By Adeola Badru

IBADAN — As he clocks 80, veteran artist and pioneer of the Osogbo art movement, Prince Yinka Adeyemi, has urged the Nigerian government to prioritise the creative sector by investing in cultural infrastructure and establishing a functional national gallery.

Adeyemi made the call ahead of Metamorphosis, a two-part multimedia exhibition being held in his honour in Ibadan and Lagos to celebrate his six decades of artistic contribution.

While noting that Nigerian art is globally acclaimed, Adeyemi expressed concern that it remains undervalued at home.

“Our works are everywhere in the world, yet many remain uncollected at home. Nigeria needs a proper national gallery in Ibadan or Lagos,” he said. “The government must realise that art is a powerful economic driver. Crude oil is diminishing, but art is regenerative and eternal.”

Tracing his artistic journey back to the early 1960s, Adeyemi recalled joining the plastic arts and theatre scene in southwestern Nigeria before co-founding the Osogbo group of artists in 1966. He stressed the need for mentorship to preserve cultural continuity, pledging to teach younger artists free of charge.

“Artistes are born, not made. We can only teach techniques, but creativity is of the mind. Knowledge must be passed on,” he said.

Beyond the exhibition, Adeyemi is set to launch a new book, Tanwa, published in Yoruba, English and French, with a Nollywood film adaptation already in the works.

Cultural stakeholders at the event echoed his call for stronger institutional support. Prof. Tunde Odunlade, cultural ambassador and curator of the Ibadan leg of Metamorphosis, described art as Nigeria’s most unique export.

“Art is the only fully finished product Nigeria exports. While crude oil produces by-products, art is complete, unique and priceless,” Odunlade said.

Similarly, Lagos-based gallerist Larry Segun-Lean hailed Adeyemi as “a cultural asset with enduring relevance,” while veteran artist Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya emphasised that Nigerian artists have been custodians of national identity for centuries.

“What we know of Nigeria today is largely because of our artists. They have documented our history for thousands of years. Prince Adeyemi is a classical modern artist, and we must protect and celebrate geniuses like him,” Onobrakpeya said.

The Metamorphosis exhibition is organised by the Tunde Odunlade Culture and Arts Foundation (TOCA-F) in collaboration with Master of the Minds Creative Gallery. It opens on August 30 at the Tunde Odunlade Arts and Culture Connexions in Ibadan and continues on September 13 at The Art Hotel in Lagos.