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Fashion, Arts Matriarch, Olabisi Akpata, Departs At 92

by Eva Irewole August 15, 2022
by Eva Irewole August 15, 2022

The families of Abraham-Laala Ayorinde of Ibadan, Oyo State and Chief Tayo Akpata, the late Ima of Benin, Edo State, have announced the departure of their well-loved matriarch, Chief (Mrs) Olabisi Taiyewo Ayorinde-Akpata.

She passed away on Tuesday July 12, 2022 after a brief illness.

She would have been 93 in December 2022.

Chief (Mrs) Ayorinde-Akpata was the eldest daughter of the late Asipa of lbadan, High Chief John Adeyemi Ayorinde and Mrs Miriam Alaba Ayorinde and was the matriarch of the illustrious Ayorinde family of Ibadan till her departure at a ripe old age.

Born on the 22nd of December 1929, in Oranyan area of Ibadan, and fondly called Labisi Akpata by her parents, she was well-regarded as a trained professional and promoter of indigenous fashion, arts and crafts.

She attended Baptist Girls School (BGS), Idi- Aba, Ogun State as a boarding student in her elementary school days. She had fond memories of her stint at the school where she was taught by British and Irish missionaries.

BGS is now 100 years old.

After Baptist Girls School, Mrs Olabisi Ayorinde-Akpata returned to lbadan where she attended St. Annes Secondary school as a boarding student.

In 1954, she travelled to England to study Nursing in Birmingham but unfortunately she had a slip disc while trying to carry a patient and had to abandon the course. While in Birmingham, she made a life-long friend, Mrs Lolade Sowemimo nee Akitoye.

Thereafter, she went to the University of Edinburgh to study Teaching for which she obtained a diploma.

At the Uuniversity of Edinburgh, another life- long friendship was formed with Florence (Flora) Nwapa, a forerunner to the new generation of African writers.

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Madam Olabisi would later move to London when she was accepted at the prestigious St. Martins College of Art to study Textile and Jewellery Design. Together with her cousin, late Justice Atinuke lge, she lived in Hammersmith with Chief and Mrs Morundiya.

St. Martins College of Art was renowned for producing many great British designers.

It was not surprising that she would later return to Nigeria and make her mark in the textile industry.

She would be remembered in Nigeria for introducing multiple colours into Adire clothing, having found the traditional colour of just indigo too mundane.

She also introduced the use of adire on suede and leather.

Her home at the University of lbadan in those days became popular for Nigerians interested in buying her adire materials and jewellery.

Popular artist and entertainer, Twin 77 and a few other renowned artists were among many art-inclined company that ‘Mama Labisi’ kept in the 60s and 70s.

In her spare time, she also taught Adire and her unique method of multi colored designs to many interested persons in the design industry.

In 1958, She had joined the civil service in the old western region. She was appointed as a teacher of Art students in Ilesha, where she made some life-time friends like Ms. Bess Enahoro and Caroline Williams (nee Adeoye.)

She was then transferred to the Ministry of Information in 1962. It was while in lbadan she met a dashing young man – Tayo Akpata, who lived a few doors away from her on Adeyi Avenue in Bodija.

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She got married to her heartthrob in 1963 and had three children – Iyen, Osa and Osagie.

ln 1972, she moved to the old Mid-Western region with her husband when he was appointed the Commisioner for Education, a position he held till the coup d’etat of 1975.

However, her passion remained textile design and art collection. In 1971, she wrote a book on adire clothing in Nigeria and also co-authored a book on textile design with Doig Simmonds.

She also had a programme on Western Nigeria Television (wntv) teaching the youths about art and designs.

In 1975, she established Ejire Gallery on the old Oyo road lbadan. It was an art gallery with a restaurant.

Thereafter, when she took her children to England, she continued to design and sell art works to a few boutiques and shops in Hammersmith, Chalk farm in London.

She was once commissioned by the Federal Government of Nigeria to produce Adire and art carvings for the second festival of arts and culture in Africa, Festac 77.

Much later when her children were in the university in America, in 1988, out of boredom she collaborated with Arthur Hall Foundation and provided costumes for African theatre productions like Oba Koso.

She was also commisioned by Patti la Belle to produce some traditional clothings.

Some of her carvings are still at the Smithsonian museum in Washington DC, USA till today.

Madam Ayorinde-Akpata enjoyed travelling, and was able to travel to over 30 countries in her life time. She also enjoyed going to the theatre, especially in the UK, often in company with her children and relations.

On one occasion, she was thrilled to watch her second daughter, Osa, who is also an art aficionado, perform as puck in a midsummer nights dream at the Barbican in London, when she attebded the guild hall school drama as an external student.

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Mama Labisi taught her children that they could achieve all their dreams with focus and commitment.

She had a remarkable 81st birthday on December 22, 2011 at the University of Ibadan at a ceremony where the biography of her father, the late great man of culture, Chief J.A Ayorinde, was unveiled.

Authored by her nephew, Steve Ayorinde, the biography – Abokede:The Man, The Hill & The City – had in attendance several dignitaries including the former Oyo State Governor, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo; former Ambassador to Ethiopia, the late Chief Segun Olusola; founder of ABUAD University, Dr. Afe Babalola, SAN; former Super Permanent Secretary and diplomat, Chief Phillip Asiodu; Nigeria’s first female professor of History, Prof. Bolanle Awe; the sitting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan at the time, Prof. Isaac Adewole; erudite scholar, Dr. Akinwunmi Ishola; a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ibadan and Ilesha, Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu; Osun State Deputy Governor at the time, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori and Baale of Ekotedo, Elder Taiye Ayorinde, among others.

The service of songs and night of tributes for the deceased holds on Thursday August 25, while the funeral service is slated for the Church of Ressurection in Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday August 26, 2022.

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