MESSENGERS with Oyiza

Prince Albert GOGO ANYANWU a Nigerian-born sculptor was the Pioneer Graduate Sculptor, UNN of The  Department of Fine Arts, University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1965. The trained teacher and community art  activist aimed to leave some footprints for the new generation of nude sculptors and artists, and continued to teach until his death in April 2023. 

Revisiting the music KOFO WONDER and the Daylight Stars as they take us back to the good ol’ days where  jazz and soul were the bedrock of good African music. This iconic talking drummer criss crosses the Atlantic  with African music from the streets Lagos to New York.

LEMI GHARIOKWU, a.k.a the “king of covers”, is a well-established visual and graphic artist famous for his  album covers for the late king of Afrobeat, Fela Anikulakpo-Kuti. His passion for his art and love for all things  graphic exude the depth of what art means to him. 

Who is DEDE? We spend time with Afrobeat saxophonist and Fela's “son”, DEDE & The Kalafrika  Band , as he shares tales of his time in life with Fela and his band. This trained theater artist and stage  performer has toured many stages with the legendary icon, paving a musical life around himself. 

Textile artist and educator GASALI ADEYEMO discusses the historical preservation of some of Nigeria’s  traditionally made textiles like Batik, Adire, Itinochi, Akwocha etc; his modest upbringing, his greatest influences and  the next generation. 

A special artistic case of the Abuja-based AMARACHI OKAFOR and her eccentric passion for telling cultural,  religious, gender-based, and historic stories with her creativity and art The Umuahia-born, Nsukka-trained  artist, curator and archivist has a BA in painting and an MFA in sculpting.

Much-talked-about 'controversial' musician/rapper EEDRIS ABDULKAEEM , a Nigerian hip-hop artist,  songwriter, singer, and political critic, takes us through his life journey from his early beginnings in Kano to  The Remedies and dealing with his controversial lyrics in-between. 

A self-described 'mixed media artist invested in capturing our humanity', ENOS NHLANE MANTHATA takes  us through South Africa's cultural evolution in music and film, giving props to iconic genre creators like  the iconic Mandla Spikiri Mafokeng and the Kwaito and Amapiano genres in his upcoming film, Tana La.

Nnamdi Okonkwo  The talented artist and sculptor NNAMDI OKONKWO stands six feet nine inches tall. He is a Georgia-based  sculptor who has always been drawn to the arts, as best expressed in his three-dimensional sculpture of the  African female form. 

Master Builder DEMAS NWOKO  Nigerian artist, protean designer, and architect As an artist, he strives to  incorporate modern techniques in architecture and stage design to enunciate African subject matter in  most of his works. This is Part II of our conversation on African architecture and design.

NMADILI OKWUMABUA, Founder, CPDI Africa The Community Planning and Design Initiative Africa (CPDI  Africa) promotes the development of new architectural languages for the African Diaspora that are  culturally and environmentally sustainable. Part I on African architecture and design. 

COSMOPOLITANISM IN FASHION (Pt II) with a history professor in New York and a photographer in Croatia discuss Ghana’s vibrant fashion scene and the book COSMOPOLITANISM IN FASHION. Featuring Photographer Dean Zulich, and author Christopher L. Richards. 

A a fashion designer in Ghana and a model from Ghana come together to discuss Ghana’s vibrant fashion scene and the book COSMOPOLITANISM IN FASHION. Featuring model Felivian Ayariga, designer Beatrice ‘Bee’ Arthur, photographer Dean Zulich, and author Christopher L. Richards. 

Part 1: A history professor in New York, a fashion designer in Ghana, a photographer in Croatia, and a model from Ghana come together to discuss Ghana’s vibrant fashion scene and the book COSMOPOLITANISM IN FASHION. Featuring model Felivian Ayariga , designer Beatrice ‘Bee’ Arthur , photographer Dean Zulich , and author Christopher L. Richards .