By Ebunoluwa Sessou

Wildlife is more than a source of beauty; it is a reminder of our responsibility. It is not imaginary or distant. It is real. And it needs us now more than ever.

This was the essence of the 3days Art Teacher Exhibition organized by the Culture Art Academy.

The exhibition provides a unique platform for primary, junior and secondary school art teachers to showcase their talent, vision and creativity. Through their work, these educators invite us to re-imagine the role of art in environmental advocacy, inspiring a deeper appreciation for Nigeria’s rich biodiversity.

The Art Teachers Exhibition is a vibrant collaboration between Culture Art Academy, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, NCF, and the National Council for Arts and Culture.

This initiative, staged under the theme, ‘Exploring the Beauty of Wildlife’ celebrates creative expression and reinforces our shared commitment to environmental education and conservation through art.

In a keynote address by the founder of Culture Art Academy, Augustine Ekhaiyeme said, this year’s theme brings attention to the breathtaking world around us vibrant colors, majestic landscapes, intricate patterns, and awe-inspiring creatures. Through art, we reawaken our sense of wonder and appreciation. Adding that, it is not just art that is explored but the role as guardians of the natural world.

The theme, according to Ekhaiyeme, describes the vibrant colors, majestic landscapes, textures, intricate patterns and the fascinating creatures waiting to be explored. The theme further aims to inspire a sense of wonder; a call to preserve and protect our natural world.

According to Ekhaiyeme, “Wildlife is not just a reflection of our planet’s beauty, but also a reminder of our responsibility to protect it. Not just a figment of our imagination; it is our reality and a world worth preserving.

“This Art Teachers exhibition is a wakeup call to all individuals, institutions, organizations both private and public to create more awareness towards protecting our natural world. As we continue to grow, we must know that our actions have consequences on the natural world including pollution, habitat destruction, deforestation and climate change.

“However, we must not relent by positively playing our part in protecting our world so that generations after generations won’t see us as failures. As we explore this theme, we are reminded of our own place in the natural world and making conscious choices in our daily lives.

“The beauty of wildlife is a treasure that we must cherish and a reminder of the wonders and diversity of life on our planet. It is a call to action. A journey we all must all embark together to create a better and safer world.

Meanwhile, Director General of NCF, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said, “At NCF, we believe that conservation begins with awareness. Art, with its emotional resonance and universal language, has the power to translate the urgency of wildlife conservation into stories that children, communities and policy makers can all engage with.

“This exhibition is more than a display of artistic mastery. It is a call to action, a dialogue between nature and society, and a bridge linking culture with conservation.

“We commend the participating teachers for stepping beyond the classroom to become ambassadors of wildlife protection.

“We are grateful to Culture Art Academy and National Council for Art and Culture for aligning with our vision to build sustainable societies where people and nature thrive. May this exhibition inspire reflection, foster connection and ignite a renewed commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s natural heritage”, he said.

One of the exhibitors, Tajudeen Kadiri advised intending artists to dedicate one quarter of 24 hours doing art. “Once you have passion, you need dedication, sacrifice and commitment.
As an introvert, I spend my time inside trying to build on what would give me a niche among other artists. So, I love innovation.

In his motivational speech, Mr. Prekeme Kentebe of the Great Artist advised children to embrace art.

In his speech, ‘Where is my money’, said, “As an artist, you need to develop not just the basic talent but passion.

“What drives talent is passion. With that same passion, it drives the process of selling the work. There are lots of good artists, but they are very broke.

“A lot of artists are very good, but being successful as an artist, you must be visible. You must know what you have. I call it, show, go and grow. You must know it. You must show it. You must go along with it and grow with it.

“As an artist, you need to understand how to invest your work and let it grow and multiply.

“If I put it in a small business, and recycle the business into another business. This is what I call diversification of business, I start growing that money.

“I work on different businesses, small businesses like car wash, photo studio, photo lab, printing press, dispatch rides among others. So all those businesses are open with the passage of time.

“Today, you see a lot of fake artists online that just post things, but you do not see them doing any work or see them having a studio.

“As an artist, you need to understand the social media trend and you are passionate about your work, you will be busy making money, and you also reproducing and growing your money through that by asking yourself every time where is my money, so you must track your money where it goes, and multiply it”, he said.