A Film Screening and Panel Discussion
On October 25, 2024, G.A.S. Lagos Hosted a free screening of Ebrohimie Road: A Museum of Memory, a documentary produced by Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún and shot by veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani. The event opened with a short introduction by Tomiwa Adegbola, Projects and Library Coordinator at G.A.S. Foundation, who welcomed the guests, and provided background on the film and its significance to Nigerian cultural memory.
The film explores how a small bungalow on the University of Ibadan campus became a pivotal site in Nigerian history, marking the place where literary icon Wole Soyinka was arrested during the Civil War. The documentary delved into how personal stories intertwine with national history, drawing on the memories of both prominent figures and everyday individuals. It showed how this campus residence was a silent witness to major events in Nigeria’s social, political, and literary landscape—many of which still linger unresolved today. Ebrohimie Road: A Museum of Memory also highlights how environmental changes have contributed to a fading sense of history and place. Through heartfelt stories, striking visuals, and historical documents, it became clear that Ebrohimie Road is more than just a street on campus; it’s a living testament to history and a true museum of memory.
After the screening, a 10-minute video message for the audience from Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún was shown, offering further insights into the documentary and providing resources for those interested in his essays and research. The evening concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Tomiwa Adegbola. Panelists Chuka Ihonor, Fu'ad Lawal, and Saze Ibraheem delved into the film’s themes, including cultural heritage management in South West Nigeria, the role of architecture in preserving cultural heritage, and the importance of archives.
"Before he became Africa's first Nobel Prizewinner in Literature, a small campus bungalow at the University of Ibadan played an outsized role in the life of a man, Wole Soyinka, his family, his university, and the nation. Here's the story. How do we preserve not just what we remember but the physical markers of such transient memory? In Ebrohimie Road: A Museum of Memory, we examine how the personal became the national, through the recollection of central and peripheral characters; how a small campus residence became witness to some of the most significant issues in Nigerian social, political, and literary history, many of which remain unresolved. And how ecological changes contribute to the erosion of history and a sense of place. Through stories, visuals, and historical records, we unearth what makes Ebrohimie Road more than just a campus street or physical location, but a place of history and a museum of memory."
- OlongoAfrica, 2024
Event Details
Date: 25th October, 2024
Time: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: 9b, Hakeem Dickson Drive, off TF Kuboye Road, Oniru, Lagos.
ABOUT THE FILM PRODUCER
Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún
Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún is a Nigerian linguist, writer, translator, scholar, cultural activist and film-maker, with works spanning the fields of education, language technology, literature, journalism, and linguistics. He is widely known as the publisher of OlongoAfrica, author of Edwardsville by Heart (2018), Ìgbà Èwe: Translated Poems of Emily R. Grosholz (2021), and the forthcoming Èṣù at the Library & Other Poems (2024). He is also a previous Fulbright scholar (2009), Miles Morland Writing Fellow (2018), and Chevening Research Fellow at the British Library (2019/2020).
His works can be found in several publications including; African Writer, Aké Review, Brittle Paper, International Literary Quarterly and PEN Transmissions. He has also translated notable works by Chimamanda Adichie, Haruki Murakami, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Wole Soyinka, James Baldwin, Sarah Ladipo-Manyika, Cervantes, and others between English and Yorùbá. He writes in English and Yorùbá, and is currently the Africa co-editor of Best Literary Translations anthology published by Deep Vellum. In 2016, his work in language advocacy earned him the Premio Ostana Special Prize in Cuneo Italy.
Headshot of Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún. Image courtesy of Victor Adewale.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Chuka Ihonor
Chuka Ihonor studied Architecture at University College London and started ARG Studio in 1994. He is also the Principal of Ci Studio (furniture and product designers) and 9H Media.
As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Open House Lagos, he joins others to stage a yearly 3-day weekend festival in addition to social media presence, events and activities all year. He started 9H DesignTalk in 2017. He writes extensively about Art, Design and Architecture and is currently working on 3 books on Nigerian architects the late JSK MacGregor, Ade Shokunbi and himself. He has helped facilitate remote architectural project work for the School of Art at Kingston University UK for which one of the students won a RIBA Student Prize, and have also spoken at 9H DesignTalk, at the University of Lagos, Covenant University, at Lagos Business School and the Yaba College of Technology.
Fu'ad Lawal
Fu'ad Lawal is a media and technology operator who's spent the past decade impacting businesses at every level. He's done stints working at digital media companies, from Pulse to Red Media and Big Cabal Media (TechCabal and Zikoko), to leading business growth at startups like Eden Life. Currently, Fu'ad is the Chief Archivist at Archivi.ng, a company making Nigerian history accessible by digitising old Nigerian newspapers and democratising access for everyone. He also writes and makes stuff with a motley bunch at Vistanium.
Saze Ibraheem
Saze Ibraheem is a distinguished marketing and communications executive with over a decade of experience across media, tech, and global health. A lifelong arts enthusiast, she curated the groundbreaking “Never Forget” exhibition featuring artists Nengi Omuku, Larry Achiampong, Asiko and Dawn Okoro at the start of their careers.
Most recently, Saze led marketing at ART X Lagos - the Access ART X Prize, ART X Live! and Art Across Borders with Afreximbank - driving new partnerships such as with Spotify and strategy that garnered acclaim in the FT, BBC, CNN. Recognized on The Art Gorgeous’ 50 People Making the Art World a Happier Place list, she is a staunch supporter of artists creating to the vastness of their imagination. Mrs Ibraheem holds an Economics degree from The University of Manchester and lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.
This film is generously supported by a grant from Open Society Foundation and Sterling Bank Nigeria.