A beaten metal works artist, Isola Folorunso has disclosed how he helped the late Erhabor Emokpae create the friezes at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
The late Emokpae, one of the founding members of the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) is acknowledged as the creator of the murals/friezes at the National Theatre entrances. He was born in 1934 in Benin City and died on February 16, 1984.
Speaking with TCN in an interview in Osogbo, 72-year-old Folorunso, who trained under the famous Asiru Olatunde, disclosed that though the conception was Emokpae’s, the execution wasn’t.
He sought out Folorunso and others from Osogbo who helped him create the friezes.
“When Emokpae heard about our name and work, he came here to Osogbo. He told us he had a job for us, that it was big. Could we come to Lagos? I told him I would, and he returned to Lagos. We spent six months creating the works at the National Theatre. He lodged us at a hostel and bought a huge iron sheet. He explained that instead of placing our materials on stone, we should be using the iron; that the works would be smoother. We saw that it was true. Emokpae was very happy with the job, and he did very well by us. He was a very good man. His death pained us because he wasn’t arrogant.
“He had no airs despite his education and wealth; the way he related with his children was the same way he did to visitors. The work we did for him was the frieze at the entrance. If you go down, you would see some copper, but we used his drawings.”
Apart from Emokpae, another Benin-City-based artist also commissioned Folorunso for a project.
“Ayo Odiboh in Benin City also invited us for a job. He lived at 12, Sakpoba Road, Benin. We spent nearly one year there. It was also a copper job, and we completed the job. Since then, I have been my master. People who knew Baba [Asiru Olatunde] from the US but who had started seeing my name started commissioning me too,” he explained.
Born into a blacksmith family, Folorunso started as an apprentice with the late Olatunde, making ear-rings, rings and bracelets with drawings of lions, tigers, snakes and human heads on them. He later became his personal assistant and director of the studio after the famous passed.
The artist, who works with aluminium, copper and brass also benefited from his late master’s relationship with Ulli Beier who helped add some innovations to their works and found collectors for them.
Though his works have featured in Nigerian and international exhibitions, Folorunso is a reticent man who focuses on his creations. Two of his children, US-based Jelili Oloruntoyin and Taofeek Adebayo have followed in his steps.