It was an intimate session at the February edition of Artmosphere Nigeria last week Saturday at the Aramide Hub, Surulere. The event themed ‘Loving and Living’ played host to musicians BR Olorin, Edez, Seunsax and ClassicIBK. The arts, culture, and social conversation also featured visual artist, Qwest.

Engaging the theme, culture influencer, Femi Morgan asked the author whether they have travelled outside their comfort zones to meet a lover or loved one who lived far away. While some members of the audience stated that they had gone from Lagos to Osun, Ilorin to Abuja, Kano to Lagos, and they had also had lovers traverse miles to meet their them, others objected.

On the floor of Aramide Hub, the conservatives feared the risks, and lamented the frequent news of kidnapping, killings, insecurity and accidents. However, the liberals countered by stating that love is about commitment and traveling to meet friends and lovers and vice versa help solidify intentions.

Some members of the audience who contributed to the topic were Babatunde Odubanwo, a writer and PR executive, Bomi George, an events management executive, Edesiri, a tech enthusiast, Lydia Johnson,an auditor, Joy Brown, a businesswoman.

The conversation was interspersed with a medley from Seunsax and ClassicIBK who serenaded the audience with familiar and popular songs. When the music producer, ClassicIBK went solo, he dug into the chambers of nostalgia and performed songs from the 90’s on his piano.

Odubanwo read from his unpublished novelist about a randy young man from an upwardly mobile family and the pressures from family to have him settle down. He regaled the character’s escapades while his family struggled with the implications to their buoyant family legacy.

Morgan mooted other layered questions on love and commitment which elicited several conversations, laughter, nostalgia, empathy and freedom. The audience members narrative deeply personal stories of their first love encounters, and searing heartbreaks.

The event was winding down. BR Olórin, an African folk and pop music artiste brought the audience alive with songs of memory, diaspora, and rich African cultural values. His song, Ire Ojo, from his E.P titled ‘Lagiju’ did not only thrilled the audience but it also led to few rain droplets. After deftly handling the guitar while ClassicIBK accompanied him, he believes that true art should ideally reflect both the character and the background of the artist.

Morgan closed the event by calling on Nigerians to support creativity, arts, culture, literature and develop a heart of fairness to everyone.

Following a brief hiatus, Artmosphere was relaunched in November 2024 to commemorate the founder’s birthday. The special edition featured prominent guests such as Mrs. Esther Ivie Igbinobia, Director of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Lagos Zone; poet laureate Tade Ipadeola; Public Relations expert John Ogue; social advocate Ennie Sophie Oluwa; Yoruba performance poet Aremo Gemini; poet Clementina Owumi Solutionist; and visual artist Qwestman.

The event was relaunched at the Aramide Hub, a vibrant venue in Lagos’ cultural heart, Surulere. The space is dedicated to fostering artistic inspiration and expression through events, workshops, and performances, embodying a commitment to nurturing Nigeria’s artistic ecosystem.