By Japhet Alakam

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic society of about 140,000,000 people with well over 250 dialects. But sadly, this immensely blessed country has failed to take advantage of her rich endowment in human, cultural and natural resources for the betterment of the people.

The neglect of the culture and its allied industries and the nation’s consistent dependent on oil as a mono economic driver has further weakened foreign income generation for the country.

Failure to properly harness the rich cultural patrimony of the divers ethnic formations has not only made the country to lose huge sums of foreign exchange, but more painfully, created a negative in roads for foreigners to come in and tell the nation’s history with all sorts of distortions.

It is based on this anomaly that Israel Benamaisia,  Yaba College of Technology trained painter, last week opened a solo exhibition tagged, Colours of Nigeria, an exhibition of paintings.

The one week exhibition which kicked off at the National Museum, Onikan,Lagos and declared open by Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke was not just an ordinary exhibition but a special one, as it focuses on the promotion of the different cultures in the land.

Colours of Nigeria, which according to the artist is a metaphor of Nigeria’s diverse culture featured about 43 vibrant paintings in varied media mostly in acrylic on canvas, oil on canvas and plaster of Paris (POP).

With natural stroke and good use of brilliant and fascinating colours, the artist through the body of works graphically reflects on the expansive cultural landscape of the country called Nigeria, especially the various festivals of the people.

According to Ekpo Udo Udoma who wrote the foreword “the figures are rendered with anatomic accuracy and colours represented as seen in nature. No attempts are made to personalize his depictions.”

The exhibition hall was dotted with beautiful works that reflect the culture of the different ethnic groups in Nigeria, from the Nassarawa Drum and Dance, Musicians at Argungu fishing festival, Mai Nunu (Milk seller) etc in the North, to the Benin Chieftain Salute, Izon Royal Wedding Procession, Dancing in the Royal Court of Benin, Izon Fiesta in the South South, down to the Ondo Wedding Procession 1, Ere Oloba Dance (Ekiti State), Eyo (Lagos State) from the South West.

There was also Fattening Room Dance 11, Ohola Festival, Royal salute at Ofalla from the South East. Other works displayed includes: Colours of Nigeria, Fishermen’s Stampede, Delegates, Sallah Day Musician, Xylophone and Drums, Bridesmaid, Procession etc. The array of works brings to the fore the creative ingenuity of the man who has been in the dark for years but promised to exhibit regularly now.

According to the artist who has been working in the industrial art sector for years, the exhibition is a product of three years of very hard work and research that took him to many festivals held across the country.

In his artist statement, Benamaisia pointed out three good reasons why he organised the exhibition; to contribute his own quota to the promotion of culture and tourism industry in Nigeria, to document the present day cultural performances and costumes for posterity as most of them are on the verge of going into extinct due to modernization and other external influences and finally, to help the government realize her aspiration to building a non oil economy.

In his remarks, Culture and Tourism Minister, Edem Duke said that the title of the exhibition is the same with the slogan that they intend to use to describe Nigerian culture and tourism brand.

“Our art/culture and indeed the endowments with which God has bequeathed the country is one of the proudest things we should do.”  He said, adding that he was delighted by the fact that through the eyes of one person, he has been able to document the colours of Nigeria.

The opening ceremony was attended by many art and culture bigwigs, among them were: Donald Duke, former Governor of Cross River State, Abdulahi Muku, the DG, National Gallery of Art, Martin Adaji, Artistic Director, National Troupe of Nigeria,  Frank Okonta, AGAN Chairman, Mrs Ubeku, Nike Oshinowo- Soleye and many other art lovers.