1989 to N5 in 1994, may not be the same 
because of rising costs. When times were 
better, he says, the newsletter was published 
with N2,5OO, but the situation has changed 
considerably. 
'It wasn't initially designed as a profitable 
venture but to stand on its own and to be 
circulated free of charge. If for instance we 
got a little assistance from advertisers in 
terms of improved advertising support, that 
could cover the overheads and we could 
afford to circulate free. But the assistance has 
to be appropriate; it should not be the proverbial 
gift horse with pre-conditions,' Shitta 
says. 
Publishing Arts Illustrated Weekly has been 
an outgrowth of Shitta's career as a dedicated 
photographer of the arts and artists. He started 
devoting exclusive attention to cultural photography 
in 1983 and declares the performer 
to be the primary focus of his photography, 
'because performing is a transient art form. A 
painting is permanent and can always be 
admired after it has been exhibited, but a 
concert is something that is not always there. 
That's why I give performers emphasis. When 
I attend exhibitions, it is as an event, to 
photograph the personalities who will be 
present, and not the works.' 
His larger purpose, however, is to have a 
photo-library on every Nigerian artist and 
performer of contemporary times so that 
anybody from any part of the world can tap 
into an on-line computer network and get the 
information he needs on any artist or visual. 
This documentation which he started a long 
time ago is continuous. 
'Anything may happen to me, but if I have 
this information where others can reach it 
and use it for the benefit of all then it won't 
have been a wasted effort.' 
Hakeem Shitta 
ADOTEY BING 
On January 18 after about two years of planning, the Africa Centre played host to 
a group of invited business people, diplomats, members of the British arts 
establishment, journalists and well-wishers who were treated to a twenty minute 
slide presentation of the Centre's plans to become a flagship for Africa in Europe. 
The presentation, given by myself and Ms Elizabeth Biggin (its development officer for 
public relations and fund-raising), was preceded by a short but powerful speech by the 
High Commissioner for Uganda, Professor George Kirya, who is on the Council of 
Management for the Africa Centre as one of the three representatives of African High 
Commissioners and Ambassadors to Great Britain. 
The presentation consisted of a brief history of the Centre, an introduction to the building, 
an overview of its events, an outline of the redevelopment plan, the support received to 
date and the fund raising strategy. 
The Africa Centre was established in 1961, and formally opened in 1964 by Dr. Kenneth 
Kaunda, then President of Zambia. In 1968 it purchased 38 King Street, in London's 
Covent Garden, which at the time was the site of London's main fruit and vegetable 
market. Today Covent Garden is one of London's major tourist attractions. 
The Centre is a stone's throw from the Royal Opera, and is close to Bush House from 
which the BBC's Africa service is broadcast, the Savoy Hotel, Trafalgar Square with its 
famous Nelson's Column and the National Gallery. Four Africa High Commissions - 
those of Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa - are within four 
minute's walking distance. 
The list of Africans that have spoken or performed at the Centre over the past three decades 
reads like a roll call of Africa's 
brightest. They include Wole Soyinka, Mahtar m'Bow, Presidents Julius Nyerere, 
Kenneth Kaunda and Yoweri Museveni, OAU Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Sahm. 
Ngugi wa Thiong'o, the Right Reverend Desmond Tutu, Gracia Machel, Chinua Achebe, 
Bernard Chidzero, Sally Mugabe, Ousman Sembene and Ben Okri. Among British 
politicians that have spoken at the Centre are Malcolm Rifkind, Baroness Chalker and 
David Steel. 
The Centre's exhibition of Zimbabwean stone sculptures at the Barbican in 1988 was 
opened by HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Artists such as Malagatana and 
Ablade Glover have exhibited there. 
The Centre's present building, which is of considerable historic interest, houses a 
restaurant, bar, book shop, craft centre, meeting rooms, a gallery and resource room. Over 
160,000 people visit it each year. From 1776 when the doors first opened, it has served a 
number of different purposes. For the bulk of the time it was the Stephens Auction Rooms. 
The purpose of the plan is to provide an attractive, functional and inviting building, inform 
and educate people about Africa through high profile events about African arts, culture 
and opinion, and - last but by no means least - make the Centre's building financially selisustaining. 
The plan will involve re-designing the Centre's programmes and extensively redevelopffi"
ing the building, as well as improving the 
Centre's links with African institutions and 
African organisations in Europe. 
The Centre's programmes have been divided 
into two broad categories, one dealing with 
African people, beliefs, art and culture and 
the other with African society, economics, 
politics and modern thought. All methods 
including talks, exhibitions, fairs, festivals, 
seasons, conferences and workshops, 
will be employed. 
While their general purpose is to 
inform and educate people about 
Africa and African affairs, they 
are intended to provide an opportunity 
for Africans to speak to and 
be heard by the rest of the world 
on any issue, our goal thereby 
being to encourage dialogue between 
those with influence in both 
societies. 
When the redevelopment has been 
completed, the basement will 
house a lecture and conference 
theatre with 1,400 square feet of 
multimedia space for about 90 
people. This space, which will be 
excavated, will also be utilised as 
a cinema to show films about and 
from Africa. The space will spill 
over into seminar rooms and classrooms. 
At the front, the bar will be 
extended to provide a more pleasant 
space. 
On the ground floor, there will be 
a triple height space at the front 
with access into the building over 
a ramp. The ground floor reception 
desk will be the first port of 
call for all visitors to the building. 
The proposed glass frontage will 
allow people to see the activities 
taking place within the building. 
Alongside the reception will be 
the entrance to the craft centre and 
shop and further down will be the entrance to 
the 100 seat restaurant, which will be visible 
from the street. 
The restaurant will be open from morning to 
late at night seven days a week and will be a 
venue buzzing with movement and life. It 
will be a magnet for the estimated 12 million 
visitors a year to the Covent Garden area. All 
Africa Centre staff will be relocated to a new 
administrative block which will be built at 
the rear of the building. A business plan has 
been prepared and shows that these objectives 
are complementary, realisable and sustainable. 
In June last year these proposals were placed 
before the OAU Council of Ministers who 
issued a resolution on the Africa Centre, 
which was subsequently endorsed by the 
Summit of Heads of State. The resolution 
welcomed the Africa Centre's initiative in 
putting together its redevelopment plan, cal led 
for support from African governments, busi- 
AmCAH QUU§3 CENTRE 
nesses and cultural institutions, and appealed 
to the international community to help the 
centre achieve its objectives. 
The Centre is hoping that it will be able to 
secure funding from the proceeds of the 
recently started National Lottery, which sets 
aside twenty-five per cent of its income to 
support cultural, sports, heritage, charities 
and other organisations. In addition, it is 
looking to companies with interest in Africa, 
the European Union and the ACP, as well as 
to Africa governments to help raise the estimated 
£2.7m required to implement the capital 
project. 
About four years ago action by a number of 
African governments in particular Nigeria, 
Uganda and Botswana helped to save the 
Centre from having to sell its building and 
relocate. It is hoped that Africa will play its 
part in helping to realise the plan. 
Some success has already been scored in 
raising money for its new 
roof and urgently needed 
repairs. The Foundation for 
Sport and the Arts and the 
Baring Foundation have between 
them donated 
£200.000. However, the 
terms of their contribution 
means that an additional 
£50,000 has to be raised from 
other sources before the 
work can proceed. The Centre 
is therefore attempting to 
raise the remaining £50,000 
and to carry out these works 
in time for africa 95, the 
major season of African art 
that will be held in Britain 
from August to December 
this year. 
Anyone who helps will be 
acknowledged and those 
who do so to a substantial 
degree, for example by sponsoring 
the restaurant, conference 
centre, cinema, or 
gallery, will have that part of 
the building named after 
them. 
An Africa Centre acting as a 
flagship for Africa could provide 
insight into African 
world views through exhibitions 
of both traditional and 
contemporary art. It could 
also inform people of what 
Africans think about the contemporary 
world. 
Africans in business, the arts, the media, 
government and academia should come to 
regard the centre as a place from which they 
can speak to their counterparts in Europe on 
any issue of human interest. By- the same 
token it would come to be regarded by Europeans 
as the place from which to learn about 
African ideas on any matter. In short, it could 
be a place for ideas as well as images. With 
assistance from those mentioned, we hope to 
be able to open the doors to the new Africa 
Centre early in 1997. GR 
82