APPRECIATING ART IN NIGERIA

BY: OBHAKHOBOH JENNIFER

BRIEF HISTORY:

The National Museum, Lagos which was established in 1956 is an outlet for collecting, preserving and presenting cultural History/Heritage in Nigeria. It was founded in 1950s, after a period of pre-colonial that saw the country hemorrhaging traditional Heritage through Art Work taken from Nigeria and sold abroad including some Sotheby’s to showcase at the new museum.

ART WORK FROM BENIN

BRONZE FROM BENIN KINGDOM

 The new museum today is a relatively vibrant branch of the national commission of museums and monuments. In 2002, construction of a shopping complex called ‘galleria’ and located close to the museum began, it is the intention of the city of Lagos to view the mall later called Onikan City Mall as a way to rejuvenate the Onikan environ.

The museum has various collection of pots, bronze and terracotta statutes from Benin, Igbo Ukwu, and the central regions of Nigeria and from Ife, the major centers of classical Nigerian Art. It also has a large collection of ‘Ere Ibeji’. Because of the great diversity of people and culture, Nigeria has distinguished herself over the centuries in the field of arts. Nigerian versatility in art is so great that it is generally felt that all African nations should view Nigeria as the principal trustee of the most durable fruits of black artistic genius. It is not precisely known when the first works of Nigerian art reached the outside world, but in 1897, following a British punitive expedition to Benin, over 2,000 Benin bronzes and ivories were shipped to England and later dispersed all over Europe and America.

The oldest sculpture found in Nigeria were from the southern Zaria and Benue areas of Central Nigeria. They consist of terracotta figures and figurines made by people who achieved a high degree of cultural elements, have been named the Nok Culture. Evidence shows the NOK people had knowledge of iron smelting and adorned themselves with tin and stone beads, earrings, nose rings and bracelets. The next known phase of Nigerian cultural evolution was Igbo Ukwu, near Awka, the casts date from the 9^TH century A.D. they first came to light in 1938 and consist of staff heads, crowns, breastplates, pendants, ornaments, anklets, wristlets and chains. About the same time the Igbo-Ukwu people were casting bronze, the ancient Ife people were also producing works in bronze, copper and terracotta. In the first quarter of this century, Ife works caused a great stir among world art critics and historians who were unaccustomed to such naturalism in African art. The best known Nigerian art works are the Benin people learned the art of bronze casting from Ile-Ife around 1400 A.D. Oba Ogunta, the sixth king of Benin, is credited with having encouraged this art in Benin. Nigeria’s cultural heritage is woven from threads of history and diversity, legend and conquest. Tourist visiting the country will gain insights to a glorious past as well as a promising future, set amid the natural beauty of this diverse country.

DISPLAY OF ART WORK AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, ONIKAN.

THE CAR IN WHICH MURTALA MUHAMMED WAS ASSASSINATED

APPRECIATING ART

It has been observed widely in Nigeria that art is only appreciated by Foreigners, most especially the Chinese and by students for educational purposes. According to these people, this is what they have said concerning art in Nigeria.

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