Jimga, whose full name is Ganiyu Jimoh is a Nigerian cartoonist and animator.
He was at Bournemouth University during the week, as part of a team of researchers involved in an international collaboration to study the impact of arts and visual articulations in the Nigerian political landscape.
His presentation hinges on the use of internet ‘memes’ and animations in the Nigerian political landscape.
”Internet memes have this aura of anonymity. You cannot tell who said what, but it keeps circulating and carrying the story of maybe dissent!”
The project hinges on the belief that still and moving images have played a key part in the articulation of ideas and structured positioning and discourses on the politics of elections.
The research was launched in a 3-day symposium at Bournemouth University during the week.
Dr Paula Callus of the Department of Computer Animation of Bournemouth University, who leads the research team says the fact that they can be used in a satirical form makes visual articulations, especially in political context ideal in articulating debate and discussions.
”The use of social media especially in political contexts which might be considered risky work very well in these contexts because they offer the opportunity to use satire as a subversive form. It is used by artists to critique political systems that they otherwise would be difficult to do every day for fear of persecution”.
The project which has experts drawn from the University of Wisconsin in the United States, the School of Oriental and African Studies London, Bayero University Kano and University of Lagos Nigeria will take 30 months to complete.
