Who is a 'Nigerian' Artist?

This on the left is a page from the OM (Observer Magazine) of last week whose cover profile was Kele Okereke, a musician born in England to Nigerian parents.

You can't get a more unlikely black musician than this, playing as the only non-white member in what in England they call an Indie band (I can't claim to know one piece of music by this band, and that's saying something) and of an indeterminate sexuality. This last bit (the sexuality, that is) has raised a bit of an interest among some bloggers. The ensuing mini-debate (involving myself, Sokari & Kym Platt) led to a consideration - not about sexuality - but about identity. To put it another way: who is a 'Nigerian Artist' really?

Lost in Hawaii

Here's a newspaper clip, through which I first learned of the arrest of actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who plays Mr Eko in the television series, Lost. It's the latest in a string of arrests involving cast members of the show, which is filmed in Hawaii. Still, it could have been worse. The actor will bounce back bigger and better, I expect.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in brief...

"...London-born Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje who was asked in a media interview last week if there was pressure to make his name more Westernised to fit into Hollywood. His response was: “I’m of Nigerian descent, from the Yoruba tribe. Names are very significant in that culture. It basically states your purpose in life. Ade is ‘the crown’, Wale means ‘to arrive’, so that means ‘the crown has arrived’. Akin is ‘warrior’ and Agbaje is ‘prosperity and wealth’. Every day when someone calls my name, they remind me of that purpose and for me to renounce that would be sacrilege. The name caused a lot of scrapes growing up. And having come this far, I wasn’t going to abandon it for Hollywood. People are getting used to it. They abbreviate it to triple A.” - Culled from The Punch newspaper, Lagos, Nigeria.