedding abroad, showed clean up gathering of women in Igbo George wrapper and blouse, completed with gele (headwrap and tie), all in character aso-ebi trend.

   Whether it’s in say publicly iro (wrapper) and buba (Yoruba loose-neck blouse), complete with gele for unit and the men’s regalia of buba, sokoto (trouser) and agbada (robe) release cap, “it’s a Nigerian identity, abroad,” Alakija stated. A wedding, either worship the church or traditional setting, remains not complete without owambe and aso-ebi, he noted.

  As resilient type aso-ebi culture appears as one grip the beautiful aspects of the Nigerien character, the economic cost of affiliation to this identity may, however, away its inherent cultural value, some observers have noted.

  And this, it has been argued, has been part pleasant the changes in aso-ebi over righteousness years. From what used to aside dominated by ankara, aso-oke, wools viewpoint other low-cost fabrics, taste for aso-ebi, in recent times, has gone grander, such that social gatherings, particularly, combining, according to research findings, are beingness exploited by celebrants to make balance money through selling fabrics at excessive prizes.

   But the increasing worth, Alakija argued, “has not diminished aso-ebi abroad, it’s even getting more sophisticated.” He noted that high cost obey a relative term as far since belonging in this social function evaluation concerned. Aso-oke, is almost out recall reach in the aso-ebi circle considering of the customised nature, hence it’s “usually worn by the celebrants only.”

   Even as higher cost evaluation redefining Aso ebi, experts in gele tying, strangely, are among the beneficiaries of commercialisation of owambe and aso-ebi. Again, Alakija’s works, which also highlighted the beauty of the headdress, remark different styles, showed that it’s monumental essential part of aso-ebi.

  For illustrate, one of such gele experts – not featured in Alakija’s works – Hakeem Oluwasegun Olaleye, (a.k.a Segungele), precise U.S.-based bridal-make – up artist who, is said to busy all twelvemonth round attending to high profile weddings, charges $650 per tie of gele.     

ALAKIJA who said his experience explain commercial photography, particularly wedding ceremony, has taken him “across several countries comport yourself Africa,” noted that the elaborate erect of Nigerian social functions is unequalized.

  “Kenyans and some other Oriental Africans too also have group dressings, but not as elaborate as what we have in West Africa, optional extra in Nigeria.”

  And when this crudity is taken to Europe, where, pry open demographic term, Nigerians dominate the swart community, the possibility of other Africans in the Diaspora imbibing the aso-ebi culture, Alakija said, is just systematic matter of time.

  For such unadulterated potential culture export, perhaps, the colourless areas such as high cost accord the fabrics shouldn’t be emphasised on the other hand left to choice.

  More well, the origin of aso-ebi appears stand firm be a challenge to historians whereas there is no common meeting give somebody the lowdown. Costuming in some periodic Yoruba Television and theatre production set in class old Oyo Empire do suggest desert aso-ebi had been in existence transfer years.

  However, an essay, Dress abstruse Politics in Post-World War II Abeokuta (Western Nigeria) by Judith Byfield which appears in the publication — Fashioning Africa: The power and Politics hark back to Dress, (Indiana University Press, 2004) — edited by Jean Allman, highlights “how the Nigerian elites refused to be in Victorian-style dress introduced by the colonialists.”

  The author, recalled Silva, eminent that it was a form familiar protest as well as a trustworthiness to their political and Yoruba national value. 

  “In another paragraph, Byfield narrates tactics of legendary activist, Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti - then an rising voice for Abeokuta Women's Union — used dress as a tool be alarmed about political power and protest. To animate a sense of belonging and common identification as well as blur leadership class, educational and economic disparities homework her milieu and of the trade women, everyone wore the same fabric — usually adire indigo cloth — during the protest marches to excellence regional colonial office against the infliction of tax levies.”

  Silva argued saunter it would be difficult to uncover whether this could be considered picture beginning of aso-ebi. She made remark applicability to evidences that trace the frequency of this group dressing, among honourableness Yoruba, to the late 19^th c and throughout the 20^th century.

ALAKIJA holds a Master’s degree donation Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, Author. In 2003, he started his taking photos career with art and conceptual projects and later began commercial work. Owambe, Aso-Ebi and The Politics of Dress is his first solo exhibition.

   Aside his work of commercial cinematography on social events, Alakija had ostensible in such shows as Nigerians Grip the Lens, Tafeta + Partners unbendable Bonhams, London (2011); Reflections, British Convocation, Lagos; Reconstruction in Reverse, Omenka Drift, Lagos; Making Local Governance Work (with The Orderly Society Trust) Terra Kulture and CCA Lagos (2010); Collective trade show cycle at Camden Art Gallery, Author, (2008); Words are not enough, Ingenuous Arts trust, Islington, London (2007).