Nigeria Content Online

Why Art?

Art is a calling. I
had good grades in school and could have had my pick of courses at the
tertiary institution. Art was the last course people expected of me
with my grades but from a tender age I had always been inclined to the
arts. Though I had to embark on hunger strike as a 16-year- old before
my parents allowed me to study art, it was worth it then and to the
present. I simply followed my calling.

Training

I studied Arts and
Design at Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State. I specialised in painting and
illustration. The same year I was offered admission to study art at
Auchi Poly, the University of Benin also offered me admission into
their Geography and Regional Planning department from where I could
have moved to the Architecture department.

Medium

Oil, acrylic,
watercolors, charcoal, and pastel, there’s none I can’t work with, but
now I tend to use oil more. I had 40 works on display in a recent
exhibition, 28 of these were in oil paint and the rest, mixed media.

Influences

I really had no one
to look up to as a little boy but I had once read about a Russian
artist who lived in America and how he arrived at his own exhibition in
a private jet. The success story of Picasso also helped me make up my
mind about being a good artist. In Auchi, I became acquainted with the
likes of [Kolade] Oshinowo and others but they were basically teaching.
Yet I maintained this silent conviction in me that the story of the
Picassos of this world could also be mine.

Inspirations

A mood or a song, a
message from the pulpit may also inspire me to do an artwork.
Generally, things that happen inspire me but it takes those moments
that are so fleeting to get me going. I’m very concerned about the
content of my work though. And though I ensure that my works look good,
they might not be very beautiful. Nevertheless, art is like a woman,
you just don’t look at the beautiful face, you look at the inside too.

Best work so far

Each work to me is
like my child, my soul is in every work. I put a lot into my every work
and I like to think that is why my works sell.

Least satisfying work

There was this
particular work I did for a certain Alhaji Mohammed. I got a loan from
the bank to facilitate the making of the work, yet he took such a long
time to pay that the interest piled up. That is the only work I can
think of as a least satisfying project.

Career high point

I’ll say my first
solo exhibition held at Didi Museum, Lagos in 1991, my graduation from
art school with the best result and winning all the available prizes.
My first exhibition abroad and the fact that my work was well accepted
as far back as then make up my career high points for now. I still
believe I’ve not started though.

Favourite artist living or dead

In Nigeria, Ben
Enwonwu and Kolade Oshinowo. I respect both of them; Enwonwu for his
consistency and Osinowo for his paternal approach. Whenever we meet, he
will whisper to me, “I am proud of you.” Outside Nigeria, I once had an
exhibition with a German artist named Ted; I can’t pronounce his
surname, but I like his works and his person.

Ambitions

I want to get to the pinnacle of my profession and be known wherever
man lives. Yes, I want [to get to] the Picasso, Da Vinci and
Michelangelo level.