A small art focused group in Ibadan, the Women and Youth Art Foundation, has grown to impact thousands of lives using art as a form of economic empowerment for women. The Wy Art, as it is popularly called, celebrated 30 years of its existence at Ibadan recently where it all began, EVELYN OSAGIE writes
They came from near and far. Many, mostly women, both former and would-be beneficiaries, thronged the capital city of Oyo State to celebrate a 30-year-old art and empowerment legacy. Welcome to Women and Youth Art Foundation, known popularly as Wy Art.
For three decades, the foundation, which is the brainchild of widely celebrated art historian and artist, Prof. Peju Layiwola, has impacted the lives of women. It was listed by the French Label, Louis Vuitton, as one of the impactful artist-led centres in Africa.
A woman’s passion for women
The world is now big on women empowerment and women supporting women is no longer a cliché. Inspired by the role women play in building the home and passing on skills to their children, Layiwola has used art as a form of empowerment for people, mainly women, in local communities. Driven by some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly Goals 8 and 10, Wy Art has consistently taught and documented skills to artists, craftsmen, the unemployed, low-income workers, the physically challenged, widows, and youth groups across Nigeria, in Europe and North America, etc. The initiatives gave rise to the DIYs on DVD on different skills which it has run since the early 90s.
“One of the greatest achievements of the foundation is the e-learning DVDs we recorded in 1998 in various arts and crafts which have been used by so many people. We literally took art into the homes of Nigeria and other Africans on the continent. Using the Home Video culture, we saw this as a veritable medium of disseminating skills and to fill the gap in our educational system that does not fully recognise the impact of Art in society as a tool for empowerment.
“The role of women in the development of society cannot be overstated. Indeed, to have sustained a dream for one generation is a great achievement. The world has a lot to gain by empowering women. And tell women to follow their passion and encourage your children when they show interest in whatever art craft that they like; including kids with disabilities. Those with mental or physical capabilities have inane talents that women can develop and it is important to pay them special attention and work at their pace. Art is beautiful, it is intellectual, it can be a life saver. And I am proud to say that is what Wy Art represents,” Layiwola says of her 30-year-old passion.
It turned 30 recently and commemorated the anniversary with pomp and ceremony at Ibadan where it all began. The feat engendered encomiums, especially from the arts community within Nigeria and abroad.
Distinguished Professors Bruce Onobrakpeya and Niyi Osundare, among others, applauded Wy Art’s impacts and its founder for her commitment towards development of humanity. Onobrakpeya praised the efforts of Layiwola, linking it to her heritage as the daughter of Princess Elizabeth Olowu, the first woman to engage in the art of bronze casting in Benin Kingdom.
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“Her strategy to initiate the Wy Art foundation at the beginning of her artistic career has proved very successful as an informal education project. It is this foresight and boldness that made her venture into Agbarha-Otor in the wetland of Delta State to facilitate different departments with the aid of her foundation. Now that the foundation celebrates 30, I and other participants of the Harmattan workshop salute and send our heartfelt congratulations to our able Layiwola and also wish the informal art school more years of service to humanity,” he stated.
Osundare, who spoke of how his daughter benefited from Wy Art training 30 years ago, salutes the efforts of its impact on the womenfolk.
He said: “I and my family would like to wish Prof. Layiwola and the foundation a wonderful anniversary and thank you for all that you do.”
Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Ayo Atsenuwa, praised the impact of the foundation on the University of Lagos (UNILAG), recounting the mural on the facade of the Department of Creative Arts building.
More encomiums from Ibadan
In Ibadan, the anniversary, which was marked with two-day celebrations, was attended by scholars, artists and writers.
The event, which took place in the University of Ibadan (UI), was chaired by the Director of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Prof Siyan Oyeweso, represented by Prof. Ajala of the Department of Archeology.
It began with a symposium at the Lady Bank Anthony HallI, along with art workshops in screen printing, adire eleko, adire oniko and painting. Over 200 women participated in the workshop daily, including secondary schools and university students. The residents of the Leonard Cheshire Home whom Layiwola had always taught also participated.
Also in attendance were UI Deputy Librarian, Dr. Adetoun Oyelude; the curator of the National Museum, Ibadan, Mrs. Pamela Otuka; Consultant Family Physician and Head Staff Medical Services Department, UCH, Dr Ayo Olofin; Dr. Evelyn Emeahara of the Department of Library and Archival Studies, and Professor of Theatre arts and Costume designer, USA, Dr. Grace Adinku.
They praised and gave testimonials on how the initiative has impacted their lives so far. Dr. Oyelude, whose children were beneficiaries 20 years ago, stated that the foundation taught them skills which have helped their all-round development; Dr. Olofin reminisced on how her daughters, now adults, began learning from the foundation from a very early age. “My children, now adults, were once participants and later became facilitators, teaching macramé, coconut jewellery and textile designing,” she said.
Dr. Emeahara said she was able to supplement her income largely from the additional skills she put to use which she had learnt. While urging the government to be more proactive in its funding of groups such as Wy Art helping to alleviate poverty through vocational training, Dr. Adinku also recounted how she and her wards benefited from it.
Speaking on how she had been able to keep the initiative alive for the past 30 years at the event, Layiwola said: “The passion people have shown have goaded me on even though at some point I thought to quit. It was tough sourcing steady funding for all our projects. Principal difficulty was getting money to expand on the activities of the Foundation. Grants are given for specific projects and when that is accomplished, we begin searching for another which may not come in good time. We appreciate those who have supported us over the years, such as the late Bisi Silva and International bodies such as the US State Department (2011), the US Consulate, Lagos (2017) and the British Council (2021/22).”
