Jahman Anikulapo Visits Celebrity Housemates

By Azuka Ogujiuba

Veteran Journalist and celebrated Arts critic, Mr. Jahman Anikulapo paid a surprise-visit to the celebrity housemates at reality TV show house in Ibeju Lekki Lagos, recently.

It was a fabulous and exciting experience, as the housemates waited in anticipation to learn from his pool of knowledge in the arts and entertainment industry.

One of the high points of the visit was when he laid emphasis on Fela Anikulapo’s artistic advocacy, urging the contestants to start advocating for “Artistic politics, because artistic politics can aid and help out in what an artist truly represents.” 

The guest was in the House to remind the housemates on how to remain celebrities in their various arts. 

Keeping their promise of having other celebrities interact with contestants of the show, the producers of Celebrity Housemates had earlier brought Ace comedian, Ali Baba and Dele Momodu, the CEO of Ovation Magazine, Ovation TV and online newspaper The Boss to grace the mansion with their presence.

Momodu visited the mansion as a guest speaker and mentor to the housemates. 

Anikulapo’s visit was a very different one as the veteran Arts journalist shared his experience and knowledge, coupled with his bunch of immeasurable ideas with the housemates as they watched and took notes.

In his address he advised the housemates to concentrate on their arts and to always believe in professionalism, which will aid them to get to greater height in their various profession.

“As an actor and Musician, you should use your role as an eye for the public to advocate for cultural artistic policy, because Arts is a unifying tool.”

Adding that, after the Nigerian war, arts was used to bring people back together as a unity force, heal wounds, and put smile on peoples face. Arts, according to Jahman Anikulapo, is all about participation.

He also implored them never to allow fame supersede their craftsmanship as this may not take them far, laying some significant emphasis on past famous actors and artiste who all started well and after a while they got carried away with fame which later contributed to their downfall and made their name irrelevant in the industry and beyond.

Housemates later engaged in outdoor game, sack race. Rugged man won the group round but the single round was won by speedster Junior Pope. Eniola Badmus on her part had a bit of rough start in the group race but managed well in the singles.

The first major task of the day was the poetic madness. Contestants were given poems to render in exact words, accompanied by dramatisation. Each contestant picked a spot in the house from where they delivered their lines.

Chelsea Eze performed two poems; “Poverty is a gift by Mark Heathcote” and “the curse of poverty by Ramesh Rai”. In the first, she expressed the characters of a father and son in a discussion on poverty. In the second, she took on the character of an elderly man speaking to the nations.

Doris Simeon rendered two poems on “corruption” the first by Pug Rollins and the other by Eniola Otoki. Her rendition of the first poem was of a female corrupt politician. The second poem was about the corrupt nature of both leaders and the common man. 

Ruggedman on his part had two poems with deferring themes. He performed a piece on poverty titled “sonnet: the magic of poverty – By Dr. A. Celestine”. It talks about the uses to which one could channel poverty. The second poem he dramatised was “Innocence lost – By Eniola Otoki” where he interpreted the inherent theme of child molestation in the piece, dressed as a woman who happens to be the poet persona.

“Motherland – By Eniola Otoki” and “Born in Africa – By St. Antoine de la Vuadi” are poems that appreciate our origin as Africans, Nigerians. They were interpreted by Junior Pope, who utilised the spirit and symbol of legendary African advocate, Fela Anikulapo Kuti to pass his message across.

Pieces on human trafficking, such as “Humans for sale – By Princess Ninann” and “Slavery on freedom day – By Margo May” express the issue of child trafficking and slavery even in the modern society. Rather than dramatise, Yomi Fash Lanso delivered a very strong poetic recital of both pieces.

The poet persona interpreted by Fredrick Leonard was that of a man who had been suppressed for years and had fought it, finally prevailing in his decision to overcome self-oppression. The piece “Revolution” was written by Philips Adewale Samuel.

Eniola Badmus rendered two poems on child molestation; “Sticks and stones – By Jfarrell” and “I lend my voice – By Eniola Otoki”. While the first poem expressed the pain and suffering of the victim years after the molestation had ended, the second had the persona, fighting and encouraging others who had suffered molestation.