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"Ọgbọn ju Agbara lọ" ( Wisdom is Greater than Strength ) is an abstract expression of a timeless Yoruba proverb that celebrates the enduring power of wisdom over brute force. In this work, I explore the contrast between raw energy and emotional intelligence. Through the interplay of colours, lines, and forms, I aim to show how wisdom, though often quiet and subtle, ultimately overcomes the noise and dominance of physical power. The composition invites the viewer to reflect on the choices we make in life: do we force our way through with might, or navigate with understanding and insight? As someone shaped by both traditional values and modern experiences, I find deep relevance in this proverb, especially in today's world, where emotional intelligence is needed more than ever to solve complex social, economic, and political challenges. This painting is both a personal meditation and a cultural echo. It is a reminder that true power often lies not in...

                               Pa Thaddeus  One day, after work and just before I was free to go on my usual fishing expedition, I went up a hill near our hut to relieve myself. I heard a strange sound that seemed to be coming closer. I stood up to investigate, even though I hadn’t finished. I was nervous and started running without cleaning myself. Suddenly, I felt something touch my leg. As I tried to see what it was, I glimpsed the tail of what looked like a snake. My older brother, Thaddeus, was standing some distance away. I ran towards him and told him I’d seen a snake. He went up the hill to check and, within a minute, called my father, asking him to come quickly. He said it was a python. I ran down and hid in the hut, peeking through the small entrance to see what they were doing. Though I was far away, I could still hear what they were saying. After about an hour, I saw Bọda Thadde...

"Pride Comes Before the Fall" is my visual  interpretation of the Yoruba proverb made popular by legendary Nigerian juju musician, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey: "Afopina tóní òun ó pa fìtìlà, ara ẹ ni yóò pa." Translated, it means “The moth that boasts it will extinguish the lamp will only have itself to harm.” The painting offers a visual reflection on the self-destructive nature of arrogance and unchecked pride. At its centre burns an oil lamp, a symbol of clarity, life, and purpose. Drawn by delusion and desire, a moth ventures too close, its wings already consumed by the very flame it seeks to conquer. The barren tree and textured ground evoke solitude and inevitability, while the star-filled night sky speaks of forces beyond our control. Above, the moon and stars bear silent witness to the unfolding drama. This work is both personal and universal. It is a warning that reckless ambition, especially when aimed at extinguishing light or truth, of...

This composition draws from the wisdom of the Okun proverb, “Ẹghọn'la baba muu ẹka baba jẹẹ” , which translates as “The father’s cow has eaten the father’s corn.” It is a scene rooted in my own early life experiences growing up in rural Nigeria, where cattle rearing was not only part of my daily life, but part of my identity, responsibility, and family survival. The figures depicted a child herder with a stick and an elder in traditional attire waking early, guiding the animals, and learning the delicate balance between nurturing and protecting. The cow, painted in striking yellow, stands for both sustenance and disruption, a reminder that sometimes, even what we cherish can undo us, not out of malice, but through the natural course of life. The proverb speaks to more than livestock and corn. It speaks to family, inheritance, and the quiet conflicts that occur when personal and communal interests overlap. In the background, the huts and forest reflect a world that onc...

This painting draws its inspiration from a profound Yoruba proverb: "Igi gogoro ma gun mi loju, okere la ti n wo" , which translates to "For a tall tree not to poke me in the eye, it is best observed from a distance." At its core, this saying speaks to the importance of caution, foresight, and the wisdom of perspective in navigating life’s challenges. The towering, thorny tree in the painting represents looming threats or difficult situations that may appear overpowering up close. The lone figure on the path, standing at a safe distance and facing the vast ocean, symbolises the human need to pause, reflect, and evaluate from afar before engaging. The turbulent sky and crashing waves echo the uncertainties of life, while the winding path suggests that wisdom is often found through introspection, not confrontation.  As an artist, I am deeply influenced by proverbs, nature, and personal experience. This piece is not just a visual expression, but a moral c...

This painting draws inspiration from the Yoruba proverb:  “Ẹiyẹ tó fẹ́ fo, wọn sọ ko luu.”   This translates to mean,  “A bird is ready to fly and you are throwing a stone at it.” The proverb exposes the futility and poor judgment in resisting what is already in motion. In this work, the bird symbolises a person, idea, or moment that has reached its time to rise, move forward, or break free. The stone represents opposition, pointless, reactive, and too late. The act of throwing it becomes not just futile, but foolish.  By using collage to depict the bird and the stone-thrower, I explore the tension between progress and resistance. The scene captures the moment of near-departure, just before the bird takes flight, yet already beyond control. The textures and tones reflect both movement and confrontation: the inevitability of change and the often misguided attempts to block it. This piece is a reflection on human behaviour, how we sometimes resist what we...

Corruption, a universally condemned term, is not as universal as it seems. Like many ideas shaped by power, its definition and consequences are determined not solely by law or ethics, but by geography and class. In today’s global landscape, there are effectively two versions of corruption: one tailored for the poor nations of the Global South, and another reserved, or rather excused, for the rich nations of the Global North. In the Global South, corruption is loudly and frequently condemned. It’s the face of bribery in government offices, ghost workers on state payrolls, election rigging, inflated contracts, and kickbacks. It’s the poor man’s corruption: visible, often crude, and easily vilified. Western governments, international institutions, and media outlets devote significant resources to exposing it. And rightly so, because it undermines development, weakens public trust, and entrenches poverty. But what often goes unspoken is that this same passionate indignation rarely extend...

With the birth of his son, Brother Michael felt that the flat at Wakeman Street was too small. We moved to a bigger and better house in Onikẹ, not far from Queens College, Lagos. He rented the front three-bedroom flat on the ground floor of a block of six flats. I occupied the small room at the rear of our flat. The room had an access door leading to an open driveway. This access allowed me to come and go as I pleased without any hindrance. I could simply walk in at any time of day or night, and no one knew when I came in or went out. A few weeks after we moved into the new flat, I met a young girl at the bus stop. She lived just a stone's throw away from our house. We started to visit each other. She would come to my room, entering through the back door without attracting any attention from Brother Michael or his wife. At night, she would sneak out the same way she had sneaked in. She would sTayọọọ with me until very late at night, and then I would escort her to her ...

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Board Size: 20" x 16" Date: 2025 This evocative abstract landscape captures a moment of profound stillness and wonder. A radiant star glows brightly in the twilight sky, suspended above gently undulating hills that fade into shadows. The amber-orange glow of the setting sun seeps beneath olive green clouds, offering a powerful contrast against the deepening blue of the star-filled heavens. Silhouetted palm trees and distant block-like structures suggest the quiet presence of life and memory, as if watching the world turn from a forgotten hilltop.  The painting invites the viewer into a dreamlike meditation on solitude, mystery, and the quiet pull of distant light.

Medium: Acrylic on canvas board Size: 16" x 20" Year: 2025 This painting is a visual metaphor inspired by the Yoruba proverb, "If you wait for the road to be safe, you will never arrive." It explores the tension between fear and courage, warning and willpower, and the ever-present reality of uncertainty on the road to fulfillment. The central figure at the bottom of the painting, cloaked in red and labeled “Determined,” walks toward an intimidating ascent where danger is boldly signposted. Above her looms a giant, symbolic guardian, part protector, part deterrent, watching with a mix of solemnity and power. The path she treads is fiery and treacherous, suggesting that ambition often means walking through difficulty, not around it. To the left, shadows of hesitant onlookers gather behind warning signs, content to remain within the illusion of safety. The stormy sky and the erupting sun evoke a world where nature itself seems to challenge or test one...

Among all of God's creations, the mountain is a striking symbol of permanence. It stands tall, unyielding, fixed to its place, never striving to move, never seeking to change. Yet in contrast, the human being is created with an innate longing to grow, to evolve, to flourish beyond the boundaries of yesterday. While the mountain finds purpose in stillness, we find ours in motion, through learning, striving, creating, and becoming. This contrast speaks to the divine mystery of creation: some are called to stand firm as markers of stability, while others are called to journey, to transform, and to leave footprints on the path of progress. 

In “Harmony on the Branch,” I draw inspiration from the Yoruba proverb "Irọrun igi ni irọrun ẹiyẹ," which reminds us of the symbiotic relationships that sustain life. The painting features a lone red bird perched confidently on the branch of a textured tree, enveloped in a vibrant, abstract backdrop of yellow and blue, representing warmth and life’s ever-flowing energy. The tree, deeply rooted and expansive in form, symbolises stability, while the bird embodies gentleness and the need for safety. Together, they tell a story of mutual dependence: one cannot thrive without the other. It’s a graphic illustration of the Ubuntu philosophy; "I am because you are." This painting speaks to human connections, the health of our environment, and the delicate balance required for all beings to flourish. It invites the viewer to reflect on the quiet, often unnoticed interconnections that uphold peace, harmony and comfort in our shared world.

        Late Chief Clement Elega Medupin  In Yoruba literary genre, Oriki is used to praise and inspire people. Traditionally, it can come in the form of poetry which people can recite, sing, praise and showering adoration to the individual or family. It forms an integral part of the ritual during great family events such as traditional weddings, naming ceremonies, house warming, merit awards, etc. It can be a name which is given to a family or a clan and this becomes the hereditary identity by which every member of that family or clan is known. It can also be a combination of both. In the olden days, it was said that when a child went missing in one village and the child was found in another town or village, in order to return him or her to the family, the child would be asked to say or recite his or her Oriki. If the Oriki was correct, the child would be identified and returned home to be reunited with his or her parents. That explained why it was...

This abstract painting was inspired by an African proverb that speaks to interdependence, generational wisdom, and cultural depth. Titled “Hands That Meet in Purpose,” the work visually embodies the Yoruba saying: "Ọwọ ọmọde kò dé apẹpẹ, ọwọ àgbà kò wọ keregbe."  Literal translation : "A child’s hand is not long enough to reach the shelf, and an adult’s hand is too big to go through the neck of a small keg." This poetic expression reminds us of the mutual reliance between the young and the old. Set against a backdrop of rural architecture and earthy textures, the painting depicts a child reaching upward for a bowl while an elder, cloaked in blue, attempts to dip his large hand into a narrow-mouthed keg. The contrasting actions of the two hands highlight how reach and wisdom complement one another. This piece invites viewers to reflect on the beauty of intergenerational harmony and the timeless importance of unity in achieving shared purpose.

“Cock Crow at Dawn” is a poignant, impressionistic painting that pays homage to early morning life in a Nigerian village. The composition is anchored by a warm, golden ray of dawn light breaking through the huts, painting a radiant path across the ground, representing a symbolic transition from night into day, darkness into hope, death into life. In the foreground, silhouetted figures representing children, villagers, and poultry, begin to stir, evoking the quiet routines and rhythms of communal life. The rooster, central and proud, stands as the herald of morning, its presence iconic and symbolic, bridging tradition and the passage of time. The rounded mud huts with thatched roofs are rendered in warm earthy tones, nestled beneath a softly waking sky filled with streaks of ochre, blue, and violet. The use of shadow and light is particularly evocative, while the details remain subdued, the energy of the village awakening is palpable. There is a quiet reverence in the wa...

My 5th Local Art Exhibition is coming back to Forest Hill Library on 28th & 29th August ! I'm thrilled to invite you to this special showing of my recent works, paintings inspired by Yoruba proverbs , the natural environment , and abstract landscapes, each paired with a short, reflective narrative. 🌿 From the wisdom of age-old sayings to the silent beauty of trees, skies, and memory-soaked spaces, this collection is my heartfelt attempt to speak in colour, texture, and form. 👀 Sneak peeks coming soon, so keep an eye on this space! Whether you're an art lover, a cultural enthusiast, or simply curious, I hope these works speak to you as deeply as they spoke to me while creating them. 📍 Venue : Forest Hill Library 📅 Dates : 28th & 29th August 🕰️ More details to follow... #ArtExhibition #YorubaWisdomInArt #ForestHillLibrary #LandscapeArt #AbstractPainting #SaveTheDate #SupportLocalSeptuagenarianArtists

This painting is a visual tribute to the burial rituals of my childhood village in Nigeria. It's a memory engraved into my soul. In our tradition, the act of carrying the coffin is not merely logistical; it’s ceremonial. A strong man, often chosen for his physical and moral stature, balances the heavy coffin on his head, cushioned by folded cloth and fastened with red cloth rope that signifies honour, duty, and communal strength. The painting depicts that symbolic moment of transition when the body is prepared for its final journey, and the entire village comes alive in shared purpose. The crowd, dressed in traditional garments and headpieces, forms a chorus of presence, emotion, and respect. Thatched huts, swaying palms, and birds in the sky frame the event, rooting it in the rhythms of rural life and the natural world. This work speaks to the sacred relationship between the living and the dead, the weight of tradition, and the beauty of communal rituals. It is a re...