By Tajudeen Sowole
This
much was distilled from a symposium and art exhibition in his honour. Tagged His Life, Works and Contributions to the
Development of Contemporary Nigerian Art, and organized by the artist’s
family at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos few days ago, the event also
exposed inadequate preservation and documentation of the master’s works.
Little was known of Lasekan’s art beyond political cartooning until the
last three to four years when art auctions in Lagos, particularly from the
stable of ArtHouse Contemporary, started featuring some portraitures by the
artist.
Also, prior to the symposium and exhibition, much of the documentations
on Lasekan celebrated an artist whose cartoons – under the then popular signature 'Lash' – thrived in post-colonial political
scene, most of which were seen as missiles against the opponents of Nnamidi
Azikiwe (1904 -1996). However, the lecture delivered by Prof. Ola Oloidi at the
opening of the event showed that the artist was a strong partner in the
nationalist movement against colonial rule.
Noting
that the artist
has not been celebrated since his demise 40 years ago, Oloidi, a professor of
Art History and Art Criticism, University of Nigeria (UNN) Nsukka, described Lasekan’s art as “unrivalled.”
He argued that the artist, who was a cartoonist working for Azikiwe’s West African Pilot, during the struggle
for Nigeria’s independence, shared the same activism mentality with his
employer. In fact, Oloidi disclosed “there was hardly any editorial policy of
the West African Pilot made without
Lasekan’s input.” The newspaper’s cartoon contents, he stressed, was a leading
voice against colonial rule.
Oloidi’s research also traced the artist’s Africanism
character to his youth years, while growing up in his hometown Ipele, Owo (now
in Ondo State). According to the art historian, Lasekan dropped ‘Samuel’ from
his name “because he felt it was a slave name, and more disturbing, it was
Yorubalised as ‘Saamu.”
AS
much as the family of Lasekan should be commended for bringing back the memory
of the Zikist artist, the
presentation of the exhibition appeared like an indictment on the poor attitude
of Nigerians towards art collection and preservation. Some of the works on
display were prints, poorly reproduced from what looked like Internet or third
generation copies of the original.
Some art sources said
about eight works of Lasekan were donated to the government during the 2nd World Black and African
Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC ’77) event. According to family
spokesperson Mrs. Olusola Dublin-Green, only two of the works were recovered as
loans from the National Gallery of Art (NGA). During preparation for
the exhibition, it was learnt that
six works of Lasekan from the eight donated for FESTAC 77 were
found missing from NGA collection.
SPEAKING
on the importance of art and culture to the development of Nigeria’s economy, chairman
of the symposium and exhibition, Omooba Yemisi Shyllon warned that
dependence on oil is not sustainable. He disclosed that Nigeria’s largest buyer
of crude oil, the U.S. will no longer import from any part of the world in the
next 10 to 23 years.”
He
therefore urged every stakeholder in the art and culture sector to develop and
preserve Nigeria’s art, which he stressed, is vital to tourism to boost
alternative revenue generation.
In
his contribution, one of the discussants at the symposium, Dr. Bruce
Onobrakpeya also noted the dismal state of preservation of contemporary
Nigerian art. He, for example, drew the attention of the gathering to a leaking roof of the National Theatre’s
art gallery, which allegedly “destroyed some of the national collection.” He
however argued, “the conservation of our contemporary artworks, particularly of
the masters, should not only be the job of the government, but also those of
individuals around the artists and communities.”
On the contribution of Lasekan to Nigeria’s independence,
Onobrakpeya noted: “Lasekan’s cartoons condemned the injustice of colonialism
in Africa, he should therefore share the honour of our freedom with great
politicians like Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Jomo Kenyatta and Kwame Nkrumah.”
Lasekan’s art legacy has blossomed
beyond where he left it, even within the family, so suggests the list of
supportive artists exhibited at the event: two generations of his family showed
with the late patriarch. The artists included children
David, the creator of Benbella and Lulu characters as well as other
cartoons for Daily Times; Kole a
U.S.-based animator and Akinyele; grandchildren Akintunde, Luke and Jumoke.
Also in attendance to celebrate their
own were His Royal Highness Olowo of Owo,
Oba Victor David Olateru Olagbegi CFR, and Onipele
of Ipele, Oba Abel Olaleye Alade II.
IN Lasekan’s works, his painting impressions
such as Nigeria Independence, Nigerian
Police Under Colonial Rule, Nigeria Soldier Under Colonial Rule and Dancers,
all oil on canvas, indeed, show an artist who had a pact with strokes and lighting,
perhaps “unrivalled” in his time.
Part of Lasekan’s bio
reads: “While working with C.M.S Bookshop between 1936 and 1940, Akinola
Lasekan took correspondence courses in fine art, art illustrating and
cartooning. His first diploma was in fine art, obtained in 1937 from Normal
College of Art, London. He joined West
African Pilot in 1937. In 1939, he obtained his second diploma in advance
drawing, illustrating, commercial art and cartooning from Washington School of
Art, United States of America.
Between 1936 and 1940, he executed notable
paintings that attracted great publicity in Lagos.”
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