Emergence of Contemporary Outdoor Public Sculptures in Western Nigeria
Public outdoor sculptures are defined in the context of this study as any outdoor sculpture commissioned and executed by the government and its agents, municipal associations and communities.
Public outdoor sculptures are an integral part of modern Nigerian art. Similarly, the workshops and art schools started by Catholic missionaries cannot be left out in discussing the emergence of public outdoor sculptures, because it was the products of these workshops that actually started the installation of public outdoor sculptures in Nigeria.
The introduction and creation of works of sculpture in Nigerian schools, specifically in the south-west of the country, began through the activities of Kenneth C. Murray. He was the first British colonial officer assigned to teach art in Nigeria. He came to Nigeria in 1927 and advised students to conceptualize forms within the contents and limits of their rich and living cultures.
Students were taught wood carving, modeling, wall decoration, painting, and drawing. His art teaching had a strong preference for local indigenous art forms. He advised that traditional and contemporary art be incorporated into public buildings such as churches and schools so that the art can become familiar with society. There was an art exhibition at Zwemmer Art Gallery, London in 1937 entitled “Exhibition of Wood Carvings, Terracotta and Watercolor”, which arose as a result of the success of Murray’s program. The exhibition showcased the works of its pioneering students that reflect on the theme of the exhibition, the new status of sculpture in the syllabus. The main aim of the exhibition was to solicit the approval of the art by the people of England as a good activity worthy of being included in the school’s curriculum. Murray was able not only to encourage art in schools and universities, but he also expanded the existing curriculum by including sculpture. Traditional sculpture was also updated recommending it as a means of artistic propagation. Traditional and contemporary arts were also incorporated into architecture.
The papal order of the 1930s, which authorized Christian missionaries to adapt to beneficent indigenous cultures, likely encouraged Murray to introduce sculpture into schools and universities. The order allowed Catholic missions to establish an art workshop in 1947 in Oye Ekiti under the direct mentorship of Father Kelvin Carroll. Similarly, Lord Lugard’s policy of indirect rule, which redirects British politics through existing traditional bosses and institutions, may well have been an unconscious model for the Oye Ekiti project in Nigeria. This workshop is probably the first practical step in Nigeria to introduce sculpture into modern architecture. Traditional artists came together to produce sculptures and other crafts depicting Christian themes for the use of the church. Items produced include Madonnas, crucifixes, Christmas nativity scenes, figures of saints, doors, etc.
The artists who worked in the workshop reportedly produced sculptures for some notable non-Christian organizations. Among these are the stalls of the House of the Department of Antiquities of the Jos museum, the palaces of Ooni de Ife and the Oba de Ila. Other sculptures include reliefs on the doors of the Ibadan University Chapel, commissioned in 1954, the door of Ibadan Cathedral in 1956, and those of the Church of St. Paul, Lagos in 1960. Actually, the works do not they were modern because they were not from a naturalistic perspective, as they were works produced by traditional artists under modern influence for Christian worship and the adornment of modern architecture. The works were the first recorded or known public sculptures in Nigeria started by Christian missionaries, the colonial government, and royal institutions following the papal order of Pius XII. However, it is safe to say that it was Christian missionaries who took the first major initiative that led to a practice that later led to the creation of public sculpture in Nigeria.
Ben Enwonwu, who was one of Kenneth C. Murray’s pioneering students, and whose works were part of the exhibits at the Zwemmer Gallery in London in 1937, was another major boost, not only for sculpture, but also for modern art. as a whole in Nigeria. He was a sculptor and painter, although well known as a sculptor. He was appointed Federal Art Advisor in 1948. His sculpture “Queen Elizabeth II” was one of the first modern public outdoor sculptures in Nigeria. Before 1960, he was the only modern Nigerian sculptor whose works corroborated his training at the expatriate school. Some sculptures in Nigeria in the 1950s were works by Enwonwu. Works included the bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth II in the House of the Federal Assembly in Lagos; ” Awakening ” also in bronze, on the facade of the Lagos National Museum; the full-length bronze portrait of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe in the former East Assembly House, Enugu; ” Sango ”, on the outskirts of the Electric Power Authority of Nigeria, now the headquarters of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Marina, Lagos; ” Anyanwu ”, attached to the exterior wall of the Museum of Lagos, Lagos; and the carved door of the Chapel of the Apostolic Delegation, Lagos. Hence, modern Nigerian public sculpture began with Enwonwu setting the pace in the 1950s.
The only monumental public sculpture in Nigeria in the 1950s that equaled the Enwonwu sculpture in technical elegance and concept was the bronze statue of “Emotan”, the monument to a Beninese heroine believed to have saved Oba’s life. Ewuare II. It is the work of John Danford, another artist who gave great impetus to sculpture in Nigeria. He was a British artist attached to the British Council office in Lagos in the late 1940s, who incessantly entered the colonial government and local authorities to “enlist the help of artists to decorate public buildings”.
Lamidi Fakeye, who later joined Murray’s school, was another impetus for the production of public outdoor sculpture in Nigeria. He was a traditional carver, who was able to articulate his skills in modern artistic expression as a result of the training he acquired in Murray’s workshop. He developed concepts from biblical themes, taking into account the African proportions. The artists in Murray’s workshop were allowed to use their local styles and skills, although unusual themes were adopted, a good example is the figure of Mary (mother of Jesus) beating yams and dressed as a Yoruba woman.
Fakeye wood carvings made up a good number of public sculptures in public buildings such as churches, schools and palaces in Nigeria, both before and after independence. Some examples of such works are “Edena Gate” (Four posts of veranda and two doors) in the palace of Ooni of Ife, Ile-Ife (1953); doors for the Catholic Chapel, University of Ibadan (1957); Relief carvings of “Fourteen Stations of the Cross” in the Catholic Chapel, University of Ibadan (1957); “Bishop’s Throne” in the Catholic Cathedral of Santa María, Oke Padi, Ibadan (1958); Six doors for the Catholic Church of San Pablo, Ebute Meta, Lagos (1959); two posts for the celebration of Nigerian independence (1960); two doors for the Catholic Church of San Miguel, Ondo (1961); two doors for the executive council chambers, Ibadan (1964); four verandah stalls at the Institute for African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan (1964); Oduduwa Statue in Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo Ile-Ife University (1987); and many others. In addition to Enwonwu setting the pace for public sculpture in Nigeria as mentioned above, Fakeye appeared on the scene of public sculpture production towards the early 1950s, which could probably be compared to or traced back to the making of the call of Danford to the colonial masters for enlistment. of artists for the decoration of public buildings.
By the late 1950s, the success of Onabolu and the expatriate school had produced tremendous positive results in updating the creation of the arts in Nigerian schools. At this time, Fine Arts as a course of study was introduced in higher institutions of learning. A typical example is the Fine Arts establishment at the then Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology in Ibadan in 1953, although the Fine Arts course was later moved to the Zaria branch of the college in 1955, which is now the University Ahmadu Bello. Zaria. There were also records of the establishment of schools of Fine Arts such as Ife Art School, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife established in 1962; the Nsukka School of Art, now the Nsukka University of Nigeria (UNN) established in 1960, and others. The Osogbo School of Art was successfully developed as an experimental school for artists such as Twin Seven – Seven, Jimoh Buraimoh, Oyelami Muraina and Rufus Ogundele.
Subsequently, as a result of public sculptures, which were carried out due to the uncompromising activities and efforts of Murray’s experimental workshop in the 1940s, coupled with the new trend of recognition given to Nigerian modern art in the 1960s, The commissioning of public outdoor sculptures seemed to have flourished in the southwestern states of Nigeria. In this instance of the aforementioned recognition, public outdoor sculptures began to emerge in different and strategic places on the streets and in public buildings. This may probably be the reason why many public outdoor sculptures can be found in open streets, crossroads, roundabouts, public buildings (such as churches, schools), and government parastats.
Therefore, many reasons can be responsible or attributed to the familiarity and commonality of public outdoor sculptures in those areas. To begin with, governments, municipal associations, communities, and some influential people seem to have commissioned a large number of public outdoor sculptures in the areas. Second, the people of these areas have many cultural activities and festivals that require commissioning of sculptures, and this made the areas have a long tradition of sculptural excellence that dates back to the ancient traditional cultures of the people of the area. Examples of such festivals are; Yam, War, Egungun, Ogun, Sango festivals, among others. Another reason probably emanated from the establishment of experimental expatriate workshops, initiated by Catholic missions, and indigenous art schools, both before and after independence in those areas. Another reason must have arisen from the art school establishments which probably, over time, may have created a certain awareness in the generality of the people through their activities. All of these reasons must have greatly improved and promoted the production and commissioning of public outdoor sculptures in the southwestern states of Nigeria.