IWD: Nigerian visual artists not silent about women’s rights

International Womens Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality which is very important in ensuring that art has nothing with gender but creativity and excellence. There are some Nigerian female artists that have been using their works over the years to advocate the rights of women in the country. Their voices through their numerous works and exhibitions have transcended the shores of Nigeria in their campaign for equal opportunities for all regardless of physical attributes. Some of these daring and bold visual artists are:

Chidimma Urunwa Ikegwuonu

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Art to the Anambra-State born artist is a way of expressing her ideas about social, political, cultural and gender issues. The alumnus of the University of Benin uses art as a means of advocacy on climate change and the rights of women. On her experience as a female artist in Nigeria, she said, “I had to ask myself if art was gender-based. But I love the ongoing revolution. Female artists are now appreciated, even though it is still a long journey to the climax.” She runs an art studio in Abuja. She did an exhibition in commemoration of International Women’s Day in Abuja. The exhibition themed: Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow attracted several personalities including the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, as she made another effort at breaking the bias in the industry.

She described the exhibition as a huge success as it afforded the opportunity to use her painting to advocate for women’s rights, “and today I am glad my paintings are going far and wide to speak out for women,” she said. She also presented her work to the Representative of the United Nations Women to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Comfort Lamptey.

Helen Nzete

She is an award-winning visual artist. The graduate of Fine Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, majoring in sculpture, is one of the visual artists advocating the rights of women. Some of her works, she said, are born out of the need to express her frustrations about how everybody thinks they can have an opinion on how women should live their lives.

“All the time girls are being told what to and what not to do. This has a psychological effect on our acceptance of rules, customs and laws without asking questions. This mental state of being has also given room for a lot of gender imbalances and nobody really cares how these things affect her. Regardless, every now and then, we have women who are strong enough to rebel the system, to be and do better, as female individuals.”

She said Nigerian female artists have done excellently despite the obstacles. In an interview with Daily Trust on Sunday, she said Nigerian female artists practising at home have done an excellent job at occupying the global art space.

“We have a lot of female artists now showing globally and getting international recognitions and awards which puts Nigeria in positive lights, globally,” she said, adding that female artists have keyed into the benefits of technology, using it as a tool for self-exposure, learning about other cultures and gaining, in terms of collaborations and participations.

Tosin Akingba

She is a charcoal and pencil artist based in Lagos. Her greatest influence has been her personal struggles and experiences, especially those things that affect women in society. 

She said, “I channel my expressions and feelings into my work, which I feel is the best way to speak up, tell a story and reach out to as many people as I can. I draw mostly facial expressions, as this can tell how we really feel at a particular moment. It could tell our emotions and struggles. A lot of women in our society go through various kinds of harassment, emotional torture, and abuse, and many don’t speak up. These have influenced my art a lot.”

In detailing the plights of women in her work, she said her most challenging piece was ‘Anguish.’

“I had to reach deep into my soul to harness the courage to speak against abuse of children and women in the drawing. It stands for all the trials and tribulations women go through. It speaks for every child, teenager and woman who has ever been marked negatively, molested, and abused. All of these things and more were what I had infused into one artwork.”

Ella Onyebe

She is known for her pottery and paintings as well as her generous use of colours. Most of her paintings are about African women and celebrating feminism. On her interest in feminism, she said, “Of ten of my works, eight are about women. I am trying to empower women. I am trying to create more awareness and make people respect them much more than what it is today and avoid violence. Most women want the best for their families. But if you leave a woman to live with pain, anger, they cannot give you the best. They need to be happy to guide their children. They needed to be guided and encouraged as well. You must treat them right and with respect to change the world. Women should be protected and not being treated badly or raped. When you rape a woman, you have affected the world because she would not be happy.”

Gloria Eberechukwu Mmaduako

She is an award-winning visual artist and first-class graduate of Fine and Applied Art from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State. Most of her works feature some feminine attributes as she charts her path in the industry. She is married to another celebrated self-taught artist – Clement Mmaduako and believes an attitudinal change from Nigerians is necessary to address the bias towards female artists.  

“Most people feel that female artists are not good enough. At times people think that you cannot do it maybe because you are a lady. I don’t know why people feel that way,” she said, adding the misconception from the clients need to end.

She said, “They have to stop thinking that a lady cannot do this because it is all about creativity. When someone is good, the person is good you don’t have to be a male or female to be good at what you do. When you’re good, you should be accorded that respect and honour. Some of my uncles told me that I cannot do art. People should know that it doesn’t have to be a guy or lady thing.”

She urged female visual artists not to be discouraged but proceed with their passion, “At some point, it was difficult stretching the canvas but I got used to doing it. If you limit yourself, you would be limited in what you can do but when you are out there learning, you can do anything you want to do.”