Congratulations Dr Duro Oni. This week marks twenty five years when the entire black race all over the world came to Nigeria to celebrate a world festival of arts, popularly referred to as Festac 77. Coming to look at that event today, do you think that the aim for which huge expenses was made have been achieved ?

Yes. Certainly, Festac 77 has fulfilled its mission. For one it was the catalyst for the setting up of the Center for Black and African Arts and Civilization ( CBAAC ) , which was set up a year after the festival took place. And for the activities of ( CBAAC), it has actually justified the need for a center like this culminating from the Second World Black festival of Arts and Civilization. Now, if you recall that the first Festac was held by the late great Senegalese leader, Leopold Sedah Senghor, a poet and Africanist in 1966 and Nigeria hosted in 1977,if an institution like CBAAC has not been in place ,you can imagine what would have happened in twenty five years to Black and Africa Arts , Culture and Civilization since we have not been able to host another Festac since that one hosted in 1977. So, CBACC indeed, and Festac have fulfilled that mission for which it was set up.

It is unfortunate that since 1997 , no other country has shown interest in hosting the festival again . What could be responsible for that ?

One could say perhaps that Nigeria may have unconsciously intimidated other countries that could have shown interest in hosting the world black festival going by the magnitude in which the Second World Black Festival of Arts and Culture was held in Nigeria. It was held in such a large scale that it became an unprecedented gathering of black and African intellectuals, men of culture and artists from fifty- nine countries and communities of the world gathering together in Lagos and Kaduna to celebrate Festac 77. Perhaps , one could say in way ,that Nigeria’s way of hosting the festival was a little intimidating .But I am glad to inform you that twenty- five years after the last festival that South Africa has taken up the mantle through a private initiative headed by M.K.Malifani, who is the chairman of the organizing committee which is now scheduled for South Africa , God willing in December 2002 to be held in cities of Johannesburg , Durban and Pictoria.

That’s an uplifting news . But for CBAAC alone to host twenty five years anniversary of Festc, does it not disturb you that it diminishes the status of such a great event ?

No , no... not at all . As a matter of fact, what we have done in the last twenty - five years is that every year we have kept alive the spirit of Festac. We are not hosting another Festac. We are only celebrating the Silver Jubilee of Festac 77 and it is not only Nigeria that is involved in the hosting of this particular event. We have collaborators in the French Cultural Center, we have collaborators in the French Embassy, we have also have collaborators in the Senegalese Embassy. In all, there are eight countries that are participating in this edition of the silver jubilees celebration of Festac 77. These countries include : Senegal, France, Niger Republic , Cameroon , South Africa, Nigeria and of course, Togo. So , these are countries that are being part of what we are doing at the moment.

It appears French government and former French colonies have more interest in Festac than ...

Well as I said earlier, fifty -nine countries participated in the last Festac. And those countries included France , United States of America.. And you know too that this event coincides with the Black History month, which the Public Affairs section of the American Embassy is organizing. So, it is something that calls for celebration that twenty -five years after that great event that we should bring ourselves together not only to come and dance as some people would want to believe but also, to come and intellectualize. Like for this event , we are going to have a seminar on the concept of Negritude and African situation now. We are expecting people like Professor Omar‘ Sankhare , who is being sponsored by the French and Senegalese Embassies, Professor Kester Echenim from the University of Benin, Professor Ade Ojo , Director of the French Language Village and Professor Jide Timothy- Asobele from the University of Lagos to come and give talks on the concept. I believe that at the seminar , we will be able to look at the issues that Seghor raised in those days : You remember the controversial issues between Wole Soyinka and Seghor concerning Negritude and Tigeritude. But even before Seghor died, he had reconciled his differences with Soyinka on the concept of Negritude as a very powerful concept that does discuss issues that bother on Pan-Africanism.

So, how long is the event going to last ?

It is a four day event starting from Thursday the 21st of February to 24th 0f February. But the exhibition that is mounted at our center will remain open until the 7th of March, 2002.

What works are you exhibiting ?

Well , the exhibition comprises of three major items : One is the Traditional African Architectural Technology. Most people are not aware of the kind of technological base of our African Architectural Heritage. They just think that African Architecture is all about mixing some mud and putting up some thatch roof over it. But it is not true. It goes beyond that . It involves a lot of technology . And it is one of the best collection that we have at CBAAC that we are bringing out for exhibition. The models are being put together by Professor Awodiya , formerly of the University of Lagos. We are also exhibiting photographs of popular African Traditional Hair Styles. The poplar women hair styles that are no longer in vogue today... In addition to this we are collaborating with Nigeria’s ace photographer , Mr Ojiekere , who wrote a book on traditional Nigerian hair styles, to exhibit photographs from traditional hair styles. These are pictures taken so longer ego , before people began to think of putting artificial hairs on their heads and stuffs like that. We will also exhibit some memorable photographs from Festac 77 collections.