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The prestigious Boomer Gallery, in the heart of the Tower Bridge district, hosted the opening of Vogued | First Edition on Friday, 8th August, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at 150 Tooley Street, SE1 2TU, London. The event was open to all, attracting a lively and diverse audience.
The landmark exhibition celebrated contemporary artists pushing the boundaries of creativity in a rapidly changing world. Featured among the exceptional talents were African artists Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni, Olamide Bakare, Bukola Abiodun, Mercy Odukogbe, and Olalekan Adetunji. Their works offered powerful insights into the evolving conversation between tradition and innovation.
The exhibition posed a central question: What is the right approach to contemporary art when so much is happening all at once? In an age where intricate pieces can be generated in seconds by technology, yet traditional artistic techniques continue to evolve in new and compelling ways, these artists responded with authenticity, skill, and bold vision.
Kikelomo’s oil painting series Iyawo, Kenny, and Adeola captivated visitors with rich storytelling and masterful technique. Mercy exhibited portraits, Portrait of Lomo and Father Elvis, reflecting deep personal and cultural narratives. Bukola’s Ancestral Frequency and Eyes of Orun explored themes of heritage and spiritual connection. Olalekan presented Unfiltered, The City Still Needs Hands, and In Transit Out of Sun, works that questioned urban life and human experience. Olamide’s pieces, Gele and WEB, brought vibrant cultural symbolism to the forefront.
Guest of Honour Mr. Tabish Khan, acclaimed art critic and curator, opened the exhibition with a thought-provoking talk on the theme. Khan, the visual arts editor for Londonist and a trustee of several major arts organisations, shared valuable insights into how contemporary art can remain both accessible and meaningful in today’s dynamic climate.
Vogued invited audiences to witness the creative collision of the old and the new from meticulously crafted paintings to experimental multimedia works as artists from across the globe, including some of Africa’s finest, navigated and responded to the complexities of the modern world.
The evening proved to be more than an exhibition; it became a conversation, an open platform for connecting visions, challenging perspectives, and imagining the future of art together.
Our Heritage UK is set to stage a pioneering global conversation on the intersection of visual art and artificial intelligence with its upcoming virtual panel discussion, “Art Meets AI – Embracing the Future, Not Fighting It,” scheduled for 16 August 2025.
The event will spotlight how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping the creative industries, challenging traditional processes while offering powerful tools for artistic innovation.
It will also explore ways artists can integrate these tools into their work to expand, rather than diminish, human creativity.
The panel brings together four distinguished visual artists: Olalekan Kelani Abdul-Qowiyu, Ayodeji Ayodele, Kikelomo Solomon-Ayeni, and Gbolahan Olanipekun, each known for their distinctive approaches to blending heritage, contemporary culture, and digital innovation.
The discussion will be moderated by Favour Ben, a respected curator and cultural facilitator.
Organisers say the conversation is particularly relevant as AI continues to play an increasingly visible role in museums, galleries, and the wider arts sector, sparking debates over authorship, originality, and the place of technology in creative expression.
The organising team said, “The aim is not to frame AI as a threat, but as a creative partner,” “Artists have always embraced new tools, from the camera to digital software. AI is the next frontier, and this dialogue is about navigating it thoughtfully.”
Although the event is being coordinated from the UK, it is entirely virtual and open to creative practitioners worldwide. Interested participants can access the event through a QR code shared in official publicity materials.
Our Heritage UK, known for its cultural exhibitions, heritage preservation projects, and artist development programmes, continues to position itself as a platform for critical conversations in the arts, particularly those bridging traditional practice with emerging global trends.
Patrick Odinfe is a well-trained art curator. He works with Didi Museum, Lagos. Didi Museum is one of the oldest private galleries in Lagos. There, Odinfe handles the curatorial services of the museum with deep professional accuracy. During the last exhibition to celebrate Professor Dele Jegede’s 80th birthday, he had time to speak to EDOZIE UDEZE on how he arrives at his professional judgment when it comes to curating highly technical art pieces and achieving sound art exhibition.
Odinfe is a seasoned curator. He works with Didi Museum, Lagos, where he has been in charge for quite some time now. During the recently concluded art exhibition organized by the Cartoonists Association of Nigeria to celebrate the 80th birthday of Professor Dele Jegede, Odinfe proved his mettle. The way he articulated and also put in place all the pieces of art works on the walls and maximized other available spaces in the exhibition hall shows some remarkable professional excellence. Odinfe is not just brilliant when it comes to discharging his duties as a curator, he is dedicated. He is equally sharp and deeply committed.
He said so in an interview with The Nation. “What you have today are caricature works, works that depict the person of Professor Dele Jegede. You can see how the Cartoonists, the artists themselves have taken their time to do some beautiful art pieces on Jegede. Some of the personal paintings of both Jegede and the artists who are showcasing their works today in his honour are also here.
“So this is the collection of all the works. It is quite an interesting experience. When the works came they contained bundles of all kinds of works. We have miniature works of all sizes. Then you are hit by the number of works and what first came into my mind was how do I put all these works into context to be able to have space for them all. All through, the works drew my attention. Their beauties hit me so much that my impulse reacted, professional impulse I mean. My impulse began to come alive immediately. But then I moved on to unwrap them, lay them flat on the floor. Then I examined them with admiration and immediately I started to pick them one after the other bearing in mind what the works are meant for.
“I first of all considered the celebrator’s legacy, his life, his professional accomplishments, also bearing in mind that he is a cartoonist, an artist, and above all a scholar. After considering all these I began to organize the works in order of priority”. As soon as all these considerations were made, Odinfe began in earnest to look at the contents of the works and the caliber of artists whose works were sent to form the exhibition. “You know these are topnotch cartoonists-editors, fine artists and controllers of newspaper cartoon pages for so many years. All these came into play to help me sort things out. But above all, I needed to do the curating in such a way as to bring out the total beauty of all the works involved”.
The best way to do this, in the reckoning of Odinfe, was to give attention to more eccentric pieces of works. Then he considered the excellence of the work of the bigger cartoonists who have been on stage for so long. Some of the cartoons came in series. Some were satires, more on social and political issues. Some captured Jegede with his overgrown beards, a bit rough but still serves as his trademark, with an impeccable smile. Some of the works deliberately depicted him in oversized attires with tiny legs.
Odinfe was meticulous, his immediate judgment to put the more satirized works in front paid off well. As you approached the hall the works immediately struck you with some awe putting smiles on your face and softening your mien. “When I surveyed the space for the works, I considered the actual place for each work, given its relevance to this outing. So this is the collections of the artists in the industry, the cartoon industry in Nigeria. Some were done recently, some others were done over the years in the past. But they all point to the same purpose of honouring a man who has lived and worked for the good of the industry as well”. The artists are all in the newspaper industry. You can see some of the works are done by Jegede himself and some are done in his honour.
Jegede who lives and works in America has had a few of his own collection of cartoons and caricatures made into books. Some of the books were on display too. With over 80 works of cartoons, Odinfe insisted that what the exhibition stood for was to show that the cartoonists have had a voice of their own over time. Their works concentrated on the socio-political matters that bedevil Nigeria. Their works also have so much to celebrate about the achievements of some outstanding individuals, this time with particular focus on Jegede.
In the chain of visual profession anywhere in the world, curatorial service is a different deal entirely. It is the duty of an art historian, a professional curator, properly schooled that knows how to discharge this aspect of the visual profession. Usually, the artist does his own work. Then it is ready to be exhibited. At this stage, he enters into an agreement with the gallery owner. The gallery owner in order to get it right and to make the exhibition exceptionally great, engages the services of a well-trained curator.
In most situations, some galleries have in house curators, people who can satisfy and service exhibition halls pronto. An exhibition is good or bad depending on the professional sense and accuracy of the curator. A curator’s sense of judgment helps to add so much value to pieces of artworks. And that is why in most cases, you see art patrons, buyers and artists themselves enjoy an exhibition more through the way they stroll round pausing, nodding their heads, examining artworks and commenting before moving on. At every point you see visitors to an exhibition take their time and leisurely savouring the way the curator has pierced everything together.
A good collection of art pieces can be messed up in an exhibition where the curator is a professional amateur. But by being so careful the way he organized, arranged and pierced to the wall all those miniature works, Odinfe indeed proved that the exhibition was worth its while. Usually, it is more difficult to put miniature works together to effect a thorough exhibition where beauty beckons. Art itself is a wonderful craft normally accentuated by added effort to make it top class.
The positioning of the works on the wall is a special and specialized craft. It takes a special training and profusion over the years to make it come out so excellently well. That is why well trained and recognized curators are well appreciated in the visual art industry world over.
A teenager, Lerit Kopji, has launched her debut novel titled ‘Crumbled height’ which depicts injustice, betrayal, hard work, and resilience in the security sector.
According to the author, the book will be a great resource to those in the security sector to conduct intensive investigations so that the innocent are not made to pay for the crime of what they did not commit.
Speaking during the book launch in Minna, Kopji said that when she first had the idea of the book, she was criticised and laughed at, adding that she did not allow it to discourage her because she knew the book would be a great resource to the nation.
“Crumbled Heights emphasises that the victory of any form of evil over good is always temporary. Victims are encouraged never to give up on good, goodness and the certainty of divine retribution, she said.
The book reviewer, Ayuba Yilgakha, applauded Kopji for writing the book, saying that it takes a deep thinker to write such an insightful book.
Yilgakha said that the book is about the audacity of hope, the power of courage, and one’s determination to change a situation even after failing in pursuing a course, adding that parents need to encourage their children to explore their talents.
“What Lerit, the author of the book, has done is something inspiring, and it is a charge for all children generally to key into this wisdom so that they can make a difference in their lives. Coming from a lady in a man’s world, the prospect is that the world is evolving and everybody, irrespective of gender, has the opportunity to make a difference. That is what has just happened.”
The proud father of the author, Bitrus Kopji, said he never thought she would come up with such an insightful book because she has always been on the quiet side.
He added that when he was sure she was the one who wrote the book, he typed and edited it when she presented the manuscript to him before finding a publisher for the book.
“Sincerely speaking, I am highly proud of my daughter. When my daughter started this, it was as if nothing would come out of it. As a father, I picked up the job that she did, went through the book and said, wow, this is something that the world must read. I encouraged her. I decided to contact Rezuma Consult to go through the work. I am sincerely proud of her.”
Kopji advised parents to observe their children and take note of their strengths and weaknesses while encouraging them when they come up with innovations or creative works. “Sometimes you just have to observe your children. If you see them displaying some qualities, as a parent, it is up to you to nurture them and encourage them.”
The Executive Director of Razeema Consult, Dr Zainab Ndanusa, noted that the publishing house was first worried about the kind of themes Lerit captured in her books, but after speaking to her and seeing that she had captured her concerns in a prose form, they decided to encourage her.
“We thought that why would a teenager in a quiet city like Minna, not the fast-paced cities of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna and FCT, be
concerned about betrayal and its impact on homes, relationships and the society at large?
Ndanusa said that the consult decided to encourage her so that the world would see from the lens of what Lerit want them to know and understand expressing optimsim that the author would be encouraged to explore and think deeper in order to write more books.
EPAC Studios, in collaboration with the Sijuwade Royal Family, is presenting a distinguished Memorial Art Exhibition dedicated to the life and legacy of His Imperial Majesty Oba Okunade Adele Sijuwade (Olubuse II), the 50th Ooni of Ife, who reigned from 1980 until his passing in 2015.
The exhibition, running from August 4 to August 17, is being held at the Ecobank Head Office Complex on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking at the launch, Yeye Olori Oladuni Sijuwade described the exhibition as “The Beauty of His Majesty,” offering art enthusiasts a rare and intimate glimpse into the monarch’s regal attire, cultural elegance, and enduring legacy—ten years after his demise.
Dr. Oludamola Adebowale, Curator and Consultant to the Sijuwade Royal Family, stressed that the exhibition is both a tribute and an educational platform, preserving history and illuminating Yoruba heritage. He extended an invitation to monarchs, policymakers, academics, and community leaders nationwide to attend.
Commending the partnership, Dr. Adebowale called for more corporate interest in cultural heritage projects, citing Ecobank’s involvement as an exemplary model.
From the bank’s perspective, Austen Osokpor, Head of Corporate Communications at Ecobank Nigeria, said the exhibition aligns with Ecobank’s mission to preserve and promote African heritage.
He added, “Hosting this memorial exhibition in partnership with the Sijuwade Royal Family is a privilege and a reflection of our commitment to celebrating and empowering our rich, diverse communities across the continent.”
Convener, 2025 Destination Nigeria Governors’ Tourism Conference, Ambassador Ayo Omotoso has urged state governors to give priority to the development of tourism sites in their states in order to reap the abundant gains of the sector.
He said that the gains of tourism as a huge money spinner will continue to elude Nigeria, if the governors refuse to prioritise tourism and be intentional and deliberate about developing the attractions in their respective states.
He stated that Nigeria’s unique festival products and tourist attractions can generate significant traffic inflow; thereby boost the nation’s internally generated revenue (IGR).
He described tourism as a viable sector that touches other sectors and capable of bringing value to every aspect of life.
“Each state in Nigeria has a unique comparative advantage in terms of tourism products. From the beautiful skyline to the fascinating flora and fauna, Nigeria’s tourism potential is vast. With over 45 breathtaking waterfalls across the country, the potential for revenue generation and job creation is immense,” he added.
Omotoso spoke at a media parley at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos last Monday while unveiling activities for this year’s 2025 Destination Nigeria Governors’ Tourism Conference organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors Forum, holding at Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja on August 25 and 26.
He said the two-day event is to discover tourism potential for job creation, explore tourism as a tool for economic development and facilitate tourism-related traffic among others.
Theme of conference is Harnessing Tourism: A Strategic pathway for Nigerian Governors to Foster Economic Growth and Empowerment.
Omotoso said Nigeria’s tourism industry is a goldmine waiting to be tapped, adding that with its rich cultural heritage, diverse natural landscapes, and warm hospitality, Nigeria has the potential to become a top tourist destination in Africa.
“Let us embark on this journey to discover the wonders of Nigeria, harness it, promote it, and develop a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry that showcases the best of Nigeria to the world,” he noted.
According to him, the conference will feature cultural performances and music, states tourism shows and presentations, creative economy expo, digital innovation tourism forum, Pan-African tourism forum, Nigeria domestic tourism expo, tourism business opportunities networking, Nigerian fashion show and executive tourism conference among others.
Director, Sales and Marketing, Eko Hotels and Suites, Dr.Iyadunni Gbadebo reiterated the hotel’s support and commitment to the conference saying, as a hotel, we are ensuring that we portray a very positive image for the hospitality and tourism industry globally.
“We have remained a hotel of a wholly Nigerian brand. We have been very intentional about that. And I believe that even though the private sector does have a responsibility to project Nigeria positively, that the government has a much bigger responsibility to create an enabling environment for this industry to thrive,” he said.
Ikhuolegbe Samuel of Aero Contractors airline assured the convener of the airline’s support, describing the initiative as credible platform to perform its corporate social responsibility.
She noted that Aero Contractors will foster connectivity for participants at the the conference by making tickets available.
Team Lead, Sales and Business Development, Air Peace, Mr. Adekunle Aieru described the conference as an eye opener and a good platform for Air Peace to network.
“As biggest carrier in West Africa, we will carry Nigerian and participants for the conference seamlessly around.”
For 35 years, they braved bullets and bandits, secured volatile territories, and kept vigil so that others could sleep peacefully. But in retirement, Nigeria’s ex-police officers face an even more daunting adversary: a pension system that has left many in hunger, despair and neglect. From faded uniforms to dashed hopes, their stories spotlight a national failure to honour its protectors, writes Assistant News Editor PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU.
When James Eneche, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) joined the Nigeria Police in 1989, he believed in the promise of a better life after service. His dream was to retire into agro-business with his pension savings. But, after retiring in June 2024, he was told he might wait up to two years before he receives his benefits, and even then, the over N6 million in his RSA might not come in full.
Esther Marcos, another retired DSP, received N1.7 million in gratuity after 35 years and a N40,000 monthly pension. She spoke out in January 2024, drawing attention to the inadequacies of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
These experiences reflect the broader plight of retired police officers who feel abandoned by a country they served loyally. Discontent about the CPS did not start at present. For decades, police retirees have lamented that the system was shortchanging them, clamouring for an exit from the scheme such as the military, Department of State Services (DSS), and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) did.
But it appeared the system paid deaf ears to their complaints while the police retirees continue to live in abject poverty, unable to meet their basic needs and those of their immediate families.
The tipping point came with a viral video of a retired Superintendent of Police who rejected N3 million as total pension, decrying it as an insult to his 35 years of service. His outrage became a rallying cry, leading to widespread protests and public outcry.
Wave of protests
On July 21, 2025, under the banner of the National Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (NARPON), retirees protested across Abuja, Edo, Plateau and Kwara states. Braving heavy rain, many marched to the Force Headquarters and National Assembly with placards. Others protested online, flooding social media with their stories.
Among them was DSP Eneche, who accused pension administrators of withholding money saved during service. He rejected the proposal to split his funds into gratuity and monthly pension, insisting on full payment.
“I am sick. I need treatment. If they give me half of the money, it can’t treat me. Should I die, then my pension stops and the money goes to who?” he asked.
Festus Ogbebo, a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) echoed these frustrations, lamenting how his N30,000 pension contrasts sharply with army counterparts earning over N150,000.
Also, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Azzez Bello, who retired on April 15, 2023, wondered why he was paid N3,650,000 five months ago, in contrast to his coursemates, who received over N6 million in total benefits.
“I don’t know what I have done. I was only told when I went to the pension office at Oduduwa that the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) did not remit my money contributed for the whole 11 years. I don’t know whether I am the one to suffer negligence on the part of the IPPIS. I will be happy if my remaining balance is paid into my account,” he said.
Bello also wondered why he had yet to receive his resettlement allowance from the NPF Pension to date. CSP Onebola Ahmed (rtd) also complained about non-receipt of his benefits.
Other retirees narrated similar ordeals-gratuities between N2.8 million and N3.1 million, and monthly pensions of N30,000–N48,000. Many said the amounts couldn’t even cover their medical bills. A retired CSP shared how he relocated his family to the village due to financial constraints, stating that “we are living from hand to mouth.”
Emmanuel Frederick, who retired as Superintendent of Police (SP) in July 2024, refused to accept N2.8 million as gratuity.
“I cannot accept this. After 35 years of service, this is an injustice,” he said. Many retirees believe the CPS favours officers from AIG upwards while condemning lower ranks to destitution.
Inside the Police Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS)
According to The Nation’s findings, police officers contribute eight per cent of their salaries to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), with the Federal Government adding 10 per cent (totalling 18 per cent) in line with the 2014 Pension Reform Act. But retirees allege their entitlements are either delayed or not paid in full. Some have waited up to nine years.
Under the CPS, monthly pensions range from N18,000 to N75,000 for retirees from Inspector to Commissioner ranks. Meanwhile, senior officers such as Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIGs) and Inspector-General of Police (IGPs) retire under a different scheme, enjoying lump sum severance and full pensions.
Police retirees, who joined the service before 2004 and remained under the old Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), fare much better, adding to the frustration of their counterparts under the CPS scheme.
Many ex-officers insist the two-year minimum wait time for benefits under CPS has led to hardship and, in many cases, death from hunger or illness.
To manage these issues, NPF Pensions Limited was established in 2014 to oversee Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) for police personnel. As of 2023, it managed over N900 billion for more than 300,000 active and retired members of staff. But the structure remains widely criticised.
Retired Commissioner of Police (CP) Aderemi Adeoye noted on a live programme that many depend on their gratuities to start businesses, only to be disappointed. “Many die off before the money comes. When it eventually does, it’s paid in bits. The monthly amounts are paltry,” he said.
The N758 billion question
NARPON has commended PenCom’s recent upward review of pension payouts but expressed concern over the delayed approval of N758 billion pension liabilities pending before the National Assembly. They argue the delay hinders the full implementation of the improved benefits.
The group is pushing for an increase in federal contributions to 20 per cent as required under Section 4 of the Pension Reform Act. NARPON also recommends a 300 per cent gratuity model, similar to what was obtainable under the DBS.
The association further called for a dedicated Additional Pension Benefits Scheme under the Police Act 2020, like those used by the CBN and NNPC.
While urging calm, NARPON maintains that reform-rather than abandoning the CPS altogether-might be the better path forward, provided structural changes are made to improve its effectiveness.
What the law says
Section 173(2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended mandates that pensions be reviewed every five years or whenever salaries of serving officers increase. But the CPS introduced in 2004 and amended in 2014, replaced gratuities with a lump sum or life annuity from insurance providers-leaving police retirees without benefits accrued under the old DBS.
While the military, DSS and NIA were exempted from the CPS via Section 5(1)(a) of the Act, the police-despite their internal security mandate-were not. Police retirees have since submitted several petitions to the National Assembly for exemption, but PenCom and pension administrators argue that exempting the service would burden the government with an estimated N1.8 trillion annually, and over N5 trillion in long-term liabilities.
However, retirees counter that continued inclusion violates Sections 17(3) (f) and 34(1) (a) of the Constitution, which guarantee social justice and dignity.
The National Coordinator for Police Retirees under CPS, SP Christopher Effiong (rtd), criticised PenCom’s justification. “PenCom boasts N21 trillion in assets from our contributions but complains about N3 trillion to settle us. We’ve protested, petitioned, and appeared at investigative hearings- yet nothing has changed,” he said.
During a meeting with NARPON representatives, IGP Kayode Egbetokun assured retirees of the Force’s empathy. He said that the welfare of retired officers was recently discussed with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
While acknowledging the CPS’s failures, the IGP didn’t commit to a definitive exit but signaled his support for reforms. “If exiting CPS will solve the problem, I’ll go for it,” he said, while cautioning that legal and procedural barriers exist.
Egbetokun urged retirees not to see CPS as a dead-end, noting his ongoing efforts to explore both exit options and internal improvements to better their welfare within the existing legal framework.
Retired CP Adeoye believes the police should exit CPS and align with military-style pension schemes. “A DSP earns far less than an Army Captain post-retirement. That injustice must be corrected,” he said. He added that while the House of Representatives is reviewing a bill to establish a separate Police Pension Board, implementation is crucial.
Human rights lawyer Monday Ubani (SAN) said the retirees’ agitation highlights the CPS’s structural failures. “If DSS and military personnel have exited, the police should too. They face similar risks and deserve equitable treatment,” he said.
Ubani emphasised that the CPS was well-intentioned but poorly implemented. He said the government must ensure retirees have access to their money without delay or complexity.
The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, called for a transparent and accountable pension structure. “You can’t keep someone’s money, use it for investment, and then deny them access when they need it. It creates resentment,” he said.
Rafsanjani warned that neglecting police retirees could lead to national insecurity. “Some retired officers may become informants to criminals out of frustration. We must fix this before it becomes a bigger threat,” he concluded.
A group exhibition featuring nine printmaking grandmasters in contemporary Nigerian art will be staged at Fobally Art Gallery, Lagos, Nigeria, from August 10th to 30th, 2025. The grandmasters in chronological order are Chief Tayo Aiyegbusi, Prof. Solomon Wangboje, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Prof. Uche Okeke, Mr. David Dale, Mr. Ademola Williams, Prof. Salubi Onakufe, Mr. Tayo Quaye, and Dr. Kunle Adeyemi. While four of them are late, Aiyegbusi, Wangboje, Okeke and Dale, the remaining five, Onobrakpeya, Williams, Onakufe, Quaye, and Adeyemi, are still practising.
A foremost grandmaster printmaker, Aiyegbusi, whose prints will be displayed in this exhibition, trained abroad in the US and England between 1952 and 1957. Aiyegbusi returned to Nigeria after his studies abroad in the late 1950s and started his art practice as a graphic artist and printmaker, while Wangboje, Onobrakpeya and Okeke were still undergraduates. He was an influential artistic figure to some younger artists of that era, including Wangboje and Onobrakpeya.
Onobrakpeya affirmed that by 1967, he reached what seems like the “peak of block printing (lino and woodcut) techniques”. Hence, it was that year, 1967 (58 years ago), that he started building his creative empire as a frontline printmaking grandmaster in contemporary Nigerian art. Although Onobrakpeya was partly inspired by Aiyegbusi’s print and practice, according to him, the major influence in his printmaking adventure was fired off when he saw some prints on display at the Kaduna Trade Fair around 1959, which he attended as an undergraduate with two of his classmates. The Kaduna Trade Fair’s exhibited prints were made by secondary school art students of the Keffi Government College, Keffi, Kogi State, Nigeria. Onobrakpeya was following his printmaking instinct and inspiration from his late 1950s experience when he started attending printmaking workshops in 1961 and 1963 in Ibadan and Oshogbo, respectively. Onobrakpeya is metaphorically referred to as the father of printmaking in contemporary Nigerian art. Though Aiyegbusi was a foremost printmaking grandmaster in Contemporary Nigerian art, he was not extensively documented and not nationally or globally renowned like Onobrakpeya.
Wangboje contributed to the establishment of printmaking as a major art form in academia. He lectured at the University of Ife, Ife, before moving on to become a lecturer at his alma mater, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Wangboje left Zaria for the University of Benin, Benin, and started the Creative Arts Department, which later became a Faculty. Wangboje was the first Dean of the Faculty. He also established a postgraduate Master of Fine Arts (MFA) tradition in printmaking at Benin.
Two printmaking grandmasters will be exhibiting with their former lecturer in this show, Ademola Williams and Kunle Adeyemi, who were former postgraduate students of Solomon Wangboje. They graduated as Master of Fine Arts (MFA) post graduate students in printmaking at the University of Benin. In the same vein, Adeyemi and Tayo Quaye were former printmaking interns at Onobrakpeya’s Ovuomaroro studio/gallery. Salubi Onakufe is Onabrakpeya’s younger cousin; thus, there is a special printmaking bond between them. Onakufe, as an artist and family member, is usually involved in most of Onobrakpeya’s creative ventures, including the Ovuomaroro Studio/Gallery in Mushin, Lagos, and the Harmattan Workshops series in Aghar-Otoor, Delta State, Nigeria, among others. Thus, becoming a grandmaster printmaker seems to run in the family.
While Aiyegbusi was a foremost printmaking grandmaster in contemporary Nigerian art, Wangboje was more popular in academia, but Onobrakpeya is extensively documented and renowned across different frontiers than all the other grandmasters acknowledged in this exhibition. However, David Dale’s creativity and artistic supremacy were also globally acknowledged. Dale’s health challenges, especially paralysis and rheumatic attack on his right hand and fingers due to excessive etching and engraving, put a temporary halt to his printmaking in the early to mid-1990s. After having an operation on the affected hand and fingers, Dale was unable to produce prints at the same rate and volume again because of the risk of permanent nerve damage to his right hand. This inspired his successful artistic foray into other genres of visual art outside the printmaking spectrum, which led to him being documented as a rare genius who has mastered the employment of twenty-three different art media in his art practice and oeuvre.
Who is a Master before Becoming a Grandmaster?
A master is a level or some levels below a grandmaster in whatever profession one might want to discuss. A grandmaster in any discipline is at the highest point of that profession. Therefore, a printmaking grandmaster in Nigerian art is at the highest level of printmaking in Nigeria. Hence, the nine grandmaster printmakers are separate masters from other professionally or otherwise younger master printmakers or printmaking artists/students in contemporary Nigerian art.
Nine Printmaking Grandmasters’ Works
Most of Aiyegbusi’s prints are stylised human and animal forms which are embellished with traditional Nigerian/African patterns in a peculiar aesthetic standard of a foremost printmaking grandmaster of Contemporary Nigerian art. Aiyegbusi’s prints revealed an affinity with Traditional Yoruba-cum Nigerian/African wood sculptures of yore, thereby affirming the cultural inspiration and significance of his prints’ Africanness and negritude essence without any doubt.
Wangboje’s prints were inspired by Nigerian/ African culture with formal and contextual colour mastery. His prints are often realistic with occasional symbolic silhouette images laid on quasi-abstract colourful bases. His themes cut across different topics, moving from traditional African subject matters to contemporary issues with ease.
Onobrakpeya is eclectic in his creative odyssey of pushing the frontiers of numerous printmaking techniques beyond the known and generally accepted standard. Serendipitously, he even discovered ‘deep-etching’ while trying to produce a print in standard etching technique, which is known as “Plastograph” in printmaking terminology. Some of his prints dwell on Urhobo cultural themes with folkloric, surreal and abstract traditional patterns.
Okeke’s works dwell more on his Igbo ethnic group’s Uli patterns and cultural themes. Uli are traditional Igbo body decorative patterns, which, to some extent, were later included in wall and shrine paintings, among the Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria. Whether in his prints or paintings/ drawings, Uli’s forms and contextual ideology are often the major focus.
Dale’s works mostly reflect Nigerian essence but with a more realistic and graphically detailed formal finishing in most cases. Though most of his forms and themes are Afrocentric, like Wangboje, Dale sparingly employs Nigerian and African traditional patterns in a supportive manner in most of his prints. Like Onobrakpeya, Dale is not limited to the mastery of two or three printmaking techniques; he also has a limitless mastery of many printmaking techniques in the creative spectrum.
Williams’ prints are abstract or stylised Nigerian/ African images and pattern-inspired expressions. Whether in his linocut and woodcut, screen printing and etching or engraving, among others, Williams’s prints are usually embedded with his Nigerian Yoruba ethnic group’s cultural and folkloric images with contextually unmistakable African aura. His prints are mostly monochromatic in nature without any overstressed patterns/ motifs or forms.
Onakufe does not belabour his prints with traditional patterns and images that are commonplace in the prints of some of the other grandmaster printmakers. He allows his themes and subject matters to contextually reflect his Niger Delta essence. Some of his other prints focus on global thematic reality, often with monochromatic finishing.
Quaye’s printmaking expressions oscillate between stylised or semi-realistic forms and abstract images, but are coupled with traditional Nigerian/ African patterns in most of his works. Most of his prints are essentially Nigerian/ African in their thematic and contextual finishing. Quaye’s formal rendering and themes aptly reflect his Africanist and global worldview.
Adeyemi promotes more of his Ondo-Yoruba cultural images and patterns in most of his artworks. He is unapologetically Nigerian and African in his oeuvre of prints. Adeyemi crisscrosses from abstract representations and quasi-realism/stylisations in his compositions. Like Onobrakpeya and Dale, Adeyemi has a mastery of most of the printmaking techniques in the art world.
This exhibition is timely and significant because it is unique and different, thus adding something new and different from the regular shows that the Lagos/ Nigerian art scene is used to. Exhibiting the nine printmaking grandmasters in contemporary Nigerian art by Fobally Art Gallery, which will come in August this year (2025), will further aid the growth and popularity of printmaking in the Nigerian and global art communities.
