What is this life?

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WHAT IS THIS LIFE?: ON TRAVELLING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED THE LAUNCH ISSUE AN ANTHOLOGY OF WRITTEN WORKS AND VISUAL ART

Published as an e-book in 2018 by WITL Team Copyright Š WHAT IS THIS LIFE? Team. All featured writers and content creators 2018.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without either the prior written permission of the author(s).

The various stories/contents within this book remain properties of the individual writers/ content creators.

ARRANGED BY: MERCY WILLIAMS - CHIEF EDITOR OGAGA ASAMAIGE - CREATIVE DIRECTOR SEUN BADEJO - GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CONTRIBUTORS: A BOUQUET OF VIBRANT ARTISTS AND WORLD CHANGERS LISTED WITHIN THE PAGES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Thank you, Yes you

DEDICATION For the beating hearts that will no longer settle for discrimination, mediocrity or biaz against the creative.

And For those who deliberately refuse to understand, I hope this sheds a little more light.

CONTENTS 0. Introduction 1. Life and it's boxes Photo spread #1 - Biola Johnson Mad blind men - Mercy Williams While out today - Fawaz A.H. Soliloquy #1 - Fimber Elemuwa Life is a rose - Gbemisola Shodunke Home - Mercy Williams Memoirs - Banke Fasakin Interview: Iju Asonibe 2. Breaking out Photo spread #2 - Biola Johnson I know - Ogaga Asamaige Eden of symphonies - Ajayi Prime Tobi Unicorn amongst horses - Dimeji Oguntola Qualm - Ogaga Asamaige Interview: Dave Adams 3. Birth and rebirth True ambitions - Tosin Zoo Soliloquy #2 - Fawaz A.H. Eye of the mind - Femi Johnson Passion - Ajayi Prime Tobi And we dared to dance - Mercy Williams Artwork - Onyema Obioma Interview: Niyi Okeowo 4. Conclusion Credits

INTRODUCTION It will be a disservice to the world if we cower away, simply because they said our methodologies were irrelevant.

Mercy Williams.

In other words, it wouldn't make any sense if we turn our backs on what we love because of a popular opinion.

Life and it's boxes

©RewiredDifferently

I find no solace in the places I call home…in the in the people I call family…

It’s an inner turmoil that fends on the stuff of my entire being My mother says I should use my head, because following my heart is like walking with one’s eyes closed And my father, my father is a rational man, and I am made to believe that only rational men are ever successful But I? I am a mad man, trailing the road less travelled, a convoluted path of uncertainties and possibilities And the problem with this is that we mad men find peace in the things that make the least meaning to the more rational man.

And if only the rational men are successful, then how do I follow my dreams, and build a comfortable family With a merry heart and an empty plate?... a dissatisfactory paradox I think not!

But it’s a beautiful curse you see, Being sightless to the monochromatic ways of the rational man, and reveling in our peculiarities.

We find no solace, in the places we call home, the people we call family because as mad blind men trailing the road less travelled, we take flight into a shimmering pool of uncertainties and endless possibilities.

- Mercy Williams

O

While out today, I saw a poor artist And it made me pray To never become society's least.

While out last week, I saw a begging guitarist It made my knees weak As I wondered if he could aord a feast.

A month ago, I saw a vagrant poet He had not reaped what he had sown Rather than his life, I would've chosen death.

During the previous year I read of a singer Who sang of his fears His misery was known wide and far.

Now I see in the future Little hope for what I write Maybe I should drop the pen before I lose sight of what is right.

- Fawaz A.H.

K

Perhaps art in itself is a Devil. It's just one fickle lady. In society today, your art is not really appreciated unless you have a disability or you're old.

You see, for instance, a blind pianist playing good music, and the world goes "WOW, that's very good". Then, a normal person plays good music too, the world goes on; it's generally unappreciated.

And the same goes for all other artists. Most artists, are not duly appreciated till they're old and sometimes dead.

Da vinci and his monalisa painting is a prime example of this. Most times, this leads artists to move to other areas to survive, but again that's the way of society. And that is just sad.

- Fimber Elemuwa

i

She was waiting, waiting for whatever question it was to be answered from the society. And finally the group came, fully suited with the big books in their hands, ready to write down all the criticism they could write about everything, even life itself.

They sat before her, prepared to write and they asked, "What is life?"

At first she panicked because no one had brought forth such question to her, and after a few seconds she relaxed, and with a bright smile she said, "life is like a rose flower, it starts from somewhere, somewhere deep and begins to grow, beautifully but also with thorns. In the aim to make its environment beautiful, it dies, slowly and after it'd death, there is a rebirth to something more beautiful and blooming.

Just like the flower, so is life. We grow, we try hard to add value to where we find ourselves, as we do so, we get distracted, we get judged and discriminated. And slowly, we die inside ourselves. After our death, we go through the same process of growth, the sane process of nourishment and after a while, we become adults and add the little we can once more. And the same goes over and over and over again, till we all die finally and when we die, there comes a new world, a new generation, a fresh and free set of flowers, ready to add value just like we did.

This to me, is what life is".

- Gbemisola Shodunke

S

For some of you, poetry might simply be pretty syllables mingling exotically with one another, flirting with the idea of making an impression It might be the sound of witty rhymes tailing skin-deep verses, But for some of us, poetry, *is the other place we call home* It's the safety we find in those unending manifestations of our minds and souls; in words, colours, sounds and even more.

It's in the air we breathe...

- Mercy Williams

m

I am afraid for you, You're so beautiful Yet you don't feel complete, enough You feel you have to: Look a certain way, Act a certain way, Have a certain personae.

You keep staring at other people that you want to be like I don't even know what you are about You're so much, Yet nobody knows you truly I don't know you, I don't know who knows you yet Who knows you when you're not trying to be something you're not I am afraid for you You're so much; Yet you've allowed yourself become so little, so unoriginal See the way you gaze longingly, Spend hours on social media, looking at people who seem to be 'cool' or have it all together, so you can be like them I can't wait For you to be who you really are, without anyone's influence To shine as bright as you can.

- Banke Fasakin

k

IJu Asonibe Juju NJC

The world is changing, how do you think this affects the creative millennial?

Hmm, well, creativity as a whole Is very dynamic and everything affects it in every way, Economy affects it, the way people see life in itself affects it. It affects it greatly in the way creative people interpret what they see around them, The more the world changes, the more artists evolve and adapt to the changes and that automatically changes art and creativity in itself.

Do you believe artists are hobbyists and why?

I believe artists are professional hobbyists.

Why? Because a hobby is something that you love doing, something that gives you joy, something that doesn't give you stress and as artists we enjoy our craft, it's a part of us, we were enjoying it before we started making money off it, So we love what we do, and we also get paid for it.

Why do you consider yourself a creative?

I consider myself a creative because I don't think or operate within or rather, I don't operate like the structured system.

I’m a photographer and I tell stories, I create concepts, my whole being is centered around creativity, and that's what makes me a creative.

Can anybody be a creative?

I think God put creativity in everyone, and I believe everyone has the capacity to be creative but not everyone knows how to use it or maximize it and honestly I feel it's for the better. If everyone was a creative then there would be no such thing as a “creative�.

How relevant do you think the creative is in society as compared to those with professional occupations?

Honestly, very relevant, imagine a world without creatives, imagine how depressing that world would be. The professional people need us just as much, or even more than we need them.

Would you advice anyone to go into full time work as a creative?

I would, definitely, because it's a work of opportunities, it's definitely hard but it's exciting if you play your cards right, it will pay... A lot.

How do you think the educational system should be modified to suit the creative?

Honestly ,maybe it shouldn't be modified, maybe what should be modified are the mindsets of people. I skipped most of high school, I also didn't go to University, I feel like if people can come to the realization that a structured environment of learning isn't for everyone, then maybe people will begin to appreciate art and artists, creativity and creatives a lot more.

Breaking Out

©RewiredDifferently

I know you love me I know you want the best for me I know you see potential in me I know you had dreams and visions for me I know you've invested in me I know you think your way is the only way I know you don't want me to struggle I know how the easy life can threaten me but I choose this instead I know it won't be rosy But I know I’ll be happy Please believe in me Let me live, let me fly - Ogaga Asamaige

W

In the beginning God created the heavens and earth We struggle to explore the physical And leave behind the source The seas, the trees and things beneath Exist because of words.

We all like zombies; Brainwashed from birth to death are taught a myopic definition of success I learnt -against society's approval- that to be a god, I needed to master words Create emotions from letters Influence opinions with rhythm And plant my Eden of symphonies.

My father in-law might never like me The society will find it amusing My Child's teacher might find it odd Or at least, I think they will.

So when I told my father I chose music He probably didn't get I simply left the brain washing factory To join the gods amongst men - Ajayi Prime Tobi

F

And the winds shall rage.

But still like the rainbow I will paint my dreams, Just me in the sky, for in being different lies my message.

You sing songs of the heavens and say: Fly bird, fly. Fly up so high, A lead bullet right into my wings, With your words, you shot me right out of the sky.

You are the society my friend, and you are a strong breeze.

But I am no dandelions to dance where the winds leads, I am a sunflower and the sun is my dream.

I am characterized by spontaneous whims of character and ambition, And you’ll never unravel the mysteries of my thoughts and my innermost intuition.

Why do my doings make you worried?

Why can’t you accept that we are all not the same?

A cup of ice-cream to cool your temper, A king-sized sofa to lay your head.

For a unicorn amongst horses is a rare gem to see, And I will be as wild as wild can be.

"A Unicorn amongst Horses" - Dimeji Oguntola

d

I'm a man and I'm torn Between what I want to be and what I'm "supposed to be" Too many expectations cornered me People only believe in you when they want something out of it Then they try to crop your dreams "There's too much filter, let it look natural" Society has placed me in a box And every time I try to break out I seem like the devil...

- Ogaga Asamaige

o

Talk With David Adamu Dayve Adams AlternateDayve

Describe the journey of a creative from your perspective

For me the journey of a creative consists of the departure, the travel & the destination. As a creative, I started out by noticing the different elements that make up matter and my mind was wild enough to be deeply attracted to art and the nuances we find in various designed products. Then I started being curious to make art and wanted to create - That's the departure. So I figured out how to create and what medium to create with. I constantly iterate and experiment new stuff and keep on creating - that makes up ‘the travel’.

While creating stuff, it gets to a point where art is much more about creating things, but communicating ideologies. & so you find out that you’ve just tried random experiments but there’s a prevalent theme your subconscious has been trying to pass across, and that’s ‘the destination’. Just like a multi-stop flight, the travel & destination always change - at different stages the whole thing becomes yet another departure, & that’s when you evolve as an artist.

If you had a child who wanted to be an artist, what would your honest reaction be like and why?

It’s pretty much going to be exciting and I believe is somewhat inevitable to an extent in the sense that, as far as you can create something and at some point try to use that communicate any story at all, you become an artist. Giving my child an environment to harness her inner creativity and telling stories is something I intend to groom my child in, because ‘every single human has a story to tell’. If she wants to be a full-time artist, boy can I wait!

There is a general perception that many creatives are academically lazy, is this true? why?

Well in my opinion, that’s BS. This topic is dear to me because interestingly, I dropped out myself. This wasn’t because I was lazy or not smart - matter of fact, I was always stuck studying the things of the future in my field, which wasn’t being taught to us then. If indeed I had questions whose answers lead to only more questions, then the problem is in the education system. We’re stuck with a system that clearly doesn’t work, drenching people of their creativity and by extension, alienating those who are brave enough to challenge the status quo in their thinking & creative instinct. We may be in the system, but is it in us? Is it made for us?

As creatives we are sensitive. Because we tend to see the world slightly differently than mere conformists.

We become sensitive about the inadequacies of the system, and we react differently.

I particularly love a quote from James Baldwin, “The paradox of education is precisely this - that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated.”

It’s sad & excruciatingly displeasing how many creatives are stuck in a mental health situation because of this mess. But as creatives we must remember that while we may create things & tell stories, in the end our life and being is art in itself and it’s up to us to change the narrative. One day the education system would be revolutionized. This won’t happen because policies would change mathematically, but this would arise from an action of art and activism.

The world is changing, how do you think this affects the creative millennial

I think this is important because we are born in a particular era. The most important change in the past few decades has been technology. Tech has given us the tools to create easily, tell stories and change world narrative. We have tools to help us paint easily, smartphones to capture visually stimulating moments, an internet for inspiration and social media for a voice boost. These things might be underestimated by our generation, but looking back in history you’d realize that nothing of this scale and magnitude has happened in all ages. So this is an era where humans have been silent about their ideologies for a long time & we’re beginning to realize “wait, is anyone else feeling how I feel?”, “Why am I being wrongly judged?”. This is a time where people who have been enslaved by society are letting the demons out from within. It’s definitely a time to be alive and misrepresented, because that must change; & thanks to technology, we can effect that change and send ripples across history in minutes. I love that the world is getting more sensitive to parity.

Nonetheless this is an equally challenging time. Mental health is becoming a huge issue that isn't discussed in these parts and a smile from someone today just might be a suicide note. Social media has taken a very different shape from its inception, cyberbullying is spreading like wildfire and young folks feel the need to 'keep up'. These cultural/societal nuances are so complex and deep that we need newer & better delivery mechanisms with which to speak to the hearts of people.

If you could go back in time and advice the younger you, what would your words be?

Tech isn’t a much different field from art. Startups are equally about creating things people want, that resonate with multiple individuals. When you realize that, you’d stop trying to compete with yourself and find how to make the most of both sides to effect change, in harmony. A creative block is normal, it tells you what to focus on. Turn that distress into art. Talk more with people from all backgrounds, you’d appreciate the full colors life presents us with everyday, that we sometimes don’t notice. You can be whatever you want to be. Keep being a futurist. The only education you need lies within history, sociology & philosophy haha.

‘what is this life’ - what does it mean to you?

When I discovered I was multi-talented, ‘life’ was all about being versatile. I loved the idea of having knowledge and abilities spanning various fields. But upon discovering myself more, that morphed into appreciating Diversity. Knowing that yeah, I may have talents and have touch-points across many endeavors but paying attention to the fact that people around me and around the world equally have the potential to be versatile. Ultimately, my goal is to be a multidimensional human, one who has studied the nuances in his interests, told representative stories that resonates with a lot of individuals and mastered his art, converting that to a tool for difference. The move from versatility to diversity to multi-dimensionality is my definition of ‘evolution’. As a growing creative, it is important to evolve but still remain true to your cause - knowing that our perception of life changes as we discover ourselves. It is then we can have multiple ‘departures, travels & destinations’, marking the different stages of our lives.

Who are you?

I am David Adamu, a 22 year-old product designer & digital artist. Being ‘Dayve Adams’ was a phase in which I celebrated my own versatility; being ‘alternateDayve’ is a phase in which I emphasize nonconformism & Diversity; being ‘David Adamu’ is simply being multi-dimensional. I’m interested in Afrofuturism, People (the full spectrum), Startups and Artificial Intelligence. I'm proudly black. _________________________________________________________________________

Birth and ReBirth

The earlier days when we were young, and our parents would gather us all together.

They would ask us what we wanted to do, when we grow old, when we are on our own.

I always wanted to be a pilot then, I always marvelled at her majesty and gracefulness, The big bird flying in the sky.

Then we grew old and we are on our own now, but trust me when I say this; the lawyers, the doctors and the engineers, we all need the big boys in play, for the smooth running of the society.

But what I really want to do now is to sing and dance, like the big bird in the sky.

Tosin Zoo

t

You wrote about your pain And they called you weak They said it was a feign An attention-seeking trick.

You wrote about your demons And they called you weird They didn't understand your cautions And the reason for your dread.

You wrote about your hope And the light at the end of the tunnel This helped you cope As it was your emotion's funnel.

You wrote about the society And how it put you down How you weren't free In failure, it tried to make you drown.

Every time they called you a name Because you wouldn't be as they wanted, tame.

I'm yet to see greater strength Than being true After all, you've walked the length To find you.

Fawaz A.H.

H

Plaid walls and colored floors Two moons, rooms with no doors 7 suns, pink and purple skies Embracing the truth, terror in the lies Gazing Through the eye of the mind This is the sanctuary in myself I find Waning moon the light at my birth Star not so bright but I'm the light of the earth Trying not to separate dreams and reality A delusional world is what I have made for me I am frowned on for hoping into the skies For they don't know what I spy with my third little eye.

- Femi Johnson  

f

What is that thing you do that brings you joy That thing that makes you forget time or forgo pain What happens when that things seems to cause you pain What if your joy leads another to tears?

Then we’re in the same ship A ship with no captain cos everyone is too busy being creative Will we sink?

Or thrive?

Join us as we realize how clueless we all are And do enjoy the ride Ajayi Tobi

j

AND WE DARED TO DANCE In a little clutter of shiny mechanical figures, we found ourselves.

Our ambition was simple; to outdo our predecessors. So we existed with that notion of survival to endure life's trials and hardships while striving to live as comfortably as we could aord. We would strive to get better jobs and build better homes than our parents because we understood that Life is not a bed of roses, but a race of which only the fiercest would survive.

The race began and soon we realized that to achieve this goal we needed to fit into the system and abide by the rules of the game if we wanted to be winners. But naturally - sooner than you'd expect some of us began to wither. We dived head first into the rocky grounds, grazing our parched skins and spraining our worn ankles.

This was what they warned us against; Failure.

So it happened that while we tried to get ourselves together, many ran ahead of us, their success was inevitable. Some stopped by and called us names; lazy bones, failures, misfits, incompetent...

But one by one we picked ourselves up, stretched our limbs began to dance. We scattered ourselves carelessly like seeds on fertile earth, leaping and frolicking around. We eased o our rage and frustration, our joys and sorrows, through lithe limbs and graceful poses.

We became a colourful exhibition of masterpieces in motion, and soon others watched us, both amazed and curious. Soon enough it dawned on us that we were bigger than this race. We were bigger than life. For the first time, we realised that we were exactly what they called us; misfits. But we were misfits with purpose. And ours was to stun the world with beauty and life.

So we twisted and stepped to beats others curiously wondered about.

These scorching tracks of conformity had nothing on us as we danced our way to the finish lines; because friends, we who dared to dance, can be winners too.

- Mercy Williams

c

©Onyema Obioma

Chat With Niyi Okeowo N.O.

Do you have anynotions about the creative industry?

The creative industry is elitist and snobbish in my own opinion, it's also pretentious to an extent.

Do you think the creative millennial can stand alone and depend on his art as a source of income? Do you think it’s a Nigerian problem?

The creative millenial can't stand alone and depend on his art solely, he has to look to stuff like merchandising, exhibitions, classes and other avenues of making money, find ways to merge his industry with other industries i.e how a creative can use his creativity and break into the food industry or other industries. It's not a nigerian problem, it's more of how creatives are treated and perceived.

What are common mistakes creatives who are just starting out make?

Common mistakes: doing it for the money, trying to please the crowd, creating work that's not reflective of what you love or how you feel, pining for online attention as opposed to perfecting your craft.

The world is changing, how do you think this affects the creative millennial?

The creative millenial should evolve with the times and never stop innovating, never be on the other end of change that doesn't favour you, study your industry and try and adapt to the trends or bend them to your will, but never be on the end thats either outdated or no longer relevant in todays time.

Advice for your younger self Do it for the passion and passion only, the money wont come asap, the money wont make you any more happier than you can be when you create stuff you really care about, go to design school or study design history or theory.

Conclusio n

This is not The End.

Credits

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Chief Editor - Mercy Williams Creative Director – Ogaga Asamaige Graphic Designer – Seun Badejo VISUAL ARTISTS Biola Johnson Onyema Obioma WRITERS Ajayi Tobi Prime Fawaz Dimeji Oguntola Banke Fasakin Gbemisola Shodunke Tosin Zoo Femi Johnson Fimber Elemua INTERVIEWEES Iju Asonibe Dave Adamu Niyi Okoewo

Mercy Williams Adedokun student, writer

Asamaige Ogaga student, artist

Seun Badejo art director, graphic designer

Biola Johnson rewired differently

Onyema Obioma multidisciplinary artist

Ajayi Prime Tobi musician, writer

Fawaz A.H. student, writer

Dimeji Oguntola business/technology enthusiast, writer

Banke Fasakin beauty enthusiast, writer

Gbemisola Shodunke student, writer, aspiring diplomat

Tosin Zoo music enthusiast, blogger

Femi Johnson artist

Fimber Elemuwa student, poet

Iju Asonibe creative entrepreneur

David Adamu product designer, digital artist

Niyi Okeowo multidisciplinary creative

Thank you for taking your time to go through this, it means a lot.