Please introduce yourself.
My name is Oliver Enwonwu. I am the youngest son of Prof. Ben Enwonwu. I am the President, Society of Nigerian Artists. I am also the director of Omenka Gallery and publisher of Omenka magazine. I have a first degree in Biochemistry from the University of Lagos. I later went back to study Applied Geophysics. I also did a Post Graduate Diploma in Visual Arts and Masters in Artistry from the same university.
How was growing up with your father?
It was very interesting. I didn’t know he was a famous artist. I just simply referred to him as dad. I grew up watching him paint, and sometimes helping out, especially when he got older. When he couldn’t keep his hands straight, I would make some outlines for him. I was always happy to do that. He used to say one must make oneself useful. Anytime, we heard him coming around with his walking stick, we would scamper around the place, pretending to be busy. He was a very hardworking person up to the last point on his hospital bed, when he was very ill. Just before he passed, he was still painting.
What are some of the values you learnt from him?
I learnt integrity, professionalism, honesty, and contentment with whatever I have. He believed that one must be hardworking. He was a man of excellence.
How does it feel to be the son of a famous artist?
It has its good and bad sides; good in the sense that there is a platform for you, you have a background; you’ve learnt about the arts growing up and you know the artists. It also has its disadvantages in the sense that people would always compare you to him.
Would you say your dad’s name has opened doors for you?
I would say, in a way, yes. But at the same time, it’s been very difficult because people expect high standards from you.
Being an artist, was he a very private person?
Because of the demands of his work, he liked to have his own space. He never liked being distracted. He had a mixture of personalities. At one point, he was very social, he could go out and be the life of the party, and at another time, he wanted his space. It is difficult to describe him because he had multiple personalities. At times, he could be at his most jovial best, cracking jokes and laughing heartily. At other times, he would be quiet and withdrawn. He was quite an eccentric person. But now, looking at everything in retrospection, I understand fully well that those were the marks of a great artist.
What was his social life like?
He was very social. He was one of the few artists that felt extremely comfortable with the top echelon of the society. Most artists were not able to fit well into the society, especially the upper class. But he was able to do that. In 1954, he was awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) and that showed the class he belonged to. He also had top friends in government, having served in government for over 30 years of his career as adviser to the Federal Government. In modern day terms, this is equivalent to being the Minister of Culture and Tourism. Thus, he was able to mix freely with people in high places. Before his time, artists were looked down upon. But he gave Nigerian artists respectability through his personality, the friends he made and the positions he occupied. He was able to mix with the high and mighty in the society including the British aristocracy.
Can you mention some of your father’s close friends?
Some of his close friends included Chief Arthur Mbanefo, former Nigeria’s representative to the United Nations, Samuel Lagbaju, Ms Evelyn Oputu, former Managing Director of Bank of Industry, Mrs Judith Atta, Chief Moses Majekodunmi, Chief Philips Asiodu and Chief Tayo Apata.
Your father is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of Nigerian arts; can you shed more light on this?
Yes, he was one of the founding fathers of modern Nigerian arts. He was the first internationally renowned Nigerian artist. There were one or two artists before his time, but he was the most visible and internationally recognised. He was the first to start exhibiting in international, prestigious places. He was the first artist that the Queen of England sat for. Most of his works still remain in national consciousness like Sango at Marina, Lagos; Anyanwu, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York; the Drummer on the facade of the Nigerian Telecommunications building at Marina as well. His place in Nigerian art is cemented because of his contributions towards making a new visual language for Nigerian art. He was the first to start engaging the fusion of Western techniques with indigenous traditions and a lot of that is seen in his earliest works from the 1940s. He was able to marry those two major elements, Western techniques with indigenous traditions. And that was what gave birth to modern Nigerian visual arts as we know it. He was one of the first pioneer African modernist artists and he was able to engage modern art according to Western conventions and still retain his own ‘Africanity’. He wrote extensively and presented many papers on Nigerian and African arts. He was like a compass at that time, dictating the future of Nigerian arts. Several of his papers that have been published internationally are still being referred to even now. He was Nigeria’s first professor of Fine Arts. He was awarded a professorship in 1971 from the University of Ife, now known as the Obafemi Awolowo University. He also taught in many primary and secondary schools across the federation.
Who were some of his contemporaries?
There were artists that came before him. These were Aina Onabolu and Justice Akeredolu. One of his contemporaries was Akin Olashakun. Those were the founding fathers of Nigerian arts.
One of your father’s most famous works is the sculpture of the Queen of England. What did he tell you about the process of making the piece?
The sculpture was to symbolise or commemorate the Queen’s visit to Nigeria. It was when the country was negotiating her independence. The sittings began at Buckingham Palace and this was unprecedented, especially for a black artist. At that period, he was hailed as Africa’s greatest artist. Thus, it was easy for him to secure the commission, which was facilitated by the Federal Government. After the first few sittings at Buckingham Palace, the Queen of England went to sit for him at his private studio in London. That was very significant. He was one of the youngest holders of the MBE award and one of the most famous artists in the Commonwealth at that time. He was in his late 30’s when he was awarded the MBE.
Although he wasn’t too happy with some of the criticisms, especially when some felt he Africanised the Queen’s features. But I think that was the mark of a great artist. I think he was still able to capture her features and interpret her through African eyes. He highlighted the figures and elongated several facets of the body to depict fluidity. That also marked the success of the sculpture.
How was the moment for him and the family?
I wasn’t born then but it was something he was very proud of. Also, he always talked about that period as one when standards were extremely high in Nigeria.
Did your father influence your choice of being an artist?
Yes, he was a strong influence.
Did he influence your sibling’s career choices too?
My younger sister paints occasionally. She has a talent for arts, but she applies more of her artistic knowledge towards designing websites, while I have gone full time into arts.
What would be your dad’s view about the state of Nigerian arts today?
I think he would be happy because there has been a lot of progress. We are beginning to see a bit of improvement in some of the things he complained about; exhibitions are getting better and Nigerian artists are being exhibited on the international scene in prestigious museums, and exhibition spaces. He would be happy with that. He would also be happy with the auction prices for Nigerian arts going high. Of course, he would have been disappointed by some things, for instance, government’s almost seeming negligence towards the plight of artists, and the fact that we don’t have a national gallery of arts to house our rich cultural collections.
How did he discipline his children whenever they erred?
He discussed the issues, he shouted and yelled at us, but he never hit anyone.
What was his daily routine?
He always started his day early. He slept late and woke up early. At seven in the morning, he came outside to pray. He was a devout Catholic. Then he would have his tea and breakfast, and he would start work almost immediately if he didn’t have any appointment. But if he had any appointment, he was always on time for his appointments. At one o’clock, he had his siesta after lunch. It was compulsory for him; he would rest for about two to three hours. Later on, after he’s had his tea, he would continue his work until late in the evening. Sometimes, he stayed up until two or three in the morning, working. Whenever he took a break in the evening, it would be to listen to the news headlines.
What was his favourite meal?
He liked ofe onobu and ofe nsala (soup), with pounded yam. Also, he always ate lots of fruit and salad. We had bananas and oranges in the refrigerator always because he ate it after his meals. He never ate food that wasn’t freshly prepared.
Did he have a favourite drink?
He always drank wine with his food.
How did he spend time with his family?
He spent time with us, especially prayer time. On Sundays, we would all go to church together. Those were good times for him. And sometimes in the evening, he would look for me to adjust his television set and we would chat thereafter. That was how he was with the other children.
What are some of the fondest memories you have of your father?
I remember my mum was the disciplinarian. Most of the time, when she was disciplining us, he would come out pleading with her that she should calm down. It makes me laugh when I remember that now. I remember him teasing me a lot that I had a big head, and that maybe that was why I was intelligent. He always cracked jokes like that. When he knew that I liked chicken, he used to call me ‘Chicken George.’ He was a very jovial and easy-going person.
How was his relationship with your mum?
It was a very good relationship. They were a loving couple. Though, they had their turbulent times like many other families, they loved each other because my mum knew how to warm her way into his heart. He liked good food and he appreciated her hard work.
How did he react whenever he was angry?
He shouted and brandished his walking stick but he never hit anyone with it. Afterwards, he would remind anyone he was upset with about the poor standards (in the country) and how Nigeria used to work in those days.
What were his other hobbies?
He liked going for walks once in a while. He also walked around the compound to stretch his legs. He was devoted to his works, they were like his children. His hobby was his work, just as work was his work. They served a dual purpose.
What were his dislikes?
He didn’t like people lying or being lazy. He didn’t like people who believed in poor standards.
What do you miss about your father?
I wish he was still alive to see how Nigerian art has progressed. I feel sorry that he passed on a bit too early because I think that he would have been proud to see the way Nigerian art is going. Some of the things he fought for in those years are coming to fruition. I wish he had witnessed all of that in his lifetime.
How did he die?
He died of cancer after being very ill for more than a year. It was very painful when he passed on. Those were sad times. Even when he was ill, his spirit was undaunted and he was mentally alert. On his death bed, he still painted sketches. We shared a lot then and that even helped us bond better.
What was the last thing he painted?
He did a painting of my mum, which we still have in the collection. He was doing a sketch and as she walked into the hospital room, he flipped it over and quickly did a portrait of her.
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