Art x Adẹ

Inspired by a family photograph, this painting celebrates the enduring environmental legacy of my senior brother, Retired Justice Michael Medupin. Many decades ago, he planted coconut palm seedlings throughout several neighbourhoods of Ogidi. Today, those seedlings have matured into majestic trees that define the landscape and enrich the community. While I have deliberately exaggerated the height and abundance of the palms for artistic effect, the painting reflects a genuine transformation of the environment. It is my tribute to a man whose foresight, love for nature, and quiet service have left a living legacy for future generations. It reminds us that the greatest monuments are not always built in stone—they can also take root in the earth and flourish through time. This painting has significance beyond my family. It documents a local environmental history and honours an act of community-minded stewardship that deserves to be remembered. It is both a work of art and a v...

Tomorrow, the 15th of June, and on the same day each year, my community celebrates the arrival of the New Yam. It is a special day when the first harvest of the new yam is officially presented to and eaten by the traditional ruler of our community. It is a day of thanksgiving and a celebration of the harvest that comes after twelve months of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice by our farmers. The traditional name of the New Yam is “Ẹmindin.” When a tuber of the new yam arrives in a home, everyone present touches the yam with a finger and, with that same finger, touches their chest and says: “Ẹmindin mo ri wọ me tu ku.” This translates to: “New Yam, I have seen you; I will not die.” This beautiful tradition expresses gratitude, hope, and the joy of welcoming a new season of abundance. This painting is my tribute to the hardworking men and women who, despite the many challenges they face, continue to labour tirelessly to ensure that food is placed on the tables of their fami...

There was a time when fear ruled my voice. It was not the fear arising from ignorance. It was not the fear from lack of knowledge. Ironically, my greatest burden was knowing too much and saying too little. For years, I carried within me a vast body of thoughts, of experiences, of questions, and of convictions about life, about humanity, about politics, about justice, about suffering and pain, about faith, about culture, and above all, about the complicated beauty of the human race and existence. In private conversations, words flowed naturally. Ideas connected effortlessly and seamlessly. But the moment an audience appeared, something invisible tightened around my mind and imprisoned my voice. Fear is a strange kind of philosopher. It does not always scream. It sometimes  whispers asking dangerous questions such as: “What if I fail?” “What if I forget my words?” “What if they judge me?” “What if my voice trembles?” “What if I am not enough?” What makes fear powerful is ...

This painting carries my artistic identity, rich in cultural symbolism, storytelling, movement, colour contrast, and ceremonial royal procession. The central figures, adorned in traditional regalia and beads, represent leadership, continuity, and ancestral pride, while the surrounding dancers, drummers, and community members embody the spirit of collective celebration. The crowned pillar rising in the background symbolises enduring authority and cultural resilience. The painting is an abstract impressionist representation of the annual Ogidi Day Cultural Festival held in June of every year. It is in celebration of the New Yam, The painting is my contribution towards the preservation of the beauty of African heritage and reminding viewers that culture is not merely remembered, it is lived, performed, and passed from one generation to another.

There are strong connections between the philosophical concept of self-examination as defined by Socrates, the SWOT analysis used in business management, and the scriptural teaching on self-evaluation. All three are fundamentally exercises in reflective assessment aimed at growth, improvement, resilience, and survival. Socrates taught that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” emphasising the importance of honest inward reflection as the foundation of wisdom and meaningful living. In a similar way, SWOT analysis, the examination of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, enables organisations to evaluate their current condition, understand their environment, and make wiser strategic decisions for future progress. Biblical teaching equally places great importance on self-examination. The Scriptures repeatedly encourage believers to evaluate their hearts, actions, motives, and faith to ensure alignment with God’s will and teachings. Passages such as “Examine yourselves ...

One morning, shortly after I started primary school, I stood beside my mother as she finished frying akara (bean cakes) for sale. It was my duty to hawk them around the village before going to school.  As I waited, I suddenly noticed a young handsome man walking slowly along the main road. He was completely naked, tall, about six feet in height, dark-complexioned, and perhaps between eighteen and twenty years old. As he approached our house, he stopped, turned toward us, and began to sing. Ẹsin ta ta ta oku o Eniyan rin rin rin o sọ nu Ko ma soun to 'ju ori ri o Oni suuru lo l’aiye Which translates roughly as: The horse kicks and kicks until it dies. Human beings walk and walk until they are lost. There is nothing the eyes have not seen. Only the patient truly inherit the earth. He repeated the song several times. Just as he finished singing, a lorry approached from the western side of the village and stopped very close to where he stood. A woman quickly jumped out of t...