Thank you from Mama Africa; Supporting our young artist

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“The people who collect Macpri Art never cease to impress me. The irony of it all is that, I am not easily impressed. With MACPRI ‘Made in Africa’ Art Collectors, I do not have to mask my politics or hide my values to make a sale.” ~ Adisa Oji

 For those who do not know Bro Oji, such a bold statement might seem shocking, but once you get to know more about the founder of MACPRI, these words will seem as regular as a Sunday afternoon dinner conversation. Migrating from Jamaica at the age of seven, Brother Oji completed High School at Central Tech, and then went on to receive his B.A. and B.Ed. at the University of Toronto, and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. A man, who takes education very seriously, went international and returned home to Jamaica in 1998 to complete a year of school at the University of the West Indies (Mona Campus, Jamaica), on the Study Elsewhere Program.

He shares his love of learning with his love for film and African History. He served as the chief stills photographer for Akwantu the Journey, a groundbreaking documentary that tells the story of a people whose enduring saga has too often been misunderstood or omitted from the history books. He was also the stills photographer on Queen Nanny Legendary Maroon Chieftainess, written and directed by Roy T. Anderson. This film documents the struggle for freedom by the Jamaican Maroons, led by the unassailable 18^th Century military genius, Nanny of the Maroons. Brother Oji, a descendant of the original Maroons, was able to relate to this project because he can easily recall trips made to Accompong (a historical Maroon village in Jamaica) in the late 1980s and early ’90s. He was also involved in the retelling of another film project highlighting one of Jamaica’s most infamous Statesmen, Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Again, as the films principle still photographer, he was able to honor his love for education, history, and photography, by assisting in telling the story of Marcus Garvey regarded as the first man on a mass scale to give millions of Africans in the diaspora a sense of dignity.

The Curious Modern Nomad

Bro Oji first felt the urge to visit Africa when he was in university. This urge became a reality, and he visited Africa for the first time in 1991. After a few visits, Brother Oji decided that he was going to make Africa his home. He began to share his time between Africa and his home here in Canada, and during one of his visits to West Africa, he ran into young artisans who desperately wanted to visit Canada. Naturally, they had heard of the many opportunities that were available, and although Brother Oji knew that it was physically impossible to bring all of these young people to Canada, he devised another plan. He thought, why not find a way to work with these young people so that all needs were satisfied; he could support their work and help them make money to support their families.

Traditionally, African sculptures typically are: religious or spiritual in nature, are carved from wood, and primarily deal with the human form. Sculptures are viewed as one of the most important types of art in Ancient Africa, and much of the art that we see from the famous artist: Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and Henri Matisse were heavily influenced by traditional African art. Brother Oji was impressed with the creativeness that was shown by these young artisans. They had spirit and skill, exhibited good balance and craftsmanship, paid attention to detail, and each piece had an essence of design that realized the creator’s intention. The carvers used: ebony, rosewood, mahogany, odum and osese wood to create the pieces. Brother Oji saw promise in these young artists and finalized his decision to present to North America, Made in Africa Awards.

Mother Africa’s Children Photographic Reproductions International

MACPRI was founded in 1987 and registered as a business in Ontario, Canada in 2000. Identified as an African educational art enterprise, MACPRI is committed to supporting Africa’s development through the promotion and marketing of beautiful art pieces that are ‘Made in Africa.’ Chief of MACPRI and founder of the ‘Made in Africa’ awards movement, Brother Oji is proud to say that his company is the first of its type that remains focused on providing high-quality authentic hand carved and limited wooden awards, that are produced on the African continent by gifted artisans in Ghana.

The company aims to reach those individuals who love Africa and wish to support an innovative enterprise that is committed to Africa’s development on a global scale. Up until this point, China dominated the world of awards and trophies, and although it may seem like a monumental task, Brother Oji believes that Africa can share and create a unique place in the world of award creations.  One major goal is for the company to evolve their production and distribution process and develop a niche market for quality made in Africa products.

The ‘Made in Africa’ awards movement was officially launched on June 10^th, 2017 at a showcase in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. A Different Booklist, located at 779 Bathurst St, became the first retail outlet in Canada to carry MACPRI products. They are wonderful pieces that can be shared with people as they are celebrated or awarded; it is such an alternative and unique way to salute their achievements. Why do boring plaques, when you can put a piece of art in your house that represents your past, present, and future?

As a young company, Brother Oji realizes that they are going to make mistakes. What he does ask from the community is for all of us to grow with them. It is a wonderful way to support Africa’s development and encourage cultural pride and self-esteem. If you are interested in ordering a special piece for an award ceremony, you can visit, www.macprimarket.com