Bronze Sculptures

Image: Artsy.net

An effortless indication of our sheer creative energy can be seen in our art; both ancient and contemporary. It is a delightfully vibrant, surrealistic exposition of beauty, craft and ingenuity. The fascinating history of our art dates as far back as 500 BC and perhaps the most famous representation of early Nigerian art are the many sculptures from the magnificent kingdoms of old.

Some of the best examples of these exquisite works of art can be found in European museums, like the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris and Berlin's Ethnological Museum. They are displayed as trophies of a shameful era of exploitation and evil. The many arguments – all silly – as to why these historic gems remain with those that plundered them are still being peddled and it is mindboggling how this is okay even today. This kind of hypocrisy can also be seen in the ease and the scale at which Western governments park looted funds from Africa while labelling the continent ‘fantastically corrupt’. The business of pillaging Africa appears to be as attractive as ever. 

The relationship many African countries have had and continue to maintain with their erstwhile tormenters is an interesting one. This almost apron string dependence is illustrative of how much of a sham what ‘independence’ really means to – and – in Africa. The concept of the Common-Wealth nations of the British Empire for instance, presents as such a curious anomaly even under the pretext of a diplomatic endeavour that one wonders how constituting members have continued to play along. But then, finding ‘seemingly willing’ collaborators is a task slavers and colonisers seem to have always been adept at.

An academic paper on Identity and Nigerian Art that sought an agreeable and workable definition for Nigerian Art eventually came up with this one: ‘works of art produced by Nigerians in its purest form devoid of any foreign influence.’ This definition in some measure, underscores the challenges faced by many Nigerians in creating something truly devoid of external influence. While our democracy is a work in progress, the deleterious impact ‘external’ British influence has had and continues to have on our systems is still grossly misunderstood and underestimated.

The copious experimentation of colonial constitutions over several years – among other devices – systematically served to drive a deep-seated wedge between the north and the south, brewing political tensions that would eventually lead to the 1966 coup. It was downhill from there on and it’s pretty much the same sinister manifestation across much of sub Saharan Africa. The intentions of our friends from across the sea were never as pure as some would have imagined or some historic views would posit; far from it; hope was an orchestrated illusion. Dig a little deeper.

It appears as though we are still in search of what it means to be truly independent as we once were for what true Nigerian art meant. Without attempting to absolve political leadership over the years of ineptitude, we have the task to look within for unsullied instruments of engagement with which to build a new nation – in its purest form – devoid of external influence.