What a black Thursday!
With all rudeness and shock at its disposal, Death warned no one, sneaked in and took Nsikak Essien away. And we lost a gentleman to the core. We lost a great artist.
We lost a humble humanist. We lost a fine teacher and a hugely creative artist.
Essien was born in 1957 and graduated from the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu in 1979. He bagged a Distinction in Painting and won the Overall Best Graduate award. In 1991, he resigned as a lecturer from the same institution in order to commit himself to full-time studio practice. His later works are strictly experimental, and are marked by quality and excellence.
All my school days as an art student, Essien’s name transcended his locale. We read about him. We studied his works and were greatly inspired. I encountered his ‘Portrait of Segun Olusola’ in 1992. A masterpiece that amplifies Essien’s truism as a super colourist! I had since looked forward to meeting him.
I finally did in late 90’s when I visited his Lagos home to discuss Art. Full of smile and full of life, he cut the image of a man at peace with himself and everything around him. He never hid his Christian faith, but he would never push it down any body’s throat.
In 2006, Ara Studio organised an open seminar titled ‘When Does an Artist Become a Master?’ which I coordinated. Alongside art greats like Baba Bruce (Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya), my very good friend, Prof. Peju Olowu Layiwola, my senior colleague, Prof. Jerry Buhari and others, Nsikak Essien presented a practical paper that effortlessly underscored his brilliance and mastery of Art. I had since reaffirmed my admiration of him and his art. He was a man we all treated with absolute respect, and this is based on the strength and quality of his work, and his friendly and receptive mien.
“Death, where art thy sting?”
Adieu, great artist!
