Of Life, Death, Grief: Loved in Death and Celebrated in life.
In "Becoming Nigerian," satirist and novelist Elnathan John identified "how to die" in Nigeria. Elnathan writes that death is only death in Nigeria if you are famous, influential, or have done something worth remembering, good or bad. He adds," you are a number unless you die important." Another way to die in Nigeria, the author suggests, is to die on camera. If death is only death when you are famous, how does the public mourn, celebrate, or criticize the death of famous people?
How do we remember the death of famous people, public loss, and mourning? What does Kalakuta means for the memory of Fela Anikulapo Kuti or Fuji Chambers for Sikiru Ayinde Barrister? I remember where I was when Nigeria's late dictator Sani Abacha died, same for MKO Abiola and people too numerous to mention. I remember where I was and what happened over 12 years ago when Da Grin died, and the "theatrics" of mourning and grief of some of my classmates. What do you do when you grieve, and all eyes are on you?
I am convinced that fame/celebrity studies require an interdisciplinary lens that allows us to interrogate every topic under the lenses of fame. To be sure, the field of death, mourning, burial practices, and memorialization is a field of its own with fantastic work done and still ongoing, from mourners' practices and fantasy coffins in Ghana to memorialization and more. For instance, scholars argue that class stratification extends to burial places, and practices can reflect religion, gender, and other identity markers. It is probably why Ikoyi Vault is not for everybody, just as the national cake has never been. It is not just the spaces of mourning and memorials of mourning like the famous Lekki Toll gates that should merit our attention but everything about life, everything between it, death, and after death. I started listing notable deaths sometime ago and ran out of ink. Who is mining these data? A few list below.
Eucharia Anobi, when she lost her Son
Dbanj and his wife, when their Son drowned
Ada Ameh and the Loss of Her Daughter
Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, when his wife Ibidunni died
Pastor EA Adeboye when his Son died
Nkechi Blessings when she lost her mother
Iya Ojo, when she lost her mother
Sound Sultan
Baba Suwe
Sikiru Ayinde Barrister
While grieving the loss of one of the jewels of Nollywood, Ada Ameh, I am calling scholars to engage celebrities' studies from multidisciplinary lenses. Also, I am extending my condolence to everyone who relished her gifts, talents, resilience, and accomplishments. To all her family, fans, and friends. Especially to Nollywood Actress Empress Njamah, who modeled for many what it means to stand with and for people through hell and high water. I delayed this post for reasons too numerous to mention.
If these and more areas in celebrity studies interest you, track my research and tell me about your research concerning any aspect of fame.
We sing at my church that "everything you need is in the Potter House." I adapt and extend that to say everything you need and more is in celebrity studies.
Posted on Facebook on July 21, 2022
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