PORT HARCOURT
NIGERIA
5th-10th September 2011
SUMMARY.
The BornTroWay Creative Arts Workshop in Port Harcourt kick started on 2nd September 2011 at Rumueme Secondary School, Port Harcourt with the audition process that over 100 registered and auditioned, out of which 45 were selected.
Financed entirely through individual cash and in kind support thanks to the hard work of the Chief Fundraising Officer Mrs Aleruchi Cookey-Gam – the workshop started Monday 5th September at the Model Girls Secondary School, Rumueme and it ended with a public show which was held at the Civic Centre, Port Harcourt on Friday, September 9.
The workshop was facilitated by AJ Dagga Tolar, Poet; Ropo Ewenla, Actor; Ade Bantu, Musician; Segun Adefila, Dancer. The workshop was held to empower talented young people between the ages of 15-25 who were interested in the Arts, although a few younger and older participants were added with the aim to trigger constructive team dynamics.
The participants went through a weeklong training programme during which they learned and honed their existing skills in music, dance, theatre and spoken- word. The workshop sessions usually started with warm up sessions after which the participants would go into their different groups and attend the classes. During the workshop, the participants had to write songs, come up with drama sketches and do dance routines. All songs, drama, and dance routines were subsequently fused into one performance, which was showcased at the Civic Centre on the Friday. The public performance, which was anchored by tv presenter/producer, Yvonne Vixen Ekwere, kicked off with solo performances from some of the workshop participants. The drama showed young people who had talents but who were letting their talents lie fallow and the aftermath of the realisation of the potential they had in them. The drama ended with spoken word from a person who still hadn’t followed his dreams and who was wondering if it was not too late for him to do so. Some of the other themes recurring in the performance were rejection, utilising talents, changing society, valuing the environment, among others.
Also performing at the event were some established Port Harcourt artistes, MTrill, Mr Robinson and True O’Zee who came to support the young participants.
The workshop rounded up with a picnic at Prestige People’s Club in Rumola, Port Harcourt on Saturday 10 September 2011.
PHOTOS.
QUESTION
OF THE DAY.
DAY 1
Describe yourself in 3 words
​
Natha-Amadi (21)
Fabulous, Creative, Disciplined
Jane Adiani (17)
Simple, Honest, Friendly
Peace Maseba (23)
Tolerant, Understanding, Open-Minded
Agemo Olajide (27)
Smart, Funny, Adventurous
Victor Dominic (25)
Handsome, Confident, Capable Precious Amos Social, Fun-Loving, Calm Otobo
Ayibafe (19)
Friendly, Disciplined, Humble
Victoria Okpo (22)
Ambitious, Hard-Working, Talented
Okafor Stanley (24)
Easy Going, Determined, Loving
Tina King-Harry (22)
Innovative, Smart, Focused
Sotonye Kenneth (20)
Smart, Fun, Easy Going
Rowland Simeon (21)
God Fearing, Easy Going, Focused
Esther FyneFace (10)
Small, Funny, Social
Akhilomen Precious (21)
Courageous, Honest, Talented
Okunwaye Osarobo (16)
Versatile, Creative
Peter Esther (17)
Fabulous, Unique, Special
Ekwueme Chioma (25)
Sexy, Friendly, Simple
Jewel William (23)
Resilient, Humble, Determined
DAY 2
What would you like to change in your community?
Israel Peter (15)
Community –Rumuobiakani I would like to eliminate segregation. I would like to create more employment opportunities. I would like to change the mode of appointment of leaders in the society to enable the appointment of efficient leaders.
Okunwaye Osarobo Jude (16)
Community – Mini-Okoro, Rumuobiakani I would like to repair the roads so that they will no longer pose a threat to people´s lives.
Jewel William (23)
Community – Ozuoba I would like to change the mindset of the people around me so that they can be more positive.I would cause creativity to be prior in the hearts of everyone.I would like to teach and show that service is the quality of a noble man.
Etta Kelechi (19)
Community – Afikpo South I would like to stop child abuse and hawking. Create a talent hunt where teenagers like me are allowed to speak their minds.
Delight Sunday (17)
Community – Rumuigbo I would like to set up a skills acquisition centre for the youth.I would organise extra-mural classes for the youth.
Tina King-Harry (22)
Community – Dagema I would like to eliminate illiteracy and unemployment and thus also eliminate youth restiveness.
Agemo Olajide (27)
Community – Rumueme I would like to improve the way we handle waste and stop the blocking of drainages which lead to sickness. I would also advice companies on repackaging their products with more organic wrappings which decompose quicker than plastics and Styrofoam.
Precious Amos (20)
Community – Rumubiakani I would build more schools and encourage a reading culture Progress Wilcox Community – Bundu I would educate the youths on the dangers of having unprotected sex
Ebi Joseph (24)
Community – Sampour I would like to eliminate corruption and cultism. I would like to stop the indiscriminate dumping of waste in the environment. I would like to change the way the youths thinks
DAY 3
What does Port Harcourt mean to you?
Peace Maseba
Port Harcourt is where I grew up and live till date. Because of its reputation, it is not an easy environment to grow up in, so for me it is a training centre preparing me for a better tomorrow.
Okunwaye Osarobo Jude
It is a place where people struggle for survival.
Ekagha Oke Gabriel
Port Harcourt as a garden city is a place of comfort and a city of oil and mineral resources.
Peter Esther
Port Harcourt is a source of inspiration and motivation for my talent.It is a place that has taught me to struggle in order to keep body and soul togetherIgwe KennethIt is the administrative capital of Rivers State and is known for its beauty. It is a treasure base for economic viability.
Tina King-Harry
Beyond being the land of my birth, Port Harcourt to me is my source and the root of my being. It is my matter, what I am made up of.
Natha-Amadi Kinikachi
Port Harcourt is a city fused with varieties of people in terms of ethnic background, reasoning and religion
Ekwueme Chioma
It is a city where people come to make a living. A home of various cultures.
Agemo Olajide
A land flowing with milk and honey, a place of boundless treasures though plagued by challenges of diverse measures.
Daniel Richard
The place where I was born and the place where I grew up.
Jewel William
It is my home and hustle field. I call it Port Jewelz Emmanuel Otobo This city of my birth is like a gift to me, and a friend to my growth This city has been a tutor and has made me strong in my ways and it has also given me self-esteem.
Wisdom Umah
It is a place to be, study and hustleIsrael
Peter
To me, Port Harcourt is a place of united people of different races. A place of people with great minds and initiatives.
Bright Achese
Port Harcourt is a place of multiple interest; political, economic, linguistic, educational. A place of underground, undiscovered and buried potentials and talents.
Etta Kelechi
Port Harcourt is a town or city within a harbour. It is a place of different people with different lifestyles and languages. It is a place filled with talented people, beautiful buildings and roads but who lack humility and focus.
Stanley Izuchukwu
To me, Port Harcourt is a home for all, a town flowing with milk and honey in the form of oil and natural resources.
DAY 4
How do you intend to reduce waste?
Okunwaye Osarobo
I will carry out a daily keeping and sweeping of my environment and create awareness to help in sanitising the environment.
Wisdom Umah
We reduce waste by recycling and reusing them.
Igwe Kenneth
Waste can be reduced by burying and burning them or recycling
Agemo Olajide
Create more mediums for hidden talents to be found and expressed and also educate those talents to be self confident and make full use of every opportunity.
Emmanuel Ayibafe Otobo
By helping people see that their waste can be reused and letting them know that indiscriminate littering will harm their health.
Delight Sunday
I would eliminate waste of talents by giving people the education that will show them they have something in them and I will set up a skills acquisition program.
Okafor Stanley
By avoiding activities that give rise to unnecessary waste, by recycling waste and by educating the general public o the hazards of waste.
Tina King-Harry
I would eliminate waste in the aspect of human talents by bringing out the best in people, giving them self confidence and creating awareness or just talking to people individually.
Ekwueme Chioma
I would participate in sanitation exercises and burn or recycle waste for other uses
DAY 5
What were your expectations before the workshop and to what extent were they met?
Progress Wilcox (AGE 19)
I expected to learn just dnace steps but now I have learnt other things and I am better than before.
Peter Esther (17)
I was expecting good music training and that was met adequately. I was even taught to act and dance.
Agemo Olajide (27)
I wanted to meet experts who could help to polish my talents and I did.
Jane Adiani (17)
I expected something simple but at the end it was something more which showed me all the talents I have.
Victor Dominic (25)
My expectation before the workshop was that there would be more of individual performances where the best from each category would emerge.
Lizzy Brown (20)
My expectations before the workshop was that they would bring out the potential in me and they met that well and good.
Okunwaye Osarobo (16)
I expected to be transformed into an artist and through the basics that have been given to me I know that I have been transformed but I just need to work harder.
Natha-Amadi Kinikachi (21)
My expectation was to really know what I have and how to develop it. I will say the workshop met up to 80% of my expectation in my discipline and much more in other disciplines.
Tina King-Harry (22)
Before the workshop I didn’t really expect anything. I had an open mind about it and I’m glad I did.
Gencerreilly Bartholomew (18)
I expected something different. I expected a valuable reward after everything in the wowrkshop. The rewards were met but not to all the degrees I wanted.