By Japhet Alakam

In the spirit of the wind of change blowing all over the nation, the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) has lined up a lot of activities to honour her former president, an artistic icon, erudite scholar and one who changed the face of the association, Prof. Dele Jegede who turned 70.

In a media parley which was attended by the SNA president, Oliver Enwonwu, Dr Kunle Adeyemi, Bolaji Ogunwo and others, the chairman of the organising committee, Dr Kunle Filani said that the events themed Introspection:

Dele Jegede@70 is to commemorate Prof. Dele Jegede’s 70th Anniversary and his contributions to the development of the Society, as well as contemporary Nigerian art. The events will feature a conference, an exhibition and talks to be held across 2 separate venues; the University of Lagos and the Yaba Colege of Technology from July 23 to 24, 2015.

Events to mark the celebration include a conference which is set to open on Thursday July 23, 2015 and close on Friday July 24, 2015 at Dept. of Creative Arts Complex, UNILAG and YABATECH, Lagos by 11.00 am.

It will feature a Creative Confab (Stampede)  on Friday July 24, 2015 at  Art Complex Foyer, YABATECH, Lagos by  3pm and Art Exhibition which will open on 24 and run till 31st July, 2015 at  Yusuf Grillo Gallery, YABATECH, Lagos . To be featured are his works , the works of his contemporaries like Kolade Oshinowo, David Dale, Joshua Akande etc and works of those he  influenced.

Hoosier-Daddy, a piece by Jegede

Also speaking, Dotun Alabi Lagos SNA chair said that Lagos chapter will also be celebrating him in a special way with a novelty match between the studio artist and academic artists, the two areas Jegede belonged and it will take place at Yabatech and Universal studios.

A former president of the Society of Nigerian Artists, Prof. Jegede is a renowned illustrator, cartoonist, painter and art critic from Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

He trained at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, before proceeding to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he graduated as a painter in 1973, winning the department’s prize. He also received his PhD in Art History from the Indiana University, Bloomington, United States.

Prof. Dele Jegede was the Art Editor of Daily Times before he became a research fellow at the Cultural Studies Department of University of Lagos. He has been professor of Art History at Miami University since 2005. He has taken part in several exhibitions in Nigeria and internationally.