Art today in Nigeria is a success story -Prof Onobrakpeya

Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya

Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya is a veteran artist who has empowered a lot of Nigerians through his project called Harmattan Workshop. In this encounter with ADA DIKE, the 81-year-old living legend who has been painting and sculpting for over 50 years, speaks on the importance of Festivals of Arts and Culture (FESTAC), among other riveting issues.
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What inspired you to go into art?
First of all, I want to say that art is in the blood. Growing up in Benin environment also helped me. The interesting thing about art is that it helps you to look at your past, present and enables to enjoy a lot of good things around you. I am inspired by folklore, history, the philosophy of the people, the beauty of the environment, men, women, activities, and festivals, among others, and these are the things that show up in my artwork.
Nigeria celebrated 14 years of uninterrupted democracy this year, 2013. How has the art sector fared under democracy?
It has fared very well. Usually, in any country, developments are like incidents that I described as Oliver Twist, we always ask for more. A lot of good things are going on and there are a lot of things to be done.
The state of the art today has great development over what it has been in the past and we should be happy about that, although, there are things to be changed. For instance, we want a gallery and a big national museum or monument, among several other things that should be done. Issues about copyright and policies should be put right in order to make the artists work better and enjoy their works and let their works be more able to promote the image of the country. They are all yet to be done. On the whole, art is developing along the line of progress. The art today in Nigeria is a success story.
Is government putting interest in visual art in Nigeria?
Yes, of course! The visual art has many parastatals, these are all government body and the government funds them in order to take care of different areas of art. For example, the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) which takes care of the art, have a yearly festival and the National Gallery of Arts (NGA) which does a lot of wonderful things. They write books, do exhibitions and do what we have been asking for, that we should re-visit Festivals of Arts and Culture (FESTAC). If we cannot re-visit FESTAC; we should do things that can stimulate FESTAC.
FESTAC was a big thing which consumed money but, if it is broken down, you can bring a section of it and that is what we want the government to continue. Years back, it would be recalled that they brought people from all over Africa just to celebrate and re-enact the values we have and so on.
So, we want government to annually, bring out money and invite people from Africa and many parts of the world to come and watch our heritage.
Why is art not economically viable, compared to other sectors of the economy?
We have artists who employed themselves in Nigeria. In other words, they have been able to get themselves out of the labour market. They did not only employ themselves, but employed other people and when a person creates an artwork, he has essentially, created an industry, because when he paints, the gallery that will exhibit that work is another body. It provides jobs for that body. Also, framing the pictures provides jobs for furniture makers. Then, you find that these are individual ambitions in this profession, which is to bring communities together including students, men and women and teach them art. These people do art and make much money from it. These are the things that are being talked about.
For instance, I instituted annual Harmattan Workshop in Warri, Delta State in 1999. The women in that axis attend the workshop free of charge and I give them money. They come again and invite others. The circle is expanding. It used to be Agbarha-Otor alone, now people from Ughellli, Isoko and other neighbouring towns have been attending my workshops.  When an institution like that is put up, a lot of people normally benefit from it. We have gardeners, cooks and facilitators. We have taken those people out the job market.
We always have tourists from outside the country that come for Harmattan workshop. When visitors come, they buy things thereby, improved Nigeria’s economy. This kind of things is being repeated all over the place.
Since nine years ago, we have been organising auction, which is bringing one person’s artworks and conduct sales which sometimes  pull up to a hundred million Naira in the hands of a Nigerian artist. This is money coming in, other than oil money. Artists have been producing artworks that are bringing money on a regular basis. Art is doing so much in the country. It is also helping to develop our identity. The cloth you are wearing is art.

Onobrakpeya's work, July 1972, deep etching, 26 X 20 inches

But it seems some Nigerians don’t appreciate what they have in terms of art. What is your view about that?
In a country, you have to conduct yourself to enable the outside world to appreciate what you have. I don’t think they have conducted a census to know people’s views concerning the modern day art or the contemporary art. In Abuja, Calabar and many states of the federation, you find carnival. Who are the people who prepare their costumes? Art is everywhere. It is just like the air we breathe, which is common and so important but people don’t realise its importance.
Many Nigerians don’t patronise visual artists because what many of them are interesting in getting are food, clothing and shelter. Apart from auction and exhibition, what other methods can be applied for an artist to be financially buoyant like some of their counterparts outside Nigeria?
The works of Nigerian and African artists inspire artists from Europe. In the modern day practical, Nigerians like art but just that you have not taken census or asked people about how much they like art. Look at an average market woman, she appreciates art by wearing gorgeous dress and put on earrings, necklace and bangles. These are visual arts.
How can we promote Nigerian arts and crafts to outside world?
It is by exhibiting our artworks outside the world and showcasing them at every Nigerian embassy. This can also be done through the information sector by helping people to organise shows. The government can also organise shows and festivals and like I said earlier, something that will stimulate or bring back FESTAC so that when foreigners come into the country and see exhibitions, they will carry away those images and patronise us.

Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya

Some people said many foreigners brought different idols and spirits into the country during FESTAC ‘77, which are still affecting Nigeria negatively. What is your view about that?
Don’t mind them. FESTAC was first done in Senegal and today, the Senegalese have what is called biennial festival and their economy is based on the art. They encourage art and it is giving them money. If the people and works that art bring did not destroy them in Senegal, how come they would destroy us here? So, all that, is just a figure of the mind. Somebody said that artwork has a spirit, look, if you begin to worship the earrings or necklace you put on, it will attract a spirit. So I encourage Nigerians to put away those thoughts from their minds and cherish the satisfaction art brings, rather than going back into the past.