Bash, Austen-Peters, Nduwhite for Tamerri festival

Poet Basiru Amuneni, business woman Bolanle Austin-Peters, and artist Ndubuisi Ahanonu are among those billed to feature at Tamerri Festival, taking place next month. Amuneni, aka Bash is an architect, essayist, and performance poet who has seven years’ experience as a banker; Austine-Peters is a lawyer who has made a mark in arts and culture, […]

Poet Basiru Amuneni, business woman Bolanle Austin-Peters, and artist Ndubuisi Ahanonu are among those billed to feature at Tamerri Festival, taking place next month.
Amuneni, aka Bash is an architect, essayist, and performance poet who has seven years’ experience as a banker; Austine-Peters is a lawyer who has made a mark in arts and culture, and Ahanonu aka Nduwhite, is a cultural activist who runs the International Institute for Creative Development, Nigeria (IICD).
The festival, a two-day event organised to lure Nigerians to Abuja is the brainchild of Root and Raw, a subsidiary of Mikbet David, which promotes arts and culture through commercial and non-commercial sponsored programs within Nigeria and across Africa.
Chukwukadibia Echefu, Tamerri’s Creative Coordinator, described Abuja as one of the capital cities in the world that gives its people the opportunity to create the social character and culture of the city that provides the atmosphere for creation of activities that engage the people.
“Abuja lacks identity and character, which has given the need for Tamerri, which means a beloved land,” he said, adding that “this inspired the activity which is organised for students, families, and every person, an alternate reality where people can come together and appreciate each other.”
The festival, themed ‘Appreciating connectedness,’ will feature various cultures, dances, masquerade exhibitions, photography and art exhibitions. Each day will start out with sessions by several health and fitness outfits, which will include aerobics, yoga and martial arts.
Also on the line-up is a music festival, poetry night, film screenings, fashion exhibitions to promote local designers, school art projects, and a human library.
Tamerri’s objectives include creating spaces and structures for alternate forms of musical and artistic expression, donation of 10 per cent of income from ticket sales to support the art and creative education of street children. In addition, is the attraction of a minimum of 3000 visitors and put Abuja on the map as a creative hub.