We had the good fortune of connecting with Christopher Udoh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christopher, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was a shallow artist until I attended the Ubumuntu Art Festival at Kigali in the summer of 2017. There I saw first hand, the transformative nature of art and its ability to create a space for forgiveness, unity, peace and sustainable development. This festival was created every year as part of a healing campaign to the gruesome atrocities of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The festival reminds the world of our shared humanity- tracing its core to the Ubuntu philosophy that “I am because you are and you are because I am, We are human together”. This experience exponentially changed my life and practice. I became more socially conscious and thrived to create social impact through whatever I was doing. It was the landmark in my life that would trigger the creation of Anyen Iyak Foundation For Art and Culture, in the following years.

Starting Anyen Iyak Foundation For Art and Culture was a combination of frustration and a total need for cultural re-awakening in my region of Origin(lol that would make a great tongue twister). At the time I was working in the artistic space, especially in the Nigerian context – moving around documenting its art and culture, visiting a lot of museums – and then I realized that the art and culture of the indigenous people of Akwa Ibom State was minimally represented. This was a little bit odd because we contribute heavily to the creative sector of Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large.

While conducting research as to why this was the case, I noticed that the problem was on 2 levels. First on the heritage preservation/continuation front and second, on the artistic development front. I noticed we lacked sustainable art institutions to champion heritage conservation and artistic development within the region. What we had was a National Museum in Oron and some other pockets of museums that were doing things on a very minimal scale. These spaces were also not managed well. Due to this, the younger generation within and in the diasporas have not really been participating in the culture, hence less opportunity for indigenous culture continuation. I also noticed that artists were moving from our region to places like Lagos and Abuja which are currently the art capitals of Nigeria. I truly did(do) not believe in scarcity. I thought we need to decentralize these spaces in order to make sure that creatives within other indigenous regions could thrive wherever they were. Instead of risking themselves to go these far distances for representation, they can grow where they are.

Having spotted this gap and opportunity for community development, I decided to run a masters program in Art Management at the Istituto Europeo di Design, Italy, to better equip and position myself to become a cultural change maker in my community. In a time such as this where people are returning to the wisdom of their bio spaces. Anyen Iyak Foundation For Art and Culture stands as a reclamation of the strength of our indigenous cultures in Akwa Ibom and a platform for artistic development in the region.

What should our readers know about your business?
Anyen Iyak Foundation For Art and Culture stands at the intersection of tradition and innovation, culture and creativity. Our foundation serves to preserve the culture, heritage and art of the Indigenous peoples of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The primary objectives of the foundation are to: preserve the rich indigenous art, heritage, language and cultures of the Akwa Ibom people, promote the art and artistic development of the region, establish educational programmes aimed at engaging indigenous people with regenerative and sustainable practices, to preserve and promote their culture, and develop arts-based practices as an educational and tourism led initiative to create jobs and opportunities for local residents.
For us, we are particularly interested in working towards community cohesion and development, to bring more accessibility and opportunities to learn about our rich indigenous histories, cultures and art , and to provide a platform where indigenous people are given opportunities and encouraged to openly explore new and innovative approaches that give a voice to our communities.

What sets us apart is our unique approach to preserving the rich heritage of the indigenous peoples of Akwa Ibom through contemporary expressions. For instance we will be using some contemporary outlets like games, exhibition and technological driven tactics to export our culture to the world. We’re committed to being a self-sufficient non-profit foundation, which drives us to explore unconventional revenue streams, partnerships, and art initiatives.

Our journey to where we are today has been both challenging and rewarding. It is never easy to establish a non-profit organization. We faced obstacles in securing funding, building partnerships, and even as we seek to gain recognition. However, our determination and belief in our mission have driven us forward.

To overcome these challenges, we are adopting a flexible and innovative approach. We are leveraging partnerships with creative outlets to create financially sustainable artistic programming. We also tap into membership programs, corporate partnerships, agro-investments and external grant support from primary cultural funders. These diverse revenue streams have allowed us to grow and thrive.

Our ongoing journey has taught us the importance of adaptability and resilience. We have learned that art has the power to bridge cultures and facilitate growth. We have discovered that maintaining a balance between tradition and modernity is not just possible; it’s essential.

Our message to the world is – we want the world to know that the Anyen Iyak Foundation For Art and Culture is a beacon of cultural preservation and artistic innovation. We’re not just an art organization; we’re a movement that brings people together. We’re proud of our roots, excited about our future, and ready to continue shaping a world where art transcends boundaries and fosters growth and development.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
So I am really excited about this question because there are a ton of things to do. First, they would have to try our food. This may be up for debate (really not actually) but we have the best food in Nigeria. We are known for our jaw dropping, salivating soups that are filled with fresh, flavour filled proteins. They definitely need to try Affang and the Fisherman’s soup from Oron. To make their food experience complete, they have to wash their meals down with fresh palm wine, a sweet alcoholic drink tapped from palm trees. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, I would take them on casual rides across the city. The air is different here. It is clean and pristine. We also have an array of beaches that are beautiful sites to behold. I would take them to the National Museum in Oron, which is a water side museum that holds some traces of our heritage. The whole experience will be tied in a bow by taking them to a casual night out bar event called “The Hangout”, where creatives in the region commune to share their arts with the world. In all, Akwa Ibom is that true get-away space, where artists and people can recoup and rejuvenate from a busy life. That is why one of our main programs at Anyen Iyak Foundation For Art and Culture is to provide a residency space where artists do nothing but rest.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am nothing on my own. It took a village to make me who I am. I am eternally grateful to God in whom I am nothing without and who gives me vision and resources to do good work. I am thankful to my parent Mr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Udoh and my siblings Ekemini, Nsikan, Emmanuel and Felix. I am grateful to my sponsors Boni Akpan, Uwem & Eno Ukpong, and Deen Solebo who have been with me and have financed my ambition in material and immaterial ways. To Clive Allanso, who has been a strong rock and my leadership mentor and to the heart of Anyen Iyak Foundation For Art and Culture, my team _ Uduakabasi Odung, Divine Adaeze, Kelvin Enumah, Aniefiok Essien, Micheal Ubokulo, Ayo Sonariwo, Blessing Okwong, Damilare Adeyemi, Patrick Okere, Ukeme Ebong and all my friends and teachers, I am grateful. These and others who I cannot mention here due to space, have been pivotal to making this dreams and man a reality.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris_k_udoh/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-udoh-a75406b5/

Image Credits
Micaela Brown Oluwadamilare Adeyemi Judeson Ataisi Philip Fagbeyiro

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