It was all conviviality on Saturday, December 19 when “Bata Mi A Dun Ko ko Ka”, the biography of renowned textile artist and gallery owner, Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye, was unveiled at GIG Motors, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Written by Kofo Adeleke, with the foreword by former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Robin Renee Sanders, it is published by Ibadan, Oyo State-based BookCraft.
In 233 pages, “Bata Mi A Dun Ko ko Ka” chronicles how the girl from Ogidi-Ijumu, Kogi State with no formal education became a globally recognised artist.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor Bruce Onobrakpeya, designer and art collector, Jess Castellote, CEO of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema, and several other arts players were at the event.
“Today is all about my aburo. It’s always a delight to see her, the embodiment of “Gbogbo nishe” – a multifaceted individual,” Professor Soyinka began while giving his remarks.
He continued: “Nike is one of the most exceptional and unique artists I’ve ever met, not because she uses herself as her own model of expression, but because she’s a walking piece of art that spreads joy all around. It’s an honour to celebrate with you today, aburo. It’s time for the world to get to know you and celebrate you.”
Famous printmaker, Onobrakpeya, on his part, said “The best setting to discover a genius is in the informal educational setting rather than the academy.
Also speaking, Castellote said: “The art world is a complex system with several players, I just want to mention one perhaps has helped consistently for the past decades. She has been very successful in that, and I think we need to acknowledge it and support her. It’s not only that she has trained people, but she also works in the gallery and has helped many others.”
Vice-Chair of the CIG Group which hosted the event, Dr Linus Idahosa, affirmed the company’s support for the arts while commending the artist. “True art is not just what stirs our sense of sight, attunes our soul or causes our spirit to rejoice. For us, it is the most powerful tool for societal change, and Mama Nike has proven to be that symbol. Mama Nike has trained a lot of people from the grassroots. On the other hand, she also looks after artists, her colleagues and professors, giving them the means to continue. I want to thank Kofo Adeleke for writing this book which reconstitutes a great document for Nigerian art.”
The chief launcher, Diana Chen, whose foundation bought a 1000 copies of the book with 500 going to five top Nigerian universities also had kind words for the artist popularly known as Nike.
“We all know Nike Davies-Okundaye. We recognise her for her unending talents, her alluring gallery and her impeccable style. We know about her, but hardly do we know her story. She has groomed thousands of talents throughout her life, but I believe that through her story, she’ll inspire millions more.”
Onyema disclosed that Nike Art Gallery was his first stop when he initially visited Nigeria in 2011. The owner spent two hours introducing him to Nigerian art during that visit. “As you know, finance is a great catalyst for growth in any sector. This convergence is a required ingredient for economic growth. I must congratulate Chief Nike Okundaye – who I fondly call Mama Nike and Kofo Adeleke, for this amazing book. Without doubt, Mama Nike, your shoes not only made an impression now but likewise your name and your sectional works in exposing our nation’s rich culture and heritage.”
The Consular General of Switzerland, Thomas Schneider, who gave the closing remarks began: ” I already call her Mama, because this is the feeling I get when I visit her gallery. I have visited many galleries around the world, but her gallery is a temple. When you leave Nike Art gallery, it is like you are coming out of a dream. I took my staff on a company outing to Nike Art Gallery. They are usually not familiar with the arts, and I told them ‘In the beginning, art is like eating and sleeping. It is part of the basic need of people; part of that which defines us. It is a mirror of our society. It is important,’ and I think they understand after the two hours we spent at the Nike Art Gallery.”
Famous for her textile designs, gallery (in Osogbo, Lagos and Abuja) and unmistakable style, Nike, as the artist is best known, has had a career spanning five decades which is well documented in the book. The presentation ended with her reading excerpts from the book.