The prime culture advocacy group, Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), has felicitated its matron, board member and mentor, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett who clocks 80 today, February 3, and has dedicated its entire 2021 programme season to her.
A statement by CORA Program Officer, Samuel Osaze, explained that beyond being its board member, the actress, social activist and culture advocate, is a vital force behind the dreams and passion that drives its activities.
“Like all the other eminent members of the Board, she is ever ready to listen and help to think through programme ideas, offering much-needed advices and critiques as desired,” said Osaze,
He added “We indeed cannot quantify her contribution and support to the progress of the organisation this past three decades. It is thus with pleasure that the CORA Working Committee (CWC) has dedicated the entire 2021 programme season to celebrating the illustrious life and career of the enigmatic matriarch of the Nigeria stage and screen. All through the year, several programmes would be held to celebrate various strands of her blessed life. Some events will also be staged in partnership with other organisations to which she subscribed.
“The climax of the CORA 2021 season would be the 7-day Lagos Book & Art & Festival, LABAF, which is entirely dedicated to Mrs Taiwo Ajai-Lycett. With the working theme, A FORK IN THE ROAD… LABAF 2021, will be a week-long comprehensive open-air carnivalesque ‘feast of Life and Ideas’ featuring a mix-grill of artistic and cultural events including exhibitions of books and arts, live reading sessions; conversations around books; seminars on visual, performing and allied arts; displays of paintings, sculptures, mixed media, installations and crafts; children and youths art workshops; live music, poetry, drama and dance presentations among others.
“All the programme items will have event or section celebrating Anty Ajai-Lycett.”
Osaze further said that the year-long celebration would have commenced today but for COVID-19 restrictions. “The year-long programme would have commenced today, February 3, with a mentorship event that had been exclusively designed to spotlight the very essence of Anty TAL: Mentoring the Future. The event has now been rescheduled to when the raging pandemic has simmered, and the City has reopened.”
He disclosed that CORA’s CWC has recently concluded an interview documentary on the matriarch – TAIWO AJAI-YCETT… Matriarch of the ACT
— which would be unveiled in the next few weeks. An excerpt from the documentary is, however, expected to be screened on all CORA communication platforms from today throughout the rest of the month.
