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Hausa Traders (1944)
Akinola Lasekan
Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom
Hausa Traders (1944) Akinola Lasekan Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom
January 13, 2026 at 3:45 PM
mdstamper.bsky.social
"Untitled" by Akinola Lasekan (Nigerian) - Oil on board / 1967 - Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Pan-Atlantic University (Lagos, Nigeria) #WomenInArt #AkinolaLasekan #Lasekan #art #artText #BlueskyArt #YemisiShyllonMuseumofArt #YSMA #Pan-AtlanticUniversity #NigerianArt #AfricanPortrait #NigerianArtist
Painted in 1967, a few years after Nigeria’s independence, this untitled portrait reflects artist Akinola Lasekan’s commitment to portraying Nigerians with seriousness and grace rather than as ethnographic types. Recognized as a pioneer of Nigerian modernism and especially admired for portraiture, Lasekan combined formal training under British educator Kenneth Murray with close observation of everyday people, using color and light to affirm their individuality. This vertical bust-length portrait depicts a Black woman facing slightly left against a curtain-like wash of mint and teal greens. Her deep brown skin is modeled with warm highlights across her forehead, nose, and collarbones, and a small scar on one cheek. She wears a tall, carefully wrapped pink and peach head tie that twists into a knot above her head, echoing the soft folds of cloth at her shoulders. Her blouse is patterned with narrow vertical stripes of rose, coral, and pale cream, as its rounded neckline frames the strong column of her neck. Long gold earrings with rounded drops hang just below her jawline. Her dark eyes are focused, but not on us. Her lips are gently closed, giving her expression a mix of composure and quiet resolve. Soft, blended brushstrokes keep surfaces smooth while faint vertical bands in the background suggest fabric behind her, keeping all attention on her calm, dignified presence. The woman’s elaborate head wrap, striped dress, and possible facial marks signal cultural rootedness, yet her direct, weighing gaze feels unmistakably contemporary. Set against the luminous green field, she appears neither idealized nor romanticized, but present as a thinking person who holds our look. By centering a Black woman as the sole subject, with no narrative scene around her, Lasekan quietly challenges colonial hierarchies that had long marginalized Africans. The work conveys beauty, self-possession, and the importance of seeing Nigerian women as protagonists in their own visual histories.
November 19, 2025 at 10:19 PM
mdstamper.bsky.social
Abike by Akinola Lasekan (Nigerian) - Pastel on paper / c. 1940s - Hampton University Museum (Virginia) #womeninart #portrait #art #pastelpainting #nigerianart #hamptonuniversity #artwork #fineart #portraitofawoman #AkinolaLasekan #nigerianartist #modernism #womensart #pastel #beauty #smile #artbsky
Akinola Lasekan was born S.A Oladetimi in Owo, Ondo State in 1916 and changed his name in 1941. He was one of the pioneers of Nigerian modernism in art who was famous for portraiture. He was a self-thought artist before his colonial art education by the then British administration in the early 20th century. He was part of the first set of students formally trained by the English art teacher, Kenneth Murray who was sent to Nigeria by the colonial education department. His career started as a textile designer with the Compagnie Française-Africaine Occidental in 1935. Between 1936 to 1940 he worked with the Church Missionary Society (CMS) Bookshop, Lagos where he created bible story illustrations and calendars. In the 1940’s, he became one of Nigeria’s first indigenous formal art educators and taught in government colleges and mission schools. In 1961, he joined the faculty of the new School of Fine Arts, now the Department of Fine and Applied Art, of the University of Nigeria Nsukka. Lasekan’s artworks capture Nigeria’s landscape, people, culture, and political climate in the 1940s and 50s. His 38-year art career brimmed with beauty, innovation, and advocacy. He utilized easel painting to express the beauty and humanity of Nigeria and its people while simultaneously attacking the British colonial system with nationalistic political cartoons. His mastery and use of these Western art forms contradicted the narrative of European superiority and African inferiority. Abike portrays a beautiful young woman, likely in her early twenties, with dark complexion, smooth skin, expressive eyes, and large gentle smile. Her hair is under a large lavender headwrap scarf. She is wearing a loose-fitting light pink top with small, bright floral and geometric patterns. Set against a muted mustard and pastel yellow background, our focus is drawn to her beauty and smiling expression as she looks off to her right.
February 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
mlobelart.bsky.social
Akinola Lasekan, "Yoruba Acrobatic Dance," 1963
Painting of acrobat & crowd
October 15, 2025 at 1:19 PM
birdsinmuseums.com
Sacrifice to the Sky-God (1955)
Akinola Lasekan
Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom
Sacrifice to the Sky-God (1955) Akinola Lasekan Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom
November 30, 2025 at 3:45 PM
andrewahala.bsky.social
Nigerian Modernism at the Tate mesmerised and saddened me that tho I knew some artists' names and styles. I had no concept of their breadth of work nor the size of their portfolios - masterpieces and their craftsmen overlooked or downplayed due their origin. Go Look See

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Nike Davies-Okundave born 195 Osun. The Goddess of the River 1987 Batik with natural dies This multicoloured embroidery depicts the river goddess Osun. Davies-Okundaye's extiles merge the wax-resist dyeing echniques of batik and adire with intricate embroidery. Born into a creative family Davies-Okundaye was introduced ta extile arts bv her father who embroiderec ceremonial agbada robes. Her great- grandmother taught her adire, a technique of making indigo-dyed patterns or handwoven cotton. At a young age, she pegan teaching adire production to loca omen as a means of generating income she sold her designs at street markets eventually earning enough to establish the Nike Art Centre in Lagos in 1983 Bruce Onobrakpeya born 1932 The Last Supper 1981 Resin, wood, metal and paint At the centre of this monumental triptych is a reimagining of the Last Supper from the Bible. Onobrakpeya used his signature plastocast technique, which involved carving directly into plaster of Paris before applying an epoxy resin. The resin was then pulled off to create the final work. Akinola Lasekan 1916-1972 lya Agba 1958 Acrylic paint on board This portrait shows an elder Yoruba woman, referred to by the respectful title lya Agba, meaning "grandmother', It is one of a series of paintings Lasekan produced in his studio in lpele for purchase by his patrons who included colonial administrators. lya Agba presents a departure from Lasekan's other work, focusing on an unnamed elderly woman rather than a titled ruler or subject from Nigerian folklore Ben Enwonwu 1917-1994 Seven Wooden Sculptures commissioned by the Daily Mirror in 1960 1961 Ebony Displayed in the centre of the room are he seven wooden sculptures Enwonwu created for the headquarters of the Daily Mirror. They were installed in the building's bublic courtvard in Holborn, central London Each figure holds an open newspaper which could evoke wings, a hymn book o a sacred object. With distinct expressions postures and gestures, they are arranged n a constellation that evokes a diversitv ot perspectives. Enwonwu described the group as 'a sort of chorus ... almost a religious group'. He explained: '| tried ... to represen' the wings of the Daily Mirror, flying news al over the world.
November 29, 2025 at 10:02 PM
animationworld.bsky.social
Nigerian #AnimatedShort #OkunkunLo Now Streaming on #YouTube - the project by animator and director Bankole Lasekan follows a schoolboy and baby rhino who are forced into an alliance for survival in the African savannah. bit.ly/4nHCAhv #Animation #AnimationWorld
October 9, 2025 at 12:29 AM
afnews.bsky.social
Nigerian Animated Short ‘Okunkun Lo’ Now Streaming on YouTube www.awn.com/news/nigeria...
Nigerian Animated Short ‘Okunkun Lo’ Now Streaming on YouTube
The project, from animator and director Bankole Lasekan, follows a schoolboy and baby rhino who are forced into an alliance for survival in the African savannah.
www.awn.com
October 9, 2025 at 10:25 AM
drucifer.bsky.social
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"Grandfather's Pipe," Akinole Lasekan, ca. 1960s An oil painting of an old Nigerian man smoking an enormous pipe while seated on a bench outside his home. his grandson, a young boy in a loincloth, sits on the ground near the bowl of the pipe, tending to it. the color palette is earthy and vivid. "Victoria Beach, Lagos," Akinole Lasekan, ca. 1960s Painting of a beach scene with a small male figure in the foreground, looking out over a frothing wave to the Atlantic Ocean. a boat of people rowing is visible far in the distance, and clouds pile high in the sky above the horizon. "Cloth-weaver," Akinole Lasekan, ca. 1960s Painting of a Nigerian woman at a large manual loom facing away from the viewer, working on bolts of striped white cloth. her hair is braided into parallel rows, and her hands and forearms are strong and steady. "Young Story-tellers," Akinole Lasekan, ca. 1960s Painting of four young Nigerian boys sitting around a campfire in a small village. the boy on the left has his mouth open like he is energetically telling a story. the expressions of the other boys range from amusement to satisfaction to rapt attention. all the boys are shirtless, with earth-tone cloth skirts draped about their waists.
August 11, 2024 at 12:37 AM
philiptlin.bsky.social
Akinola Lasekan, Ajaka of Owo or Ajaka Owa, 1944
March 31, 2026 at 4:12 PM
namibiannews.bsky.social
25 trainees awarded international project management certification - nbc
The Southern Africa School of Project Management in partnership with Project Management Institute, Namibia Chapter awarded 25 trainees as international certified managers at a ceremony in the capital.  Speaking at the event, Vice president of Project Management Institute/ Namibia Chapter, Lasekan Temidayo explained that the certification represents more than just an academic success, readiness to contribute to the country's growth. “So, this is basically about the project management networking, a night just to showcase the project management excellence in the country and bring about our project managers from different works of life, be it oil and gas, green hydrogen, energy, infrastructure, name it. So, basically it's the night to connect with fellow project managers, talk about certification, knowledge sharing and anything for that benefit.” The Marketing Manager of Southern Africa School of Project Management, Vision Shatipamba noted that the platform is designed to formally recognise individuals who have earned a project-management certification.  “This is our second annual project management night. We did one last year and the reason we did that is basically to bring project management and professionals in one place to have discussions of projects that are being rolled out in the country.” The graduates also expressed their gratitude for the opportunity. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp
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November 9, 2025 at 7:35 PM
namibiannews.bsky.social
GMN INTERVIEW | 2nd annual project network night - nbc
Project Management Institute Namibia, in partnership with the Southern African School of Project Management, will host their second annual Project Network Night on Saturday, 8 November 2025, at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre. Lasekan Temidayo, Vice President for Membership and Communication at Project Management Institute Namibia, and Lineekela Vision Shatipamba, Marketing Manager at the Southern African School of Project Management, provide insights. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp
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November 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM