Uche Okeke Obiora Udechukwu Olu Oguibe
Introduction
West Africa undoubtedly experienced a renaissance in its diverse cultures while Europe was in the darkest depths of the Middle Ages, but the European slave trade and colonialism brought advancement and development of West Africa to a screeching halt. So, with independence, they have begun, with stops and starts, to move forward again. Regaining what they once had is impossible, but the renewal of African culture moves forward. The artists of Africa are contributing to this and those of Nigeria seem to be helping to lead the way.
There are several artist movements in Nigeria, but I wish to address that of the Igbo (pronounced Ee-bo) at the University of Nigeria at Nsukka. Uche Okeke, Obiora Udechukwu, and Olu Oguibe are three generations of the Nsukka art group who have built the foundations of their art upon the uli house and body painting traditions of the Igbo women. This foundation has taken each generation further forward into the international art scene. Okeke placed the foundation stone, Udechukwu has built upon it, and Oguibe has gone beyond it.
Nigeria
has undergone continual change and upheaval throughout its history since
independence from the British in 1960. The atmosphere at the time of
independence was optimistic and many developments took place to help the
fledgling nation off to a good start. This involved, among other things, the development of universities. Expatriate teachers were invited to come
and teach art at these schools and the Nigerian students were taught to use
western mediums in western styles. The first post-colonial generation of
artists began to replace the expatriate teachers and art moved in a different
direction, translating Nigerian traditions into new imagery and interpretations.
With each generation the art has become more Nigerian and eventually more global
as many of the artists begin to travel and live outside of their homeland.
For more information about Nigeria go to:
The myth about the ease of unifying many different people groups into one coherent nation soon became apparent with the beginning of organized Hausa violence against Igbo living in the north. The Igbo throughout the nation of Nigeria began to flee from the north and return to their native homeland in the south. This caused a concentration of artists to form there. The Republic of Biafra declared themselves independent from Nigeria in 1967 and a bitter civil war began that devastated the land and people. Artists contributed to the Biafran war effort by designing currency, stamps, and posters, as well as being involved in the production of magazines and newspapers for propaganda. As the front closed in on them the artists, poets, writers, and dramatists gathered in cultural groups to produce art, literature, and performances that reflected the war experience. They expressed a sensitivity to the questions of hunger and suffering that is not found in other parts of Nigeria and this has become a distinguishing characteristic of the members of the Nsukka art group. Biafra finally surrendered in 1970 after up to two million had died from starvation and the ceaseless bombing. After the devastation of the war, the art department at Nsukka needed a new direction and new inspiration.
The Biafran War was a large influence on all three, but Okeke came away from it with an urgent desire to help create one Nigeria at peace, from the inside out. Udechukwu came away very aware of the horrors we humans insist on inflicting upon one another. The result was a need to express, expose, and oppose that in his work. Olu Oguibe was small child whose eyes were opened wide by the horrors he saw and the fears he experienced. Those images and feelings stay with him to this day. It is expressed in his art as outrage toward all the human atrocities acted upon the innocent.
For more information about the Biafran War go to:
After The War Was Over The Biafran War