BY GREGORY AUSTIN NWAKUNOR
THE first time she spoke on the project, it was in far away South Africa. We were on the road to Bloemfontein from Pretoria to watch Super Eagles play Greece in the last FIFA World Cup, and she was very excited. Our discussion lasted for some minutes, but it seemed like a whole day. “I’ll get in touch with you when we get back,” she promised. And I didn’t get any feedback on Project Jazzback. But this afternoon, as I was busy squealing the fire that razed the Artistes’ Village of National Troupe of Nigeria, my phone rang and it was Kemi Otegbade.
“This is the time to discuss Project Jazzback,” she exclaims, triumphantly, as if she had unearthed some big secret. “It starts this month and I want the greatest support that can be given to it.”
When I finally got to her office in Surulere, Kemi was all excited. She and some jazz artistes sat around a table discussing. They all looked cheerful as they talked. She was glamorous; a phrase Hollywood often uses to describe its own. She regales herself in glamour and sure paparazzi mob her. But the story is not about glamour. Just jazz. The genre of mature minds.
Why do you want to bring back jazz culture?
There’s a sudden silence. I could feel the silence as they cut through the atmosphere. I stare at her blankly for a moment and was happy to see her emotions masked in her answer. “I will say, Jazz was never dead; it was just in the cooler. The frontrunners of jazz in Nigeria either died, got frustrated or moved to another calling probably because they were not making money. But a lot of them still crave for and listen to the music in our homes, in our vehicles but we hardly go to places where we can get the feel of live performances, which are incomparable,” she smiles.
Otegbade exhales, “we miss the legend Fela… you know, his instrumentals that could take the listener to heaven and back.”
The lady calls her aide to get some bottles of mineral water. As we wait for the drink, some other questions gobble up.
Already, there are some jazz festivals in Lagos, what difference is Project Jazz Back going to make?
“That’s a good one,” Otegbade gurgles with satisfaction. She says, “just over a year ago, we had regular monthly sessions of Jazz at African Bar of Lagos Oriental Hotel, the turnout was great, it was made possible by support of some jazz lovers and the artistes, who performed mostly out of love and to get a platform. The response indicated that there had been a deep hunger and void that needed to be filled, hence with Project Jazzback; we want to bring back our jazz. There are so many great artistes in the genre without platform since hip-hop and funk had taken over. With Project Jazzback, and support of corporate world and government, the artistes will be fulfilled and thereby reduce the number of miscreants that have in the streets.”
She adds, “already, plans are afoot to have a major jazz festival in the country. It may not take the shape of Cape Town or North Sea Jazz Festivals, but the truth is that it is going to be one of the most regarded festivals in the country.”
Which city will then host the event?
“not confirmed yet. The details are still being worked out. Once it is concluded, you’ll get to know.”
WHAT have been the bottlenecks, challenges and difficulties of getting jazz back, since the effort started?
She grins, “ the basic challenge has been funding.”
Otegbade gives a deep breath and says in a rather subtle tone, “a lot of money is being spent on bringing foreign artistes, and promoting other types of music maybe because jazz lovers are not the regular ‘wuz up’ crowd. But I can tell you, as an agent of change, that has never bothered me. During our monthly sessions, the attendance cut across generations, we had guests from 16 to 60s who were having the time of their lives listening to quality music. And yes, we danced and danced.”
She chuckles politely. She has a bone structure that is arranged in such a way that a smile from her, whether grin or long laugh, appears naturally on her face and gives her an air of beauty. “We know why jazz has been relegated to the background so we begin by pinching all stakeholders to wake up to a positive change jamboree. Jazz is universally acceptable, we are ready to take it to nooks and corners, churches, halls, clubs, open house etc. through Project Jazz back but we need collaboration with interested stakeholders.”
BEFORE the jazz mission, she had been involved in projects such as Corporate Nigeria Stakeholders Forum, Nigeria-Benin Economic Forum, Ghana-Nigeria Business Summits, Nigeria Games Village, South Africa under NTDC and the first and second Nite of Movie Stars.
She says, for some of these projects she was solely in charge while in some others, she was a visible part of a consortium. “Basically, one learns from every job. We are not your regular party planners even though we plan and co-ordinate unique private and public parties. We have handled project events more often. As this is our sixth year, the list is very long,” she demurs.
What has been the motivation for the Projects you handle?
“I believe any project I lend my name to must not fail because integrity is the key word. These are some people, if their names are mentioned for anything, not necessarily business, you will just run for cover because they may be chronic liars or of dubious nature. So, when one’s corporate image is at stake, one needs to be thorough and careful,” Otegbade retorts.
The lady, who speaks with frankness, says her involvement in Naija Village during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is not only a long story, but highly emotional. She says, “it is a bundle of experience, stress and betrayal. But I will not exchange it for anything in the world. It started like an experiment and ended like one, but it was a very much worthwhile experience. I will always remember the role Ambassador Buba Marwa played. He is ever a calm sea, a real diplomat.”
You said you were a change agent, what do you mean by that?
“Yes, I will say it again. I am a change agent. I always believe something good can come out of somebody or an environment. I am a die-hard Project Nigeria fan. My friends and associates believe if I refuse to get close to somebody, the person must be beyond redemption, I believe no matter how bad somebody is, he/she must have something good. Nobody is absolutely useless, even a stopped clock is correct twice a day. I believe once the source of a problem is determined, one can device means of positive change.
For example, somebody who is always aggressive and defensive is likely not to have enjoyed the warmth of a loving family in his growing up years. He is ever aggressive because he has not tasted comfort, warmth of love,” she smiles.
Was childhood all smooth for her?
“Yes it was. But don’t expect me to say it was 100 per cent smooth. There were some ups and downs. I was born and bred in Lagos with great network in Lagos, but love my village, Ilesha.” She drops her guard as she rocks back and forth on the swivel chair in her office.
Really, Ilesha, Osun State? One will assume you are a Lagosian? Why has it been difficult replicating some of your Projects in Osun?
“Oh God!” she screams, “but my state was not part of the script.”
Well, she cracks. “I used to spend most of my holidays in Ilesha when my parents were alive but since I started working, I have not done any project in the state probably because there has been no opportunity so far, but if it comes, why not? My Ijesha friends and I have been toying with having an Ujesha Ragga Nite — a nite of comedy, as you know, the Ijeshas are natural comedians with our funny language and playful everyday curses. I think the Waffarians are only ahead of us in comedy because they are more streetwise and cunnier – apologies to my Waffi peeps.”
A GRADUATE of Business Administration, she says, “at times, I wonder if I studied something else. I’m enjoying my job despite the stress; it occupies my time so much that there is absolutely no time for gossip or mischief. I was in the banking industry for nine years in various departments before I started out on my own and so far, it’s been very challenging but fun.”
How does Kemi Otegbde chill out?
“I read a whole lot of books, watch movies or facebooking. Sometimes, I can be a facebook addict when workload permits; to think Iwas begged before I joined facebook, funny now. But once a week, I try to hangout/step down with quality friends who add value.”
The lady, who doesn’t wear her religion like cross, says, “I have a deep and personal relationship with God such as you can have with your friend. So, at every point I’m communicating with him. God has always been there for me.”
What book would be top of her wish list?
She answers, anything motivational. “Any book that can teach me something different from what I knew, as long as it is not written in gutter or dirty language.”
Dresssense?
“Anything that can make me carry myself in pride and comfort, once in a while subtly daring,” she smiles.
Any message for Nigerian women?
“The time for us all to be agents of change is now, we should all go out to register, encourage our men, wards, children, relatives, then vote according to our conscience. No mother will watch her house burn and continue sleeping, let us all shape the destiny of our great country…. enough is enough. Yes, yes we can…” she surmises.
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