Communications Strategist | Brand & Executive Storytelling
The health pandemic has upended the global economy. No industry has been spared including the live entertainment industry.
There’s also a steady glut of music and content that is being released by the second which has made it challenging for artists and creatives alike to stay relevant.
But Blaqbonez, a Nigerian rapper, seems to understand how to market and thrive in this new normal. I reached out to him to get some insights.
How do you price African art in a global market that often undervalues it? That’s one of the questions I discussed with Oliver Enwonwu, artist, curator, and son of the legendary Ben Enwonwu, at Omenka Gallery in March 2020. It was just days before Lagos ground to a halt.
It took many rerouted GPS directions, a close run-in with suspicious police officers, and Lagos traffic at its worst to get there on time. But by the time my team set up, Oliver was good to go.
We talked about art valuation, politics, and what it means to protect the legacy of African artists in a market that is hungry for stories and quality but reluctant to pay fair value. He also spoke on merchandising, how local artists can reclaim agency, and why cultural institutions must do more than showcase art.
It was insightful. You can listen to the interview here on wherever you listen to your podcasts (Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, iHeartRadio).
I will be back with new interviews once I have transitioned to a safer recording schedule.
Be kind and stay safe.
What’s the state of visual arts and artists in Nigeria? What impact does forgery have on an artist’s work? How does art valuation work?
Listen to Folashade Anozie speak with Oliver Enwonwu, a respected visual artist, brand strategist, and art administrator based in Lagos, Nigeria about all these and more.
Folashade Anozie x Dayo AdeneyeOtunba Dayo Adeneye is our 3rd guest of the year. He is a broadcaster, investor, music executive, politician, and entertainment consultant.
Alongside Kenny Ogungbe, Dayo Adeneye was instrumental in transforming the face of radio and TV in Nigeria. He also contributed immense value to the Nigerian music and entertainment industry at large.
Our conversation with him covered his journey into politics, the Grammys, artist and label disputes, and lots more.
Hi,
First off, I hope you and your family are well and staying safe in these trying times. Life as we know it has changed and it is quite challenging. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who have lost loved ones to COVID-19, and salute to all the health professionals and experts doing their best to end this pandemic.
This episode was special for me. Otunba Dayo Adeneye, is a music executive, investor, politician, and entertainment consultant I grew up watching and listening to alongside Mr Kenny Ogungbe. Together they shaped Nigerian radio, TV, and helped move the music industry forward. Interviewing him was on my 2020 list.
In late January, I reached out to ask if he’d join me on my podcast. He was hesitant at first but agreed after a family friend, Mr Juwon Osibanjo, put in a good word for me. He was about to head to LA for the Grammys, so we planned to record when he got back.
That February was a bit of a slump for me, my birthday was coming and my energy was low. My mother kept trying to lift my mood, offering gifts and lunch plans. I told her all I wanted was to work.
When Otunba returned, we locked in the date: Tuesday, February 25th at 1pm. I left home early to get my makeup done and, ignoring my mum’s advice, trusted my GPS instead. Big mistake. Lagos traffic “over humbled: me for an hour and a half. I used the traffic to coordinate with my director and audio engineer, who were already at the location setting up.
Eventually, I arrived at the salon. Makeup got done, I quickly changed my outfit, and drove to his office. Thankfully, I made it at 12:59pm on the dot. We started at 1:10pm and the conversation was sooo worth every bit of the horrible Lagos traffic I endured.
When we were done with the interview, he gave me a tour. I saw many photos and awards, a lot of them still in boxes. It was tuly truly special.
You can listen to our conversation here: Audiomack, Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or iHeartRADIO. You can also watch the video version on Youtube. Simply search for ‘thesncpodcast’ [1 word]. You can follow the pod on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at the same name -> @thesncpodcast
Ps: My mother did get me a birthday gift after all. She got me a lovely birthday card and a small pink teddy bear. 🙂
Our second episode of the year is with budding singer-songwriter Timilehin Adeniyi, better known as Timzil. Timzil’s genre of music is R&B/Soul and he has been writing professionally for the past 6 years.
Our conversation covered his AMVCA nomination for Best Soundtrack in a movie/series, the need for upcoming artists to pay attention to their mental health, and the Nigerian music producer that he would kill to work with.