By Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan
A group exhibition entitled: Tentacles, which featured artworks by three young artists Bola Opadiran, Bolaji Aremu and Kolawole Joseph, at the Cornelius Adedigba Museum of African Art, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, was an eye opener.
It underscored the fact that passion remains a major driver in one’s achievement. This was demonstrated by one of the exhibiting artists, Opadiran, a self-taught artist who holds a Bachelor and Masters in Agric Economics of the Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Ibadan.
Tentacles featured paintings, sculpture and mixed media.
Opadiran believes that no barrier is unassailable and in the philosophy that ‘not what you have in your hands matters, but what you can do with your hands.’
According to him, it is not always what we condemn that is really condemned because ‘we can still visit them and we can still put life into them as you can see in my work.’
Aremu urge federal, states and local governments to provide art teachers in schools in order to discover young artists. He noted that Federal Government caould generate billions of dollars yearly as proceeds from art works, only if it can invest and develop the nation’s creative industry, through the provision of adequate art teachers in public secondary schools to assist in nurturing the young and gifted.
Aremu said Nigeria has a potential to rule the through art. Besides, he advocated the establishment of a platform, through, which artists could showcase their work to the world, disclosing that many foreigners have shown great interest in art work, and this is a good avenue for the country to earn billions of dollars from art.
Aremu, who noted that most of the public secondary schools lacked Art teachers, leaving those who were gifted in arts abandoned and undeveloped , explained that majority of public secondary schools don’t have art teachers and has negative impact on the industry.
“May be they were not well paid, that is why they decided to set up their own business and move on, instead of imparting their knowledge into the up and coming ones who are also gifted, because there is a saying that we should catch them young and they will keep the gift forever,” he said.
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Describing art as a lucrative business, Aremu said: “As it is, arts can improve the nation’s foreign exchange earnings if the government can help us in some ways. You see, the problem we are having in Nigeria is lack of security. Art itself is a lucrative business. It is something that the western world really appreciate so much more than we here in Nigeria.’’
“But thank God some Nigerians, the rich people are showing appreciation for art. And they are giving us urge to stay here rather than going abroad. However, the foreigners are really buying our works, and they are also giving us urge to still push on, the gift you have in you, let it out, unleash it, we appreciate it. So, if government could tackle the problem of insecurity, we will all have peace of mind, and foreigners will be free to come down here to show more appreciation to our work. But if that is not in place, am sorry it is difficult. ”
Another Joseph, a sculpture, said the exhibition was aimed at passing a message to the people, saying: “My aim particularly about this art exhibition was to pass my message to the world with my work and the major part of the message is based on the development of Africa , how do we move forward in Africa to meet up with the rest of our colleagues in the world .While encouraging the up-coming artists not to lose hope, he charged them to keep on doing what they do best, and then there would be a step for their rising someday.
The Curator, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Prof Ohioma Pogoson, who described the three artists as a bundle of talents, observed that the works displayed at the exhibition are an eyeful in more than the aesthetic sense.
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