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  • Tinubu hails Fasuyi’s ‘visionary leadership, service to humanity’ at 70

    Tinubu hails Fasuyi’s ‘visionary leadership, service to humanity’ at 70

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has felicitated with the Asiwaju of Ijesaland and Founder of the Ibadan Business School, High Chief Olayinka Fasuyi, on his 70th birthday, describing him as a visionary leader whose life exemplifies service, innovation, and community development.

    In a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President commended Chief Fasuyi’s remarkable contributions to national development, both as a management consultant of global repute and as a community leader whose initiatives have transformed Ijesaland.

    Tinubu praised the celebrant’s service to international and regional institutions, including the World Bank, African Development Bank, and various government agencies, as well as his leadership through the Ijesa Community Development Assembly (ICDA) and Ijesa Development Fund (IDF), which have significantly advanced socio-economic progress in the region.

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    “This milestone is not just a celebration of years lived, but of impact made, legacies established, and a life wholly dedicated to the service of God, community, and our dear country.

    “At 70, you stand not only as the Asiwaju of Ijesaland but also as a great achiever whose ideas, vision, and accomplishments resonate with our national quest for progress. You embody the timeless truth that one person, armed with vision, faith, and courage, can transform the destiny of a people,” he said.

    The President described Chief Fasuyi as a rare patriot whose intellectual depth and devotion to public good continue to inspire younger generations.

    “As your President, I salute you. Nigeria and Ijesaland are proud of you. Posterity will forever remember your name among the rare breed of men who lived not for themselves, but for the upliftment of others.

    “I pray that the Almighty God will continue to bless you with good health, greater wisdom, and renewed strength in the years ahead,” Tinubu said

  • Renowned artist, educationist, Fasuyi is dead

    Renowned artist, educationist, Fasuyi is dead

    Renowned Nigerian artist and educationist, Pa Timothy Adebanjo Fasuyi is dead, aged 89. He passed on in the early hours of Saturday, January 27.

    The late Fasuyi was one of the pioneer students of Nigeria College of Arts and Science now Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and former Federal Art Adviser who took over from late Ben Enwonwu in 1969. He was the founder of TAFAS Cultural Centre, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja Lagos.  He trained at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, United States where he got a diploma and studied a course in art education at the University of Sydney, Australia, 1971.

    The late Fasuyi who was a devout Christian and was known as the Baba Ijo St. Saviours Anglican Church Ilesa, started teaching in 1960 and served as art education officer at the King’s College, Lagos. He was Art adviser to the Nigerian government and was a founding member of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA).

    Some of his early group exhibitions include “Inaugural Exhibition of the Society of Nigerian Artists,” Exhibition Centre, Lagos, in 1964. “Contemporary Nigerian Art: Exhibition for Ori-Olokun Opening,” Ori-Olokun Cultural Centre, Ile-Ife in 1968. “Contemporary Nigerian Art,” Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, London in 1968. “Contemporary Nigerian Prints and Paintings,” Fourth Ife Festival of the Arts, Gallery of the University of Ife Library, University of Ife, Ile-Ife, in 1971. “Offerings from the Gods,” National Theatre, Lagos, June-July 1985. “Silver Jubilee National Art Exhibition,” National Theatre, Lagos; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; as well as Lugard Hall, Kaduna, in 1985.

    In a tribute, Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya said that in the tapestry of Nigerian art, the loss of Chief Fasuyi marks the departure of a cultural colossus and titan. “As a founding father of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) alongside esteemed contemporaries like Yusuf Grillo, Uche Okeke, and Irein Wangboje, his influence was monumental. His role in shaping the SNA was foundational, creating a vibrant community for artists to grow and express their creativity.

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    “During the Nigerian Civil War, Fasuyi stood out as a beacon of hope and resilience. His works, exhibited globally, served as powerful emissaries of Nigerian art, portraying a narrative of strength and beauty amidst conflict.

    “Fasuyi’s tenure as an art adviser to the Nigerian Government saw him championing art education and cultural development, significantly elevating the role of art in our nation. His artistic genius shone in his mixed media works, a vivid portrayal of Nigerian life infused with surrealism and symbolism.

    “His legacy continues to resonate through initiatives like the Fasuyi Prize at Ahmadu Bello University and The Tim and Carol Art Gallery. Through these and his various roles, Fasuyi’s spirit endures, a guiding light for future generations in the Nigerian art community. In paying homage to Chief Fasuyi, we salute a life dedicated to art, education, and culture. His journey was a testament to the transformative power of art in society. His spirit lives on, inspiring every brushstroke and artist he touched,” Onobrakpeya said.

    Onobrakpeya has known Fasuyi since his days as an undergraduate and student in the old Nigeria College of Arts and Science and Technology in Zaria in 1957.

    “His loss is deeply felt, and his legacy will forever be cherished,” he noted.

  • Fasuyi’s 35-year-old experiment returns in Egun Nla

    IN 1983, former Arts Adviser to the Federal Government and founder TAFAS Art Gallery, Lagos, Chief Timothy Adebanjo Fasuyi, did an experiment that explored the use of local materials, such as calabash and painting, for a three-dimension work.

    That experiment was inspired by the desire to produce unique art works for his solo art exhibition in Paris, France, which was sold out.

    Thirty-five years after, the artist and educationist, who will turn 83 tomorrow, is revisiting the experiment to enrich his collection, particularly sculptures. Among the new sculptures for the exhibition are Family unit, Eyo masquerade, Herdsmen, Nigeria’s Unity Not Negotiable, Unknown Soldier, Hostility, Onidodo, Nigeria’s Restructuring Negotiable and others.

    Speaking as a guest on Artist Roundtable, organised by the Arts and Culture Writers Association of Nigeria (ACWAN) in Lagos, Fasuyi recalled that before the intervention of foremost art scholars like him and his colleagues, art was regarded as an inferior vocation that added no value to the nation’s development.

    He noted: ‘’What is considered modern sculpture in European art is an offshoot of traditional African art, while painting is entirely a European concept and practice exported to Nigeria through art education.’’

    He said he is known more as a painter and an educationist but that his solo exhibition Egun Nla (Big masquerade), which is more of sculptures, is meant to tell his admirers and followers that he is still active in the art circuit.

    “I am exploring a new medium of expression (sculpture), using locally sourced materials. I started the experiment in 1983 while preparing to hold my solo art exhibition in Paris France. I asked myself then, what would interest the Paris audience apart from painting? I knew development of modern painting more in France than any other country In Europe. So, I decided to do something different and I chose sculpture.

    ‘’I went there with sculpture and to my surprise of the 20 works I exhibited in Paris only two returned to Lagos.

    “Some of the paintings I thought would be bought were returned. This time around, I am trying to revive the same sculpture pieces. I want to enrich my collection and gallery. I have gone into extensive research. The two works that I brought back were rejected because they were broken. But now, I am going to strengthen the calabash with Pop to avoid easy breakage,” he said.

    About 20 sculptural works in three categories namely Calabario (works made from calabash), Plastic, and Plasticocalabario (works made from combination of plastic, calabash and local materials such as PoP) will be exhibited. To him, he believes strongly the sculptural works will sell because they are unique. He added that for a change he may want to sell some of his paintings at the exhibition. He disclosed that he is setting up a hall of fame in honour of those who have contributed to the art sand artists.

    Egun Nla will open simultaneously at three venues: TAFAS Gallery, Ikeja, Lagos, Quintessence, Ikoyi and Yemoja Gallery, Surulere on April 21. The week-long birthday celebration will start tomorrow with a church service/song of praise and a youth drama presentation while an evening get-together will hold after the exhibition at The Resource Place, Badagry Street, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja on Saturday, April 21.

    Also, on Saturday, National Gallery of Art, Abuja will present a book on Chief Fasuyi. The presentation will be done by former Director-General National Gallery of Art, Dr. Paul Dike, while Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya will give keynote address.

    The event will be chaired by Omooba Yemisi Shyllon. Chairman Board National Gallery Art Ambassador Umaru Azores Suleiman is chief host. The book Timothy Adebanjo Fasuyi: A Renowned Artist and Educationist, is a documentary on his work and life.

    The get-together will feature Fasuyi art award presentation to individuals who contribute to the growth of art and artists, especially his last year’s birthday celebration. The recipients, he said, would include collectors, curators, critics, art writers and six student artists.

    At his last year’s birthday, he gave some of his artworks as awards to seven Nigerians that included Princ Shyllon, Dr. Onobrakpeya, Mrs Melinda Akinlami of Channels Television, Dr. Kunle Adeyemi, Mr. Jerome Elaiho, Nike Okundaiye, Wale Fasuyi and Fred Udoaka in appreciation of their contributions to art and artists.

  • Egun Nla: Honour for Fasuyi at 83

    TO mark the 83rd birthday of former Arts Adviser to the Federal Government and Founder, TAFAS Art Gallery, Lagos, Chief Timothy Adebanjo Fasuyi, a solo art exhibition will hold simultaneously at three art galleries in Lagos.

    The exhibition tagged Egun Nla will open at TAFAS Gallery, Ikeja, Lagos, Quintessence, Ikoyi and Yemoja Gallery, Surulere on April 21.

    The week-long activity will start on April 19 with a church service/songs of praise and a youth drama presentation, while an evening get-together will hold after the close of the exhibition at The Resource Place, Ikeja on April 21.

    According to Chief Fasuyi, the get-together will feature an award presentation to individuals who contributed to the growth of art and artists, especially his last year’s birthday celebration. The recipients, he said, will include collectors, curators, critics, art writers and student artists.

    The get-together will also feature the public presentation of a book on him by the National Gallery of Art, Abuja.

    At his last year’s birthday, Fasuyi gave some of his artworks as awards to seven Nigerians. They included Prince Yemisi Shyllon, Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mrs Melinda Akinlami, Dr. Kunle Adeyemi, Mr. Jereome Elaiho, Nike Okundaiye, Wale Fasuyi and Fred Udoaka for their contributions to art and artists.

    This year, nine Nigerians will be presented with awards in recognition of their contributions to the growth of art. They include Prof Jerry Buhari, Dr. Simon Ikpakronyi, Prof Ola Oloidi, Chief Joe Musa, Prof Adamu Baikie, Ozolua Uhakheme, Dr. Ola Balogun, Prof PejuLayiwola and Otun Abaoyin Adedeji.

    He disclosed that at the TAFAS Gallery, works to be exhibited would be mainly sculptures and few paintings done in the last one year. “It will feature 20 sculptures in three categories of Calabario (made from calabash), Plastic, and Plasticocalabario (works made from combination of plastic, calabash and local materials such as PoP).  The experiment that gave birth to these started in 1984 when I was sponsored to France for a solo art exhibition by Total Oil at Institute of International Affairs, Paris. There will also be regular painting on canvas and those on sakara drums. The Calabario and Sakara drums paintings were the first to be bought at the Paris exhibition. But today, I am reinforcing the works with PoP, he recalled.

    Moreover, the Artists Social Forum will celebrate Prof Dele Jegede and Chief Fasuyi’s birthdays at its next month’s get-together at The Resource Place, Ikeja.

     

  • Runsewe, Fasuyi pay tribute to Maitama Sule

    Runsewe, Fasuyi pay tribute to Maitama Sule

    The Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe, has condoled with the family of Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule.

    Runsewe said Sule would be remembered for  many contributions to the development of Nigeria, especially in arts and culture.

    He recalled that as the pioneer chairman of NCAC Board in 1975, Sule laid a solid foundation for the development of the arts and culture, adding that he was at the forefront in promoting cultural values.

    The NCAC chief recalled that the late Sule stood against cultural imperialism and spent his entire life promoting African cultural values as the bedrock for national unity, integration and development.

    According to Runsewe, Maitama Sule was a true patriot, a moralist who spoke against corruption, bad governance and discrimination along religious, political and ethnic divide.

    As a democrat, Runsewe said, the late Sule was an apostle of the rule of law, democratic good governance based on the principles of free, fair and peaceful elections. ‘’He will be remembered as one Nigerian who spent his entire life fighting for the unity, peace and development of the Nigeria nation state,’’ Runsewe added.

    Also, former Arts Adviser to the Federal Government and founder, TAFAS Legacy Gallery, Ikeja, Lagos, Chief Timothy Banjo Fasuyi, described the late Maitaima Sule as a detribalised Nigerian, who was democratic and full of honour. Fasuyi disclosed that Sule was to be chairman of his last birthday exhibition in May, but could not make it because of health challenges.

    “The death of Maitama Sule was a shock to me. Shock not because he was young, but that he was a true friend dating back to the 70s. In fact, he was to be the chairman of my last birthday exhibition in May. But because of his health he could not make it.

    “I met him in 1970 when I was the Federal Art Adviser, and I realised that there was no central authority on arts and culture in Nigeria. There was Northern Nigeria Cultural Society under Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, and there was a Lagos Arts Council with Chief Ajanaku Araba as chairman. I thought there should be a national body. I then wrote a paper to government to that effect and I was given the green light to go ahead. I met Araba in Lagos and Maitama Sule in Kano who called a meeting of his society members on my mission. He was a man of culture and very democratic.

    “At the Kaduna meeting, a paper on the policy and work schedule of the proposed art council was ratified and culture was placed under Information Ministry  with Chief Kola Balogun as Minister. The new council was approved as National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) with branches in the twelve states,” he added.

    Fasuyi said Sule was the first chairman of NCAC and that each time he visited Lagos for meetings, he conducted himself as a civilised gentleman and was highly respected by all. ‘’He was a detribalised Nigerian with lots of ideas,’’ he said.  According to him, Maitama Sule was very honest and upright in dealing with people and was never ready to accept what he never deserved even as chairman of the council.

    “He used his wisdom to save us during one of the national festivals in Kaduna following a protest when the Atilogu dancers from the Eastern zone won the trophy in dancing competition. He suggested that to prevent undue protests, dance should be categorised into war, social and civilian dances. And that gave different zones the opportunity to win one of the trophies in dance competitions,” he added.

  • Encomiums for Fasuyi

    Encomiums for Fasuyi

    Former Arts Adviser to the Federal Government and founder, TAFAS Legacy Gallery Chief Timothy Banjo Fasuyi, literarily lost count of respondents who recalled how his moral and financial support contributed to their success stories as artists. Apart from the yearly Fasuyi award for best art students in tertiary schools, which many won, Fasuyi’s relationship and policy initiatives that affected the artists and art schools while at Ministry of Education, also drew encomiums from guests at the event.
    The event was a colloquium organised by the Society of Nigerian Artists and National Gallery of Art at TAFAS Legacy Gallery, Badagry Street, Ikeja Lagos, as part of activities marking Fasuyi’s 82nd birthday. Though attended by mainly Lagos-based artists and art teachers, the colloquium was a huge success considering the issues discussed and calibre of discussants as well as guests at the event.
    Senior lecturer, Southwestern University, Okun-Owa, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Prof Tunde Akinwunmi, who described Fasuyi as his mentor and master, called on artists to celebrate achievers in the sector and not wait till they pass on.
    Chief lecturer, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Mr. Rukeme Noserime, said but for Fasuyi’s policy initiatives at the Federal Ministry of Education, teaching and practice of art in the country would have lagged behind other professions. “He advised the government on how best to teach art in studio settings. And that was the genesis of studio art teaching in schools across the country,” Noserime said, citing Fasuyi’s statements on national issues in the past, which he described as words on marble.
    Former Provost Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta Dr. Kunle Filani described Fasuyi as a rare gem who forty years ago instituted an art award for arts students and initiated the construction of the centre that houses the gallery today. According to him, the Zaria artists of that generation seem to have done great things at middle age.
    “It takes someone with such a vision to erect the structure housing the gallery. We need to draw lessons from their achievements. In fact, they are all rounder,” Filani added.
    For former Secretary Society of Nigerian Artists Mr. Bernard Aina, Fasuyi is very passionate about art that as a young man under 40, he instituted a prize for arts students. “I knew him more when I won the prize in 1973 at Yaba Tech. He initiated the prize at under 40 years, which means he was really passionate about art.
    “Interestingly, I participated in assisting him at the Pre-Varsity School. When I come to teach young ones, I was also learning from him,” he said.
    On the pioneering role of Fasuyi in the formation of Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA), chief lecturer Yaba College of Technology, Lagos Mr. Mike Omoighe recalled that Fasuyi’s intervention in the internal crises that bedeviled the association in the 80s was one of the stabilising factors in the survival of the society. “Fasuyi is a neutral force in the growth of SNA, especially during the crisis of rotation of the seat of the society to Benin when the late Prof Solomon Wangboje emerged the president of the society. Omoighe said that Fasuyi called for a national conference when the society’s executive was inactive so as to thrash out all the challenges.
    Sam Ovraiti, who was also a recipient of TA Fasuyi prize, said the cash he got from the prize came at a very crucial period of his years at Auchi Polytechnic. He recalled that the prize was very important because he used the money to buy easel, noting that it gave many artists self esteem especially the young ones.
    “At a time in my class at Auchi Polytechnic, some of my mates revolted claiming that I was being favoured to win the Fasuyi prize. That introduced me to the name,” he said.
    Another recipient of Fasuyi prize, Nsikak Essien said the award inspired most artists as it was a detribalised prize. He noted that until later he thought the award was from an institution.
    Director Department of Planning and Research, National Gallery of Art Dr. Simon Ikpakronyi wondered how popular Fasuyi is given his huge contributions to art and artists, which he said, is an aspect that should be interrogated.
    Chairman of the occasion Otunba Oyin Adedeji described Fasuyi as a generous and kind man, who is also a good manager of crisis and very meticulous. In an appreciation of the discussants, Fasuyi urged the artists to use the event as the beginning of a new start.
    In attendance at the colloquium included Prof Bruce Onobrakpeya, Dr. Kunle Adeyemi, Dotun Alabi, Oliver Enwonwu, Mufu Onifade and Dr. Ademola Azeez.