A 29-year-old graduate of accountancy from Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, Joy Osueiya Edori’s love for artwork knows no bound. While at the state-owned polytechnic, Bori, Edori who hails from Ahoada part of Rivers State took time off to learn artwork. Her love for artwork paid off as she acquired skills in drawing, painting and craft.
“I love art so much. I studied accountancy from the state-owned polytechnic, Bori, but my love for art motivated me to learn the skill of art from a mentor who tutored me on the skills of artwork. I was able to learn fast and master all the skills in art such as drawing, painting and craft,” Edori told our reporter in Port Harcourt.
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Edori’s finish work on a portrait he dedicated to former President Goodluck Jonathan was a masterpiece of a skillful artist. Using a big size frame of 3 ft. by 3 and half ft. hammer and perforator to demonstrate her skills in artwork, Edori used about 5500 screw nails to express her sadness over the erroneous impression Nigerians had on the five years administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The large size portrait which had Jonathan adored in his native ‘Ijaw Etibo’ outfit and his trade mark cap was Edori’s ample way of expressing Jonathan’s good intentions for Nigerians during his five year-reign on the seat of power.
On what motivated her to draw Jonathan with nails, Edori said that after reading former President Goodluck Jonathan’s book, “My Transitional Hours”, she was able to find out that Nigerians nailed Jonathan erroneously without finding out his good intentions for the country.
“For a very long time I was unhappy with Dr Goodluck Jonathan given the erroneous impression I had about his administration. But recently, that mindset changed when I read Jonathan’s book titled “My Transition Hours.” In the book, the former president narrated his stories, how he was able to weather the storm. After reading the book, I got to know more about Jonathan’s wonderful initiatives and empowerment programmes especially the ones meant for the knowledge and skill development of the Nigerian youths.”
“How come his good policy actions were under-reported that most of us especially in my circle never heard of them?
I drew my references from chapters 3, 4, and 8 of the book and I must confess that I became ashamed of my Ignorance about Jonathan’s peaceful disposition and love for Nigerians. Truly, the truth is evident in our faces,” Edori stated.
Edori also said that she decided to use screw nails to draw Jonathan in the artwork as a symbol of how the latter was nailed by Nigerians unjustifiably, adding that the former president came out stronger, celebrated as a world leader and a global peace ambassador.
“This is a gift to you Sir as a token of my heartfelt apology and more importantly, my appreciation for your kind and patriotic spirit.
I only have two questions for you from your book and they are engraved in the background of this portrait of yours. It is my sincere hope that you appreciate this little gesture of mine as much as I have come to appreciate you Sir. And please, do not stop being the Beacon of hope and inspiration that we have come to see you as,” Edori pointed out.
She called on Nigerian leaders to initiate policy actions that will put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.
Apart from the portrait on Jonathan, Edori has used her skill to draw pictures of notable Nigerians such as the wife of Rivers State Governor, Justice Suzette Eberechi Wike, and a prominent politician from the North. There are about ten pieces of artwork to her credit.
She called on youths to depend less on white collar jobs and develop skills that can help them meet up with their financial needs.
“Days are gone when people relied on white collar jobs. There is no job and government cannot provide enough jobs for our teeming youths. So my advice to our youths is to develop skills that will go a long way to help them. If you develop a skill, you have created a job which can as well engage others. I read accountancy but I moved further to learn art, that is the kind of skill I’m talking about,” she said.
